The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-16

in the case OF citizen Cyrus W. Field. for
establishing Geographic communications
by means Of the Atlantic cable traversing
midocean and connecting the Old World
with the New" the approval of the people
at large was is hearty as the vote in both
senate and house had been unanimous in
passing the act. Men and women who were
children then now recall the cable celebra-
ton as the first great event in memory, and
gray haired folk have not forgotten the
years Of dazzling expectation and of hopes
blasted and deferred between the inception
and the achievement of that wonderful
undertaking.
The first news dispatch by the successful
cable told of the end of the Austro-
Prussian war of 1866, and between the lines
might be read the announcement that the
warfare of the cable was also ended After
thirteen years of struggle the Atlantic tele-
graph was a fact. What triumphs of
science or miracles of art" in the history
of civilization have called forth greater
display of human energy, endurance and
courage than this same battle of the cable?
Admitting the correctness of the concIu-
sions of the, able deep sea explorer, Lieut.
Maury, that there was a plateau stretching
between Newfoundland and Iceland espe-
cially adapted TO the purpose of holding
and protecting submarine cables, there
arose at that date the questions whether a
wire could be constructed long enough to
span l,G00 miles, and, if so, ship large
enough TO carry it and lay it: and would
ever the treacherous sea prove calm enough
and smooth enough to admit of the laying
OF a cable mile and a half to two miles
down in the deep, and above all would men
sensible enough to control so much gold as
would be required for the scheme be in
spired with faith to put their hands into
their bank vaults and foot the bills? And
If the cable could be laid would the electric
current work9
Field had accumulated a competence for
those simple days and was enjoying it
when the idea of a cable came to him in
1853. He then enlisted Peter Cooper, Moses
Taylor, Marshall O. Roberts and Chandler
White in the enterprise, secured the char
ter of the New York, Newfoundland and
London Telegraph company, and with
capital of 81, 500, 600 went to work. A tele-
graph line and road were built through
400 miles of Newfoundland Wilderness, over
mountain and gorge, through swamps and
across rivers, around deep inlets and over
rocky headlands, a task that alone de-
manded genius that could handle an army
Then came the laying of cable across the
Gulf of St Lawrence, the loss of a cable in
a gale at the first attempt, the completion
of line and road 40 miles long across
Cape Breton island, a years delay in max
ing and laying a second cable through tie |
gulf, the whole at Il cost of q round million
Of dollars, all out OF the Golfers of half
dozen men.
Mr.. Field then went to England to ask |
financial aid. his estimates calling for ESQ., |
COO To the inquiry, But suppose you
don't succeed-suppose you make the at
tempt and fail-your cable is lost in the |
what will you do?" Mr.. Field |
quickly replied, Charge it to profit and |
loss, and go to work to lay another"
To show that he meant business, Mr.. |
Field paid down eSS, 000 for eighty-eight |
shares of the stock subscribed in his own |
name. The English government granted |
aid in the use of ships, and e14,000 annual |
subsidy for term OF years, and Mr.. Field |
to ask similar grants from his |
home government. After the American /
eagle had aired his feathers in lengthy de /
bate the bill passed. and the lightning |
promoter" went to England again It |
was then 1851.
The United States loaned the steam war |
frigate Niagara, and England the warship |
Agamemnon TO lay the cable. and the work |
began on the Irish coast Aug. ), each vessel |
bearing coiled within her sides 1900 miles |
Of wire. The Niagara began, and after
paying out BIS miles of wire, half of it in |
water two miles deep. the cable parted.
The machinery for paying out was insult
able, and the feet returned to England 20
hear on all sides the cynical comment, Il
told you So" Not at all discouraged, Mr.