Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-07-13


Mass, on Nov. 90. 1919. received his education
In his native village, and at the age OF Is years
went 10 New York, where his brother, David
Dudley secured position for him In the en-
ploy OF Alexander 7. Stewart. When he at
tained his majority he began the manu- facture
and sale Of paper on bis own account, and IN
the course Of dozen years was AZ the head OF
q prosperous business. Ia 1883 he partially
retired, and spent elk months In travelling In
South America.
The project Of carrying a telegraph line
across the Atlantic ocean was suggested TO
him during conversation with his broth er
Matthew in which aid was solicited for the
construction OF u telegraph route across New
fonndland. The matter was at once presented
TO Peter Cooper, Moses Taylor. Marshal Rob-
erts and Chandler White. who agreed TO con.
tribute s20O00 each, and the enterprise
Was at Once Organized
under the title of the New York, Newfound'
land and London Telegraph. The counsel for
the company was his brother, David Dudley
and q committee was Immediately sent 10
Newfoundland to secure from the local legis'
lature the exclusive right for fifty years to
establish a telegraph from the continent Of
America 10 Newfoundland and then TO Eng
land.
Sfr. Field than devoted his time largely to
the accomplishment Of this purpose. He vis-
ited England, soliciting financial aid and
financially subscribed In his own name for a
ono-fourth interest In the company. Several
unsuccessful efforts were made TO lay tho
cable, but finally communication was estab-
lished in 1853. Mr.. Field kept public interest
in tho cable alive during the war. In 1868
active measures we're renewed, and tho steam
ship Great Eastern began
Tho Delivery of the Cable.
At mid d-ocean. after 1900 miles had been laid
the cable parted, and the vessel returned to
England.
In 1855 another expedition started, and on
July q telcgraphlc communication was estab-
lished between the two continents, and has
not since been interrupted. Congress unan-
imously voted Mr.. Field a gold medal, with
the thanks OF the nation, and the prime min
lister Of England declared that only the fact
that be was citizen OF another country pre-
vented his receiving high honors from Berlin.
John Bright pronounced him the "Colum-
bus OF modern times, who, with his cable, had
moored the New World alongside the Old"
The Paris exhibition Of 1851 gave him the
grand medal. the highest prize 1t had TO be-
stow. In 1859 he attended the opening of the
Suez canal as the representative Of the New
York chamber Of commerce. In 1879 be inter-
ested himself In the
Elevated Railway system
OF New York city, and devoted much Of his
thought and wealth to its development. In
1880 he made trip around the world, and one
return to this country, when he secured i'm
portant concessions from the Hawaiian
islands for the laying OF cable across tho
Pacific from San Francisco In 1897 Jay
Gould forced him out Of the management Of
the elevated roads, aud since then he had
taken no prominent part in any great enter
prise. lie owned fine country seat at lrv-
ington on the Hudson. where his special fad
was the raising OF chickens.
Seven Children were born 10 Mr. and Mrs.
Cyrus w. Field. Mary Grace was born on
Oct. ~, ls4l: Alice Durand was born Nov. Z,
1853; Isabella, born Jan. -. 1916; Fanny Gris-
void. born Nov. ~ lsis; Arthur stone, born
Jan. -, lg1. and died Aug. ~. 1854; Edward
Morse. born July {, 1855; Cyrus William, born
March Is, 1867.
Family Troubles.
The first misfortune OF the family In connec-
tion with the children was the mental afiic-
tion Of Alice. the second daughter. II was
during her early womanhood that her afiiic-
tion was visited upon her and there is n legend
among some OF the older families concerning
an unfortunate affair OF the heart. under the
strain OF which the mind was weakened II not
destroyed. For a quarter OF century she has
been kept at private retreat In the country
near New York.
Recent events ar. painfully familiar TO the
general reader Mr.. Fields wife died Nov.
s5, 1891, and soon after, the firm IN which his
son, Edward NJ. was n leading member went
to wreck. Much Of the fathers fortune was
swept away, and that son Is now In the
asylum for the insane.
The ancestry OF tho family has been traced
back 20 the time of William the Conqueror,
but OF the ancient ancestors little is known.
Zacharisn Field was the first of the family 90
TO come America. arriving In Massachusetts,
In l6O. lie vas the ancestor % the Field
family of New England, whose descendants arc
now scattered all over the United states.