The San Francisco call., 1896-07-26

'I took the funds, and all of the clerks left
the store that night in body and proceeded
up Broadway to the corner OF Chambers street.
We then agreed to go into large, well-known
oyster saloon in the basement. The clerks at
once voted unanimously that We should have
an oyster supper, and that the treasurer should
pay from this fund the expense of the supper
which was done. Then there was long de-
bate as to what charity the balance should be
given to. Atlast it was unanimously resolved
that there was no such charity in the city or
State of New York as the clerks of A T. Stewart
& Co.. and that Mr.. Field, the treasurer, should
return to each clerk the exact amount of his
fines less his proportion OF the supper. This
occupied until nearly or quite daylight.
"Some one of the clerks or walters told Mr.
Stewart of what had occurred, and we were all
requested to remain at the store the next even
ing after business hours, when Mr.. Stewart
called me up and asked me to give him an ac-
count of what had been done with the funds
paid to me the previous evening. / told him
the exact truth in regard to the matter. when
he dismissed u.s. saying that in the fu-
ture he should be careful that the firm Sc
lected the object of charity that this fund was
given to-"
After working for Stewart for three years
Field decided to leave him, having received
an offer from his brother Matthew in Lee.
4
With this brother he engaged and remained
/ for two years. In 1910, having attained his
majority, he set up business for himself at
| Westfeld, Mass, as a paper-maker, but in a
| few months sold out and returned TO New York
| to accept a partnership in the firm of Z. Root
| l. Co. In 1S41 this firm failed, and Mr.. Field
| then entered into partnership with his broth
er-in-law. Joseph F. Stone, under the firm
| name of Cyrus W. Field & Co. Speaking oi
| of n life Field n lor,r fer
ward: 'In 1874 l was not worth dollar
What money had made had all gone to pay
the debts of the old firm. My business was
conducted on long credit, and we did a gen.
eral business all over the country. 1 built UP
q frst-rate credit everywhere. All business
intrusted'to me was done promptly and quick
ly. I attended to every detail OF the business,
and made point OF answering every letter on
the day it was received"
AS result of this diligence in business MI
| Field on January 1, 1858, was worth $3.50, 600
being then "a years of age and having made
| that fortune in nine years. He at once turned
| to the old claims which he had settled by
compromising ten years before, and pleased
and as tonished his creditors by paying all thai
he owed them in full with per cent interest
In an incomplete autobiograph ply which he be
gan just before his death he states that he in,
tended st that time to retire from business
/
leave his name at the head of the firm and
100000 of his capital in the business on the
express understanding that he not ex
pected to devote any time to it.
1t was the expectation of Mr.. Field on retir
ing from business 10 find enjoyment and occu
patton in travel, and he did make an extensiv;
tour through South America. On his return Il
New York he tried TO interest himself in mat
tiers outside OF business. but did not succeed il
doing so. One of his brothers wrote of him a.
this time: 81 never saw Cyrus SO uneasy al
when he was trying to keep STILL" II was thi
testlessness that led him to take an interes
in an attempt to lay telegraph cable from ST
Johns, New Brunswick, to Newfoundland
At once the bold design was formed to lay
cable across the ocean. The man had found
| the work for which he of all men on earth wa
best fitted, ana thereafter his biography is th
history of'the Atlantic cable.
weshall not undertake to review the arduou