National Republican., 1884-08-30

NctC York Morning Journal.
Tho procession in celebration Of tho
laying of the first Atlantic cable has long
since been eclipsod by grander pagoants,
and Atlantic cables have become as much
matters of course us ordinary telegraph
lines but at that time New York had
never before seen so splendid show in
the streets. The city was SO crowded
with sight seers that tho people slopt in
arm chairs ut tho hotels or camped ont in
the parks The military parade the civil
societies, swelled the largo line; tho
trades unions sent tabloaus on wheels
representing various artisans at work.
Then, standing in an open baroucho and
bowling to tho right aud left In response
to the cheers of the crowd, came tho hero
Of the occasion, Cyrus w. Field, tall,
nervous looking gentleman, with light
brown hair and beard, Roman nose,
blush gray eyes, and the sanguno face
of born Yankee. As he was thon, so
Mr.. Field Is nova rifle stouter perhaps,
and with a tingo of silver among his
auburn hair. Tho years since his great
triumph have touched him lightly.
A born Yankee Mr. Field certainly is.
He first saw the light at Stock bridge,
Mass, on Oct. 80, 1910. uo was tho
youngest son of Now England clergy
man, who subsequently, removed to Had
dam, Conn. His brother, David Dudley,
was given q collegiate education; instead
of q classical education Cyrus received $25
in cash and his fathers blessing. With
these treasures and u fair knowledge of
reading, writing and arithmetic, ho was
sent to Now York and obtained situa-
tion Us cash boy in A. II. Stewards store,
ut tho liberal salary Of SO week. For
three years young Cyrus worked and
starved In tho employ of tho dry goods
millionaire, and then better and brighter
lifo was opened to him as travelling sales
man for papormaker ut Lee, Conn. Even
in Stewards establishments Cyrus made
his mark by his energy and ability, and
when he wont away the clerks clubbod
together and presented him with dia-
mond pin and farewell supper. A. r.
Stewart gave him nothing. Strangely
enough Mr.. Fiold has lived to see tho
name of A. T. Stewart as thoroughly
painted out as if that millionaire had
never lived.
Comfortcd by one good supper and
adorned with his presentation pin, Cyrus
threw himself into tho work of selling
paper with such zeal that in two years he
had mastered the business. lie then
formed a co-partuership in this city. His
venture was unsuccessful, and in few
months he was bankrupt. The blow was
heavy one; he had beon recently mar
riod. and had lost every dollar. but Mr..
Field bore his misfortune with his accus-
toned courage. He started in again, and
on the first day that he took possession of
his new Office he made the sanguino re-
mark: ~ shall make fortune here in
tya tu ~ Raft
he made his fortune in twelve years and
retired, still in the prime of life, to enjoy
that rest which he had never before
known since his boybood.
In leisure moment he formed an &C.
quaintance with ono Osborne, who had
conceived the project of an Atlantic cable,
and had procured q charter for tho laying
of the cable from the legislature Of New
foundland. There Gisborne's work had
ended, but he talked 1t over with Mr..
Field, whose leisure hung heavily upon
him, although he had travelled through
Bogota, Guayaquil, and Ecuador with
Church, who painted tho Heart of the
Andes" to try and while away the time.
Mr.. Field became interested in Gisborne's
scheme, and one night while studying tho
geographical globe, which still stands in
his library, his interest famed into en-
thubiheul, anu no huOutou, IL Chu Do uOuD
and 1t shall be DONE" The next night he
called together his friends--Peter Cooper,
Noses Taylor, Marshall o. Roberts, Chand-
Ter White, and Wilson q. Hunt-and
preached Atlantic cable to them until
they were converted to his plans. A
stock company was formed, the necessary
capital for preliminary expenses SUBJ
scribed; his brother Dudley. acted as law
yer of the enterprise, and Cyrus sailed
for England to wrest tho money for the
cable from British investors. Noinonk
of old ever preached the crusade with
greater vohemence, and in a wonderfully
short time, and in defiance of innumera-
bic difficulties, the cable was commenced
and the ships chartered to lay it.
Before the Atlantic cable was on accom-
plished fact Mr.. Field had labored upon
1t for twelve years and crossed the ocean
ffty-one times. The first cable would not
operate, but lay dead in its ocean grave.
The second cable spoke for three weeks,
then parted, and was dead as the first. In
1866 the Great Eastern succeeded in per-
manently uniting tho two worlds. Then
all the terrible labors of twelve years
were forgotten in the triumphs Of success.
Congress voted Mr.. Field q medal; the
Paris exposition sent him another medal;
the Queen of England knighted his
associates, and he would have been Sir
Cyrus had not his American birth and
prejudices prevented.
In 1879 he celebrated, at his Gramercy
park mansion, tho silver wedding of the
cable project, and here, as in England,
the best society did harmonize to his
achievements. William NJ. Evarts, in his
commemorative address. declared "Co-
lumbus said: Here is one world, let
there be two.' But Cyrus w. Field said:
Here are two worlds, let there be one,' and
both commands were obeyed."
Mr.. Field is the owner of the Washing
ton building and other real estate valued
at $l0,000,000. In stocks, bonds, and
other securities he has $20,000,00O more.
He owns country house at Irvington
and a mansion opposite that of his former
business associate and recent rival, Samuel
]. Tilden, in Gramercy square. In Mr..
Fields shirt front flashes one Of tho largest
and purest emeralds in tho world, and ono
often wonders as he admires that jewel
whether Mr.. Field really values it higher
than the diamond pin presented to him
when poor cash boy by A. t. Stewards
clerks.
On Top.
OF all the OK cu raion ma rtiea ouk of Ralti-