Celebration parade on September 1st, 1858, for the first transatlantic telegraph cable, Broadway, New York City, north from Hester Street. Photo by British photographer William England (1816-1896), who visited US and Canada in 1858 and 1859.
The
first transatlantic telegraph cable was inaugurated in August, 1858, connecting
North America to Ireland. On September 2, the New York Times reported:
«Yesterday New-York celebrated―and
in a manner that will long be remembered―the
wondrous event of a wondrous age. We were all prepared for an enthusiastic
jubilee in honor of the Ocean Telegraph. We anticipated an unrivaled display;
but the enthusiasm far surpassed our expectations, and the display was such as
even New-York has never witnessed within its broad limits».
Unfortunately, the cable never worked well and eventually failed. A permanent
transatlantic cable finally succeeded in 1866, which was celebrated with a
banquet at the Metropolitan Hotel.
Both projects (1858 and 1866) were carried out by the the Atlantic Telegraph
Company.
On the right another photo taken from the same place, by the same photographer, but later in 1859. Photo shows commercial buildings on east side Broadway, horse drawn streetcars, pedestrians.
Merklee & Thatcher is on the northeast corner of Hester Street. The section of Hester Street, from Mercer Street to Centre Street (former Collect Street) was later renamed Howard Street.
