"The workmen, attired in their every-day clothes, with evergreens in their hats, next marched in squads of four, each gang carrying a banner with the name of their boss-workmen inscribed thereon. In the line of the procession were several four-horse teams drawing wagons in which were the workmen in the engineer's department. On the sides of the vehicles were muslin banners with the words: +-------------------+ | | | Engineer Corps. | | | +-------------------+ "The reservoir workmen were a hardy-looking set of men, and were fair specimens of the laborers of New York. "The procession filled Broadway from Union Square to the Park, and, as it was altogether unexpected, it created no little excitement and inquiry. If all the men and teams in this turnout are kept at the city's work we shall soon see great improvement in the new park.... "The procession was composed of eleven hundred laborers and eight hundred carts from the Central Park, under the marshalship of Messrs. Olmsted, Miller, Waring, and Grant, and seven hundred laborers and carts from the new reservoir under the marshalship of Mr. Walker, forming a procession over three miles in length." These same workmen presented to Mr. Field, the December following, a pitcher made from wood of the Charter Oak. Before the _Niagara_ arrived at New York on the morning of August 18th Mr. Field prepared his report for the Atlantic Telegraph Company, and he had it at once posted, and with it his resignation as general manager of the company. "How Cyrus Laid the Cable" was written by John G. Saxe for _Harper's Weekly_, and was published on September 11th: "Come listen all unto my song, It is no silly fable; 'Tis all about the mighty cord They call the Atlantic cable. "Bold Cyrus Field he said, says he, 'I have a pretty notion That I can run a telegraph Across the Atlantic Ocean.' "Then all the people laughed, and said They'd like to see him do it; He might get half-seas-over, but He never could go through it; "To carry out his foolish plan He never would be able; He might as well go hang himself With his Atlantic cable. "But Cyrus was a valiant man, A fellow of decision; And heeded not their mocking words, Their laughter and derision. "Twice did his bravest efforts fail, And yet his mind was stable; He wa'n't the man to break his heart Because he broke his cable. "'Once more, my gallant boys!' he cried; 'Three times!--you know the fable--' ('I'll make it thirty,' muttered he, 'But I will lay the cable!') "Once more they tried--hurrah! hurrah! What means this great commotion? The Lord be praised! the cable's laid Across the Atlantic Ocean!