Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-11-26
SUNDAY WILL BE
ANNIVE RSARY Of
BIRTH OF FIELD


lsrEclAL coRRUsRoNoENcE TO uoRNlgo JouRNA-,
New York, Nov. 25.-Sunday No
vember so. will be the one hundredth
anniversary of the birth Of Cyrus W.
Field, merchant capitalist and projec-
tor of the cable which "moored the
new world alongside the old" His
torical, commercial and other organi-
cations on both sides Of the Atlantic
are preparing for an appropriate OBJ
servance of the centenary. More es-
pecially will the anniversary be OBJ
served in this city. where Mr.. Field
lived and labored during the greater
part of his life, and at Stockbridge,
Mass, the place of his birth,
Cyrus W. Field was one Of four
brothers who achieved wide fame in
their particular lines Of endeavor. The
others were Justice stephen J. Field
of the supreme court or the United
states; David Dudley Field, member
or congress and one of the greatest
law authorities of his time. and Henry
Martyr Field. who was famous both
as an author and clergyman.
AT the age of fifteen, equipped withI
a common school education. cyrus w.
Field came to New York and started
ms career as a clerk in the store of
alexander Il. Stewart. In 1898 he be-
came salesman for his brother. who
mad a paper mill in Massachusetts,
and two years later he entered bust
ness as paper manufacturer on his
own account. Within a year his firm
failed and he set about to nav the
debts and reinstate himself in bust
ness. In these endeavors he was so
successtul that within little more than
Yen years he had wiped out all Of his
Indebtedness and had enough left over
10 retire from
what was considered at that time an
mple fortune.
q. 'out the year 1854 Mr.. Field was |
A ID to invest capital in a project
solicit> establishment of submarine
for the between Newfoundland
connection American continent 1t |
and the Nortr stigatng this matter
was while INV the project for a {
that he conceive .1der the Atlantic
telegraphic cable Il. th Europe,
to connect America ", 7rogos Tay,o.
With Peter Cooper. mot dov
and other noted capitalists ,r > ~
Mr. Field organized and chart San
New York, Newfoundland and 49, r,,
Telegraph company. For NM 20
years he devoted his entire IN ~
the project, making many TIPS
Europe, obtaining Rhe necessal y ., J
cessions, soliciting additional ca p4t'"
and experimenting the manutac,
of the cable g
In 1853 MIR. Field and his associates /
saw the reward of their courage and
faith. In August Of that year the
first cable was completed from Trinity
hay. Newfoundland to Valencia, Ire
land. This cable, laid after four fail
ures, was $500 miles long. weighed
a ton to the mile and the cost OF the
project was $1,S34,5O0 The line was
~ FrrpptinuE
between Queen Victoria and President
Buchanan For six weeks messages
were sent between America and Eu-
rope, but they were of an expert
mental nature, and the cable was
never opened to the public. At the
end of six weeks the caPIe broke
down utterly.
Seven years passed before the work
was resumed and the famous Great
Eastern made its memorable voyage
The cable laid that time parted atterl
a single trial. and then another year
elapsed. The broken ends were pick
ed Hp and spliced and from that day
to fhis cable communication under
the Atlantic has not ceased. There
are now nearly a score of cables be-
tween America and Europe, and many
more under other oceans-more than
100000 miles of ocean cable in all.
In recognition of his eminent serv-
ives the congress of the United States
voted Mr.. Field a gold medal and the
thanks of the nation, Great Britain,
France and other nations likewise
bestowed honors upon him. Great
universities conferred honorary de
grees upon HIM and he syas elected
to fellowship in the most prominent
learned societies of America and Gu
rope.