The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-06-27
ONE AMERICAN AND Ills WORK.
An Interesting Sketch Of Mr. Thomas
l.. Field and His Successes ana
Achievements in London.

1t is always pleasant to note the sue
cess and advancement, commercially
industrially, professionally, intellect
ually and otherwise. OF our nome
folks And so we take pleasure i'll
reproducing the following article con-
corning a young man who IS well
known to many of our readers-Mr.
Thomas l.. Field. native of Warren
county. He married. it will be remem-
bered, Miss Meta Capehart, the ac-
complished daughter of Capt. Is. a.
Capehart, of Vance county, which tact
gives him a local habitatlon and
name" all the more interesting locally.
TO our people who we are sure Will read
with no small degree of pride what is
said of him. Mr. Field is brother OF
our townsman Mr.. George Field, and
is himself well and favorably known III
Henderson. We copy from the Lon
don american, a chronicle ofthe Amer
lean colony in Europe, of May 3lst,
1895. The article, which Is accom-
panied with an excellent half tone like
ness of Mr.. Field, is as follows:
AnglO-Saxon ancestry, to talk as ii the
American possessed inherent capabilities
which his British cousin lacked, and 1T
would be dsrespectful to say so II 1t
we're true; so perhaps we may as we'll be
glad that American and Engishman are
pretty much one and the same thing,
save in the differentiation due to climatic
causes. There is an elasticity and
bouyancy impaired to both body and
mind by the American environment,
which qualities are so bountIfelly
impaired to every son of the American
soil with q soul above that OF tOmtit,
that it is Justly deemed both disgraceful
and objectionable for an American to
be found inactive in whatsoever theater
OF action fate or fortune may havep placed
him. The expansive habit once formed,
he may be sequestrated amid far more
restrictive surroundings than those
which have Influenced his early develop
lnent and while his career will OF necessity
be modified and shaped according to
present surroundings, the tendency to
push boldly out upon daring, advanced,
and original lines, which is breathed in
with every inspiration OF American air,
must ever assert itself to the constant
invasion of new fields OF enterprise and
usefulness An illustration of the fore
going, which furnishes at the same time
unique picture of American success in q
foreign land, is to be found in the we'll
earned success of one of the most hOnOred
members of the American colony in
London, Mr. Thomas l.. Field, of the
Atlantic Transport Line.
Mr.. Field is well known to leading
Americans not only as the junior member
of the important firm Of shipping agents
-Messrs. Williams, Torrey, & Feild,-but
as patriotic confere in the affairs OF
the American society of London, of which
he is q committee member, and generous
patron of everything conducive to the
renOwn of the American name abroad,
whether it be in connection with matters
of the highest International commercial
Importance or the establishment of an
American base ball park in the suburbs
of London. Few, however, of his own
countrymen know what a splendid work
he has done for the honor of the American
name among Englishmen and in quarters
where the fame of his achievements has
been little likely to reach American ears.
To briefly recapitulate: Thomas l..
Field was born on May 9th, 1862, in
Warren county, North Car Dina, where
his father held sway over broad acres in
the lordly fashion OF the South in ante
beium days, a fashion inherited from her
Cavalier settlers, who carried to the land
OF their adoption the resolute determi-
nation of true Englishmen coupled with
the luxurious and hOspitable tastes OF
tie Stuart Court. Mr.. Fields life, like
t. at of so many sons of the South, after
the Civil War, became one OF great
10. IS l.
tracted by Others, which he felt in con-
science bound to discharge without
compromise. His early business life was
spent in Baltimore, Md, where he first
engaged in the shipping business which
he has ever since followed. One of his
earliest connections was with the A lantc
Transport Line of that city, in the
interests of which he finally came to
London in 1886 The subsequent success
of the Line, SO largely due to his efforts
in connection with those of capable and
enterprising associates, all the world
knows. TO quote from the able pen OF
| our friend John W. Ryckman, in his
important monthly commercial resume
the Americana European Neus Letter, for
March of this year:
Though the passenger traffic of the
Atlantic Transport Line is of recent
growth, its success has been exceptional
For some years it has been the chief freight
carrying line between the United States
and London, and the passenger business
falls legitimately to its charge Its beau.
tiful ships traverse the ocean in less than
twelve days, and have already gained an
enviable reputation for the highest class
of service. the choicest ballast. They
were built especially for safety and
Steadiness. bilge keels on either side
no yuif
convenience and accommodation for about
fifty saloon passengers. OF the MANY who
have crossed in these fine ships, all speak
in highest praise Of the conduct of the
ships at sea, the courteous treatment of
officers and crew, the exceptional comforts
pleasant company, and general good cheer
of the voyage. The fleet of the Line consits
OF the Maryland, Missouri, Maine, Montana
Minnesota, Mississippi, Michigan, Wassa.
chusetts, Manitoba, Mohaaek, and Mobile
the last four are the sister ships we have
| referred to; the others are freight ships
doing an enormous traffic in miscellaneous
freight, live cattle and horses, dressed
peer, &c, from Baltimore to London, and
from Philadelphia to London
For several hundred years theinterests
OF the London shipping trade had been
concentrated in and about the old
Jerusalem Coffee House." in CornhilI,
and we smile as we think of the remark
that will rise to American lips that if it
had not been for an American they would
have kept on with the "Jerusalem for
several hundred years more" However
that may be, it was Thomas l.. Field
who, attracted to the common center Of
professional intercourse among shippinp
men by the affairs of his Line, saw that
the shipping trade" was at a great
disadvantage, and that there were q
thousand and one points of gain which
could be derived by the establishment OF
London Shipping Exchange on an
extensive corporate and permanent basis.
Therefore, single-handed and strong only
in his own convictions, Mr.. Field started.
little over three years ago, to interest
the various shipping people in his idea.
The London Shipping Exchange was
started OF extremely restricted premises
in 1892, since when it has grown by leaps
and bounds to be one of the strongest
and most influential