VOICE VOYAGES BY THE GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY 



299 



"Hello, Pittsburgh," called Mr. Carty. 



"Hello, Mr. Carty ; this is Pittsburgh ; 

 Meighan talking," came the reply. 



"What is the temperature there?" in- 

 quired Mr. Carty, "and the weather?" 



SPANNING THE CONTINENT 



One by one, without a moment's loss 

 of time, they came in — Chicago, Omaha, 

 Denver, Salt Lake City, Pocatello, Boise, 

 Walla Walla, Portland, and finally Seat- 

 tle — and in the time that it takes to tell 

 it the guests had swept on an ear voyage 

 to the Northwest Pacific region, and 1 1 

 twinkling lights aglow on the electric 

 map showed in how many places the 

 diners had been transported as hearers 

 in those few minutes. In truth, the hu- 

 man voice was speeding from ocean to 

 ocean, stirring the electric waves from 

 one end of the country to the other, and 

 greeting every ear that was on the line 

 to hear. 



GREETINGS FROM CANADA 



After thus sweeping across the conti- 

 nent, the dinner party started upon an 

 invasion of foreign soil. In less time 

 than it takes to tell it, the voice dis- 

 patchers had perfected a through route 

 from the capital of the greatest nation 

 to the capital of her greatest neighbor. 

 Washington was in whispering distance 

 of Ottawa. 



And from Ottawa came messages of 

 international amity and good-will that 

 were heartily reciprocated by all present. 

 "The Postmaster General of Canada 

 sends greetings," came the voice from 

 Ottawa, "to the Postmaster General of 

 the United States, and trusts that for the 

 common good of the two neighboring 

 peoples the cordial relations which have 

 always existed between the two depart- 

 ments will endure for all time." 



And then from the Rt. Hon. Sir Rob- 

 ert Borden, Prime Minister, came hearty 

 greetings to the National Geographic So- 

 ciety, a tribute to its work, and a word of 

 hope and forecast for its future. 



"My greetings," read the message, "to 

 the National Geographic Society and my 

 congratulations on their achievements of 



another successful year. In speaking 

 through word of mouth across so many 

 miles, it is a pleasure to recall that the 

 distinguished scientist and inventor who 

 has made this wonderful feat possible 

 and who has been one of the guiding 

 spirits of your Society has also had ties 

 of close association with Canada. One 

 of the objects of the National Geographic 

 Society is to increase our knowledge and 

 comprehension of the various countries 

 of the world. The value of such knowl- 

 edge is inestimable, and I would bespeak 

 for your efforts an even greater influence 

 and appreciation in the future." 



PROM THE MEXICAN BORDER 



"There shall be no North and no 

 South," declared a patriot years ago ; and 

 there was not at the Geographic dinner, 

 for as soon as the voice-visit to Ottawa 

 was over the party proceeded to the Rio 

 Grande at El Paso. Flashing by Pitts- 

 burgh, Chicago, Omaha, Denver, Trini- 

 dad, and Albuquerque with a word of 

 greeting to each, Washington was in a 

 minute speaking into the ears of men 

 hundreds of miles apart and hearing a 

 chorus of voices from five different 

 States. 



"Is General Pershing there?" inquired 

 Mr. Carty of El Paso. 



"Yes, sir," answered Mr. Roach, sev- 

 eral thousand miles away. 



"Hello, General Pershing !" 



"Hello, Mr. Carty !" 



"How's everything on the border ?" 



"All's quiet on the border." 



"Did you realize you are talking with 

 800 people?" 



"No, I did not," answered General 

 Pershing. "If I had known it, I might 

 have thought of something worth while 

 to say." 



"Well, you know it now, so you can 

 say it," advised Mr. Carty. 



"My greetings, to the National Geo- 

 graphic Society. I have attended some 

 of its great dinners and know what im- 

 pressive functions they are. I am a mem- 

 ber of the Society and esteem it a rare 

 privilege to help further its splendid 

 work." 



