The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-11-28
AnAcE ron A oInDLr.

The Contest Between the Overland
Telegraph and the Atlantic Cable
The race course was between the
OIa World aud the New. The racers
were telegraph companies. one was
called the Russian ,.v'.aiis' the
other the Atlantic Cable"
The track Of the Russian" lay he
tween New Westminster In Briiiah Co /
lumbla and Moscow IN Russia. Up
through the unexplorcd Fraser river
valley It was to run, then on through
the untracked wilderness ~ Alaska,
across Bering Strait. over tie timber
loss stanpcs Of Arctic siberia. ANA
along the drcary coast Of the OkhoisA
Sea 20 the mouth Of the Amoor. ihefc
the American racers called western
Union" were 70 give over the fiiee 70
the Russian telegraph department
which was 20 make the lrst iiuc ID
reaching Moscow.
Western Union said Il would cover
the ground In about two years. Inc
cost would be about five millions OF
dollars: but what was i've millions OF
dollars II the prize could be woman
/ electric girdle FOR the cariht
The path OF the Atlantic cable was
to be ON o tablelnnd some two miles
deep IN The ocean. reaching ii"m Ire
land TO Newfoundland.
The summer Of 1865 found tho world
watching this race with great interest,".
Il opened when the 'iept NJ the lilis-
sian expedition set sail from San
Francisco. nOrthwnrd bound. Inc
Atlantic" people at the same time
were slowing away gigantic coils OF
cable into the capaclous hold OF the
Great Eastern~-a new cable some
1000 miles long.
The Western Union directors were
shrcwd business men. 1--WE millions
Of dollars was little hi comparison
b with the benefit they would receive
{ could they get telegraphic communica-
ton with Europe. and they then be-
/ lleved that the only way was by land.
The public agreed with them nearly
unanimously. And 80 the two pro-
. jects-thc overland and the submarine
were pitted against each other.
I A very unequal race Il seemed NJ
7 the outset The Overland was strong
. and vigorous. the Atlantic was broken
by former failures. The Overland was
popular and had plenty Of money back
Of u; the Atlantic was derided, aud
I, "only fools" Il was said, would IN
! vest In a."
I, The fleet OF the Russian expedition
: which sailed from san Francisco IN
= the summer OF 1856 was quite navy.
], There were ocean steamers, sailing
!, vessels. coast and river boats. and
! Russian and American ships OF the
\ line. with n promise Of vessel from
I, Her Aiajesty's navy. The expedition
!, was well Offered. and about TO men
~ were enlistcd-men Of superior ability
I, IN every department The supplies en-
4. braccd everything that could be- need
NJ ed Thousands Of tons 81 wire. some
n 100 miles Of cable. insulators, wagons
=. etc.
1. August %. 1896. the Great Eastern
landed It's cable az Trinity Bay. ans
the whole world was electrified by M
nuws that Il worked perfectly-iia
the victory had been won. More thai
~ that. The Great Eastern not lnn'
NJ afterwnrd picked up the cable lost Oh
us year before. and that. too. was Soon Il
n, working order. Two electric grille
I, had been clasped around 'hc earth.
'A The succcss OF the Atlantic wa
on defeat for the Russian" An over
st land telegraph line could never CON
lii pete with the submarine cables tn
oi ilrst triumphant "cllck. click" ~ Trir
q ity BAY was therefore the death hlo'
~ of the Russian scheme, and al wor
M connected with that project WIS 4
u once abandoned.
Cd But the wofkers-thc brave me
n' facing famine among the Wild Chool
". ehrcs- buried IN their lonely huis wal
~ Inc Tor some news from their con
~ radcs. or straining every nerve 10 con
X. plrie their shane ~ the great work
90 how pathetic that 80 many OF them 81
eI not hear what had happened In som
cases FOR more than year after a
success Of the cahle-Iane Mars
Parker IN the November ST. sicholae.