Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-03
CABLE FLASHES
Now Exchanged by Honolulu
and San Francisco.
Bond With Our Hawaiian Islands Still
More Firmly Cemented.
New Gable in Perfect Working Order
and Constantly Used.

Honolulu, Jan. BY courtesy of the
Commercial Pacific Gable Co., The As
ISOLATED Press is permitted to tender
congratulations on the completion of
| the first section of the submarine cable
| that is to connect the United States
With the continent of Asia. The cable
was completed at S45 o'clock, Thursday
night, when the two ends were brought
| together in Molokai channel, 80 miles
| from Honolulu, where the San Francisco
end has been buoyed since Dec. rs.
| Shortly after communication was es-
tablshed 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 a message to Pres. Roose
welt, announcing the opening and eX-
tending a greeting from the citizens of
Hawaii. The public celebration which
has been held in allegiance until the
completion of the cable will be held in
the capitol grounds, Saturday.
Thus has been finished, after men,
orable struggle against wind and
waves, an enterprise which brings the
Hawaiian islands 1000 miles nearer the
continent, puts an important, but
hitherto isolated community, into COM
munication with the entire world and
susceptible to all the industrial impetus
which follows ready accessibility.
The final splicing of the ends in the
waters which for days had rendered ca
BILE work impossible, marked the first
stage of the undertaking to span the
vastest ocean with line of electric
mi loot no of yrbi ho
| long been acknowledged by the entire
world and the advocacy of which has
often claimed the attention of the high
est councils, political and financial OF
America. Since the conception of the
| idea 90 years ago of connecting the con-
tinents of North America and Asia by
| telegraph via Boring straits the prac-
ticability 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 persever-
ance. Its advent in Honolulu was hail
| ed by all classes as a boon to her com-
| mercial interests and stimulus to her
material and social progress. Even the
quaint Hawaiians, whose splendid iso-
|
| 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 Sill
vertown from California's shores, III
| keeping with the precedent established
at San Francisco q fortnight before the
\ - \
| upon the coral beach of Oahu island on
| Dec. 2S
| The point OF landing was at the beau
| tiful private park of Sans Souci beach,
| five miles east of the city of Honolulu.
| With the shore end landed there still
| remained span of almost two score of
miles to be closed between the buoyed
deep sea end in Molokaie channel and
the heavy beach line laid half mile
out from shore. The closing of this
gap proved a task that taxed the pa
| thence as we'll as the ingenuity Of the
Silvertown's staff. Five days elapsed,
| the most of which was spent in await
| ing the favor of the wind and sea be-
| fore their labors were completed and
the first signal flashed along the entire
length of 2000 and more miles.
| The character of the bottom, which
is rock with a narrow opening through
the coral reef, rendered great care
necessary in placing the extremely
| heavy cable. All day crowds ashore
watched the steam launches running
| in and out and patiently awaited the
landing of the long expected submarine
| telegraph.
| AT AS T. NJ, the end of the cable
| left the Silvertowns bow with balloon
| bucys attached to it at intervals of
| so feet half mile of heavy line was
| hauled ashore by steam power with
| out hitch or halt.
Having buoyed the deep sea end of
| the cable in the turbulent Molokai
channel at $40 o'clock the morning of
Friday, Dec. 26, after much difficulty
and great risk, the Silvertown came
on to Honolulu and locked at the
naval wharf at noon. The ship was
met in the harbor by tugs and excur-
sion boats, carrying welcoming dele
cations with bands of music, and was
Continued on page 80