The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-10-21
AVERAGE MAN
is VISITING
WINDY CITY
IOwan Who Wins New Title
Sees Sights in Chicago as
Newspapers Guest

Chicago. Oct. 21.-(Pl-Roy L.
Gray of Fort Madison, Lee county
Iowa, a,-"America's average man,
has come to Chicago for a couple of
days to give the big town the once
over, meet some Of the boys, take q
peep, maybe. at the night life, and
find out if Chicago hasn't few
average citizens of her own.
Gray, who owns a one-man cloth.
ing store in Fort Madison, was
picked as Americas average man.
in an ingenious survey of the coun.
try published in the American Mag.
azine. Iowa was found to approx
mate most nearly the average
state and Fort Madison the "ayer-
age" city. The folks in Fort Madi-
son themselves picked Gray as
being the average man.
Chicago Newspaper Is Host
The Chicago Herald and Examiner
is host to Gray here. A reporter
for that newspaper went to Fort
Madison yesterday and found Gray
selling an average top coat to an
average fellow townsmen.
Suppose you come to Chicago y
said the reporter, "and meet the
people there and give them a chance
to see what most Of them really look
like from the other fellows point
Of view. Mayor Thompson is anx-
ious to greet you. The folks want
to hear your which they must
regard as an echo of their own
over the radio.'
The average man" had to talk
it over with his average" wife and
children to decide if they could get
along without daddy for a day or
so. Also, there had to- be found an
average clerk to take care of the
store while Gray wa; away.
On the train ride to Chicago, with
the reporter, Gray smoked two aver
age cigars and chatted about sub
jects of average interest.
Many Subjects Discussed
"Bill Thompson? Sure, he makes
a good mayor for Chicago. But
don't know about all that talk he
is making over British propaganda
in the schools.
"Locarno nact? What's that?
"Walter Johnson-there's great
ball player for you. Always plays
clean.
"Next president? Oh, probably
Charley Hughes. Greatest Ameri-
can? Lindbergh, undoubtedly.
"Mussolini? He's got good pub
licity man.
"No, Dempsey won't stage any
And say, that fight with
Tunney was decided on its merits.
"Flappers Aw, this chatter
about the younger generation going
to the bad is silly. The youngsters
are all right.
prohibition Yes, and no. You
can't believe everything told you
either by vets or drys. Don't drink
myself. so am not specially inter-
ested."
At the Herald and Examiner Of
flee Gray was puzzled as to why a
should seek to take his
photograph.
II thought newspapers printed
only pictures Of important people
or great criminals. But, no mat
ter. I'm average enough to enjoy
the thought of seeing what my face
will look like when it comes out in
print"
Fears Talking Over Radio
He expressed misgivings when
told he had been announced to make
q radio talk.
Average know. But what is
average in a speech?"
He was asked what he wanted to
do today.
"Well, I'd like to look some Of the
stores over, the stores on State
street and elsewhere"
He was lukewarm toward sugges-
tions for night entertainment-thea-
tres and night clubs.
mo, guess not. I 60 to the
movies with the wife and children in
Fort Madison now and then-when
there's something good. And we've
got a radio-just an average one.
Continued On page two)