Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-02
CABLE LAID TO HAWAII
First Section of Great Trans
pacific Line.
Observation-Disclosures
WORK WAS DONE UNDER GREAT
DIFFICULTIES.
@e--e-----
The Event Celebrated in Honolulu and
San Francisco With Great
Enthusiasm.
N0TABLEACHIEVEMENT

HONOLCLU, January by courtesy OF
the Commercial Pacific Gable Company the
Associated Press is permitted to tender con-
graduation on the completion Of the first
section of the submarine cable that Is to
connect the United States with its insular
possessions in the Pacific, and eventually
with the continent Of Asia. The cable was
completed at $40 o'clock last night when
the two ends were brought together In Mo-
lokai channel, thirty-five miles from Homo
lulu, where the San Francisco end had
been buoyed since December 26.
Shortly after communication was estab-
lished the fact was announced to the crowd
in waiting, and was greeted with applause.
Judge Cooper, representing Gov. Dole, who
was absent from the island sent message
to President Roosevelt, announcing the
opening and extending a greeting from the
citizens Of Hawaii. A public celebration;
over the completion of the cable will be
held in the capitol grounds tomorrow. Thus
has been finished, after memorable strug
gle against winds and waves, an enterprise
which brings the Hawaiian Islands practi-
cally two thousand miles nearer the parent
continent, puts an important but hitherto
isolated community in connection with the
entire world and susceptible to all the in
dustrial impetus which follows ready ac-
feasibility.
Cable Work Under Difficulties.
The final splicing Of the ends in the
waters. which for days had been SO rough
as to render cable work impossible, marked
the first stage of the undertaking to span
the vast ocean with line of electrical
communication, the need Of which has long
been acknowledged by the entire world and
the advocacy Of which has often claimed
the attention of the highest councils, poiit-
ical and financial, of America. Since the
conception of the idea. fifty years ago, of
connecting the continents of North America
and Asia by telegraph. via BeTing straits,
the practicability of the Pacific cable has
had many periods of buoyancy and depres-
sion. The history of the project, like that
of all great achievements, was one Of open
opposition and patient perseverance.
It's advent in Honolulu was hailed by all
classes as boon to her commercial inter-
ests and q stimulus to her material and
social progress. Even the quaint Hawa-
iians, whose splendid isolation has lent
romantic interest to their island homes,
forgot for the time being the sacrifice of
romance and poesy to utilitarianism and
greeted the landing Of the cable upon their
soil with an enthusiasm second only to that
which marked the departure Of the Silver
town from CALIFORNIA; g shores.
The Point Of Landing.
The point Of landing was at the beautiful
private park Of Sans Souci beach, five
miles east of the city Of Honolulu. With
the shore end landed there still remained
a span Of almost two score miles to be
closed between the buoyed deep sea end
in Moloakai channel and the heavy beach
line laid a half mile out from shore. The
closing Of this gap proved a task that taxed
the patience as we'll as the ingenuity OF the
Silvertown's staff. Five days elapsed, the
most Of which time spent awaiting the
favor of the winds and sea, before the
labors of the cable builders were completed
and the first signal flashed along the en-
of ND
Ovation to the Silvertown.
Having buoyed the deep sea end Of the
cable in the turbulent Molokai channel at
500 o'clock on the morning of Friday, De-
cember 25, after much difficulty and great
risk the Silvertown came on to Honolulu,
docking at the naval wharf at noon. The
big ship was met in the harbor by tugs
and excursion boats, carrying welcoming
delegations with bands of music. and es-
corted to the wharf, where a great crowd
awaited.
1t was the intention Of the engineer in
charge of the expedition to take on board
/ 900 tons of coal as ballast and await ia
vorabe weather to return, pick up the sea
end and bring it close inshore and buoy
It, The shore end of the cable was then
to be laid out and the final connection
made at that point: Saturday brought no
Improvement in the weather conditions.
The wind blew fiercely from the northeast,
and craft arriving through the channel re-
ported the sea a stirred maelstrom. 1t was
then decided to make no move that day, but
to delay the attempt until Sunday morning,
December %, when start was made The
vessel had not proceeded one mile from the
dock when the full force of a gale behind
the high hills struck her.
The skipper at once decided not to go
outside, as picking up the buoy in the chan
mel was quite impossible. 1t was then de-
termined t., lay the shore end while the
conditions were favorable on that side of
the island. The Silvertown was taken in
shore within half mile Of the coral reef
and preparations were made to haul a line
ashore.