Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-13

long. uSelul auu HOnOraDle career. A1nlC
tion visited him only few short month
ago and with one stroke made the grand oil,
man almost wish he had never lived.
The Cruel Stroke That Killed Him.
The pride of his declining years, Edward
NJ. Field, had disgraced his heretofore un
sullied family name by loose, if not crimi
nal fnanciering in the firm of Field, Lind
lay, Weichers g. Co. This, it is said
weighed heavily upon the mind of the ole
man and when with it came the news of hi.
son being of unsound mind, his grief knew
no bounds. Young Field pleaded insanity
to escape the punishment of his crime
Mr.. Field changed perceptibly after be-
ing visited by this misfortune. Intimate
friends say he never regained his old cheer.
full spirit, but remained morose for hours,
no doubt thinking of that great stain which
came upon his noble name during his last
years. Just before the disclosure Mr. Field
was afflicted by the death of his loving
helpmeet, and following quick upon the
announcement of his sons disgrace came
the death of his daughter.
Cyrus w. Field occupies a place in the
temple of fame, which in the great rush of
modern life, people are apt to lass BY un-
noticed, yet only 20 years ago he was held
to be one of the most remarkable men of
the day. If his work is borne in mind he
will be recognized by future generations as
one of the greatest men the nineteenth
century has produced.
The Parentage Of Cyrus W. Field.
The father of Cyrus W. Field, Rev. Mr..
Field, had nine children. They were David
Dudley, the eminent lawyer; Amelia, who
married Rev. Josiah Brewster and died
shortly after; Timothy, who became an
officer in the United States navy and was
lost at sea in 1886; Matthew, noted en-
gineer, who died in 1875: Jonathan, also
dead. who was once President of the Massa-
sociate Justice of the United States Su.
preme Court; Henry Martin, the editor and
preacher; Mary, who died unmarried, and
Cyrus West David Dudley, Stephen,
Cyrus and Henry have all had remarkable
careers.
Cyrus West, the most remarkable of this
truly remarkable family, was born in Stock
bridge, November 80, 1919. He was edu-
Gated in his native town, after which, at
the age of 10, he came to this city, where he
obtained employment as clerk for A. 7.
Stewart at So per week. He became dealer
in paper and failed two or three times. His
native energy and executive talents soon
put him in possession of an ample fortune,
SO that in 1853 he practically retired from
business and made an extended tour over
South America
On his return in the following year he was
solicited to engage in the establishment of a
telegraph line in Newfoundland. After
mature consideration he entered upon the
great work.
Tho Atlantic roh,a prosace rarr,h.a
He procured charter granting an exclu-
sive right for years to establish telegraph
from this continent to the colony and
thence to Europe. After consulting
Lieutenant Maury of the navy and Prof
Morse as to its practicability, Mr.. Field
formed company with 81, 10000 capital.
Peter Cooper was the first subscriber to
this fund. He visited England in 1854 and
in 1856 for q further prosecution of his pet
schemes
He accompanied the expeditions of 1857
and 1858, fitted out to lay a cable across the
Atlantic between Ireland and Newfound-
land. The announcement that the cable
had been laid sent lightning thrill through
all the land, and men wept for joy. But
the success was only temporary. Four
hundred kilograms were transmitted and
the cables vitality ceased.
Ou AGs buCCCSs III OVdJlOu was
given Mr.. Field on his return to New York.
Nothing daunted by this dark cloud he went
to Europe again. Capital was procured only
after hard struggle with fnanciers, but be
knew how grand and practicable his idea
was, and persevered. In the latter part of
the sixties the Great Eastern, after repeated
failures, completed the task of laying the
great cable on July q, 1866.
Some of His Later Enterurises
Cyrus w. Field was now the lion of the
day. He received from Congress gold
medal and the thanks of the nation. But
Mr.. Field did not rest on his laurels. The
pioneer of the cable, he became a promoter
of rapid transit. He secured controlling
interest in the old 81" road company stock.
and worked wonders in spreading the great
system.
In 1887 Jay Gould forced him out of the
and since then he had taken
no prominent part in any great enterprise.
He owned fine country seat at Irvington
on the Hudson, where his special fad was
the raising of chickens An edifice which
bears his name is the great office building at
the foot Of Broadway. whose upper windows
look far out upon the ocean, which was
bridled by his indomitable genius for head
work