The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-07-26
NEW YORK LETTER.
4 Tribute to the IndomitabIe Energy
Of Cyrus Field
The Cable ard the s.L'' Roads-New York's
Strange ssChristian Endeavor'' Expe-
ricnce-Women Who Play the
! Races-Early Days.
IcopYR1GHr, 1891

IcopYRIGHT, 1921
Death has at last ended the career Of
CYRUS w. Field, one of the few men of
this marvellous period entitled to ever
lasting distinction. A career such as
that of Mr.. Field does not often fall to
human being. Coming to this city as
boy, and working in store for 81 per
week, he passed through various inan-
cial vicissitudes, and finally found him
self the most honoYed and distinguished
man of his time. There is something
really majestic in the contemplation of
his struggle in behalf Of the submarine
cable, which, as Mr.. Evarts says: Made
one world of two" There must have
been in Mr.. Field something of in
domitable courage which some writer
says causes the Anglo-Saxon to begin
fighting at the point where he left Off
The failure of the first Atlantic cable
in 1858 brought disnay to every fnan-
cial investor, but it did not shake the
faith of Mr.. Field. He saw his great
work crowned, and lived to know that
submarine telegraphing is as much an
accomplished fact as the telephone of
to-day.
It was not alone as the father of the
, cable system that Mr.. Field is deserving
of grateful memory in this great me-
tropolis. He was as well the promoter
of the system Of elevated railroads,
which has given modern New York its
growth and impetus. He had greater
difficulties to overcome in that enter
prise than in laying the Atlantic cable
The cable was merely question OF
money, but the elevated railroads were
fought from first to last by property
owners and citizens, who did not be-
neve the project either feasible or de-
sirable. TO overcome this prejudice
and secure the necessary Legislation end
rights Of way was a task greater than
any Hercules ever performed, and one
vastly of more benefit to the human
family. Mr.. Field was 70 years of age
at the time of his death. He came of a
longs}ived. vigorous family, and his
careful mode of living entitled him to
at, least ten more years. But the blow
which game to him in 1887 through the
loss bf a great portion of his fortune
paralyzed his energies somewhat, and
the more recent calamity, which came
to him, In the shape of disgraced and
dishonored son, broke his spirit and
stamina and made him an easy victim
to disease.
think that there is nothing more
pathetic in tho history of our financial
warfare on this island than the crush
ing of Mr.. Field in 1887 by Jay Gould
and his coparceners. Up to that time
Mr.. Field had made himself ruling
spirit in the Manhattan Elevated rail
way system. He had lifted the stock
from almost nothing to $1e0 per share,
and saw still further developments and
prosperity in the reduction of the fare
to Che Uniform rate of cents. The
/ Gould crowd resisted, but Mr. Field
succeeded in carrying his point. Up to
that time the fare on the elevated rail-
ways had been fixed at 5 cents during
certain hours in the early morning and
evening; 10 cents being the rate during
the greater part Of the day. Gould
held that this was sufficient concession
to the working people Of the city, and,
inasmuch as he never forgives anybody
who crosses his path, he ssbided his
time" as doth the villain in the play.
The opportunity came in the summer of
1887, and all of a sudden the community
learned that Cyrus w. Field, benefac-
tor and philanthropist, had been caught
with heavy loads of Elevated stocks
and hammered down to as low as 800
per share. This closed him out, and he
was compelled to part with considerable
Of his property, including HE newspa-
per, the Mail and Express. There never
was more deliberate crime, in my
opinion, committed in this country than
the robbery of Mr.. Field. IfGould had
scherned and planned to burn his house
or steal bis securities out of his safe he
could NOT have gone about it with more
systematic and finished villainy. 1t is
safe to say that, while Mr., Field was
man great enterprises and unbounded
genius for affairs, his fortune never
reached beyond $4,000. goo or s., 900.
He escaped from the clutches Of Gould
and Sage with a million or two, but his
reverse occurred when it was too late in
life to recoup. After his struggles in
early life he was entitled to comfort
ana ease, Will IT6SCtCul IEOuu care. but
there was no composure for him, and
HIS last days were sad and bitter, but
noble in every sense. He never COM
planned.
A WONDERFUL QUARTETTE OF BROTHERS.
It was difficult matter to find more
wonderful quartette of brothers than
that of the Field fanily-David Dud-
ley, Cyrus W., Stephen J. and Henry NJ.
not aue without distinction. A more
affectionate body never existed than
these four brothers. Up to short
time ago they were in the habit of hold
ing an annual reunion, and the dinners
on these occasions were marked social
events The brothers were always
helpful to each other. DIR. Field, the
clergyman, being the youngest and least
acou1nulative member of the family,
was the recipient Of many kindnesses,
from his brother Cyrus especially. re-
member his telling me one time, almost
with tears in his eyes, of the benefac-
tions which Cyrus had rendered him.
na sosS. ftI1r,op oYa 0nnasior I ca1lnN