Bismarck Daily Tribune

NOW UNITED BY CABLE.

LINE BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND HONOLULU READY FOR BUSINESS.

GREETING TO PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FIRST SENT OVER THE CABLE.

First Cablegram Transmitted a Message of Congratulation From Governor Dole of Hawaii to the President of the United States—San Franciscans Enthusiastic Over the Importance of the Event.

San Francisco, Jan. 3.—San Francisco and Honolulu are now connected by cable. The first words passed under the ocean a few minutes after 11 o'clock Thursday night. The wire worked perfectly.

The first message received was from Governor Dole to President Roosevelt. It was merely a formal greeting and congratulation from the people of Hawaii to the people of the United States, from one chief executive to the other.

The message was transmitted at the Market street office to a wire leading directly to the executive mansion at Washington and receipt was acknowledged at 11:25 o'clock.

When the message reached the White House President Roosevelt was asleep and the operator roused to awaken him.

Right after the Dole signature on the first message came a second through from Honolulu. It was a greeting from the people of Hawaii to Clarence H. Mackay, president of cable company, congratulating him upon the completion of the cable and expressing sorrow that John W. Mackay had not survived to see the instantaneous bonds between the islands and the American continent. This message was signed by Henry E. Cooper, secretary of the territory of Hawaii. Then came a message from the Associated Press correspondent on the Silvertown, telling of the successful laying of the cable and of the celebration of the event in Honolulu.

The paper ribbon containing the record of the first experimental work between San Francisco and Honolulu was cut into little sections of a few phrases each and divided among the score of spectators who were assembled about the instruments when San Francisco and Honolulu first spoke to each other under the Pacific ocean.

The line is now open for business.

Great enthusiasm and satisfaction over the completion of the first link of the chain of progress that is to connect the nation with the islands of the Pacific recently acquired is expressed in San Francisco, and the importance of the enterprise is much discussed in commercial circles here. It is predicted that a very substantial increase of traffic between the Pacific coast and the Sandwich islands will immediately result from the completion of the long-desired cable. The day marks an epoch in the commercial history of the coast and the nation.