Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-23
GREAT EXCITEM ENT.
Successful Landing Of the New Bennett-
Mckay Cabie-EXcursiODs From
all the Surrounding COun.
try.

RocKPoRr, Mass, May %.
The arrival of the Faradav at 5 A. M with
the shore end of the new Bennett-Mckay
cable was announced to the anxious villagers
by the booming of cannon and the ringing of
all the church bells and fire alarms in the
town.
The entire population turned out on the
instant, and crowded to the beech, and soon
the water was alive with every conceivable
description of craft. The inhab itants of the
adjacent towns were notified by messengers
of the momentus event, and with Rockport
citizens, shortly crowded the beach, large
excursion parties coming frsm all the country
around.
The Earaday was soon surrounded by a
flotila of small boats, crowded with voyagers
who gazed with open mouthed wonder upon
the preparations for laying the shore end of
the cable. The Faraday finally came to
anchor within half mile of Long Beach and
Cape Hedge, and all, at once began the
work. The cable, the heaviest ever laid,
was stored in forward tank in the ships
hold. As it was uncoiled it was run over
massive pulleys, and through immense iron
suices to the stern of the vessel, where it
was paid out and coiled upon three
large RATS made of inflated rubber bags.
covered with boards, and fourth pontoon,
made of boats lashed together and also
covered with boards. Six hundred and
ninety -one fathoms were coiled on the raft.
Three boats crews were sent ashore through
heavy surf all the men being required to
wear life preservers, carrying the heavy rope
attached to the foremost raft.
All the other RATS were lashed together and
connected with the first one. The rope was
gotten ashore safely on the first attempt; then
a large number of men siezed it and
commenced the hauling in of the RATS. As
they were slowly pulled towards the shore
the cable was slowly uncoiled over the stern
of each raft successfully. When the end of
carefully hauled over the rocky beach to the
cable house. where it was made fast, in order
to commence laying the shore end.
little after 8 this morning the committee
of the citizens appointed for the occasion
boarded the Faraday and extended formal
invitation to the ship and cable company, and
officers to come ashore and take part in the
ceremonies arranged to take place.
The people were somewhat disappointed to
learn that the Faraday has still $50 miles OF
cable to lay from Rockport to her last buoy
before the section between Dover Bay and
Rockport is completed. The officers found
it impossible to accept the invitation of the
committee until their work was fully
competed, ana somewhat uampeneu tne
enthusiasm of the villagers, who had made
great preparations for the festival. The
people, however. are making the most of the
! holiday. The brass band is playing, the
artillerymen firing salutes, and seem
determined to make the day remarkable
one in the history of Rockport.
| When the Faraday steams away this
afternoon with the shore end of the cable she
will proceed to her last buoy, as indicated
above, or 200 miles from New England, where
she will splice the cable, thus making a
complete circuit from Dover Bay to Rock
port, then she will steam to thirty miles east
of Dover Bay and take up and splice the
shore end land from Dover Bay to the Irish
coast. When this place is made she will sail
towards Ireland, paying out thousand miles
of deep sea cable as she goes, and which
constitutes the entire amount of the cable on
board She will then take the buoy end oi
the deep sea section. After taking this on
board che will go back to her buoy and finish
| the deep sea section to the Irish coast-
| The Faradzy sailed shortly after noon,
paying out cable, and expects to cover the
| $50 miles, and splice the cable. by the 25th
| inst, when the cire nit between Dover Bay
and Rockport will be complete.