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When the Cable was Landed. Sunday, Dec. 14, 1902.
[Ocean Beach, San Francisco, California], 14 Dec. 1902. Photo album (5.5” x 7”), black paper covers, original red and gold cord at spine, title and date in white ink on front cover. 12 original silver prints (2.5” x 4.5” to 3.75” x 4.25”), mounted on black paper and captioned in white ink; inside of back cover signed “G. Harrington in white ink.”. A delightful photo album documenting the celebratory gathering held for the landing of the first U.S. trans-Pacific telegraph cable in San Francisco, connecting the west coast with the Philippines, China, and Japan. This album captures an important event in the history of San Francisco, which inaugurated a new era in the commercial development of the west coast. Beginning with a shot of Clarence Mackay—President of the Pacific Commercial Cable Co. (est. 1901)—the album pictures many of the 40,000 people, including various dignitaries, who gathered to witness the landing and splicing of the cable. Partially visible in one photo is 11 year-old Lucille Gage—daughter of California Governor Henry Gage—who christened the cable with the words “In memory of John W. Mackay, I christen thee Pacific Cable. May it always carry messages of happiness.” The subjects captured include the swirling crowd, policemen on horseback; part of the crowd near a flag pole “When the band played ‘The Star Spangled Banner’”; “the crowd” with “Mr. Ward & Mr. Storrer in foreground” (these being George G. Ward, vice-president of the Commercial Cable Company and L. W. Storrer, superintendent of the Pacific Postal Telegraph Company), with the majestic Cliff House looming in the background; and a man “about to make the splice” while several men smile for the camera. Given his proximity to the heart of the event, the photographer must have either had a press pass or worked for one of the parties intimately involved in the proceedings. Other images include “Bringing in the Buoys”; “Cable and line of buoys—just after the cable was landed”; “Life-boat starting for the last two buoys”; “Landing the Balloon Buoys”; “Landing the Buoys”; “about to launch the life-boat”; “Launching the Life-boat” and “The first Howser…when an unsuccessful attempt was made to land the Cable.” On 4 Dec. 1902, the cable-laying steamer Silvertown arrived in San Francisco, having started from Honolulu with 2200 miles of cable, which it laid—nearly three miles deep—across the ocean to San Francisco to complete the trans-Pacific telegraph cable. In the morning the vessel Newsboy steamed close to shore and—via a lifeboat’s crew—sent a rope ashore to which the cable was attached. While the cable was being spliced on shore, Mayor Schmitz gave a short speech congratulating Clarence Mackay. Upon the completion of the splicing in the late afternoon horses drew the cable through a conduit to the cable station. Meanwhile, the Newsboy steamed five miles out to sea and anchored the cable with balloon buoys. Newsboy was then hoisted aboard the Silvertown. The first message over the cable was sent from shore to Chief Engineer Benest on the Silvertown, congratulating him on the successful landing. Soon thereafter Mackay sent a telegram to President Roosevelt. A very appealing little photo album documenting this important event. REFERENCES: McAdie, Alexander G. The Laying of the American Trans-Pacific Cable at atlantic-cable.com; The Commercial Pacific Cable Company at atlantic-cable.com CONDITION: Light wear to images and covers.
Item #5482
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