“Dear Judge Allen,—I sail for Europe on Wednesday next, the 21st instant, and shall be absent five weeks from this city. During my visit there I shall confer with my friends in regard to the Pacific cable, and I am willing to head a subscription list with my own subscription of one hundred thousand dollars.
“I shall be happy to confer with you on my return to this country.
“I have had a bill introduced into Congress granting permission to land and operate cables in the United States, which I hope will pass during this session.
“With great respect,
“I remain, dear Judge Allen,
“Very truly your friend,
“Cyrus W. Field.”
To follow his steps more closely, it is best to turn back to the fall of 1871. It was on October 10th that he cabled to London:
“A great fire has been raging in Chicago for the last two days, and more than 100,000 persons are homeless and destitute of food, shelter, and clothing. Five square miles in heart of Chicago utterly destroyed. Loss between two and three hundred millions. All principal business houses, banks, and hotels destroyed. Could not you, Captain Hamilton, and Mr. Rate call upon the large banking-houses connected with America, such as Morgan, Baring, Jay Cooke, Morton, Brown, Shipley, and others, and endeavor to organize a relief committee for the purpose of rendering the assistance that is so much needed? The large cities of the United States are acting nobly in this fearful calamity that has befallen Chicago, and the citizens subscribe liberally.”
The cablegrams that he received and forwarded on this occasion were numberless. Those that follow were sent by Mr. Mason, the Mayor of Chicago:
“We are sorely afflicted, but our spirit is not broken.”
“God bless the noble people of London.”
“Receive our warmest blessing for your most noble response to our stricken city. It was received by our committee in tears.”