A. D. 2000

In Short

This work of utopian fiction follows Junius Cobb, an officer in 1887 who utilizes a mysterious apparatus to place himself in suspended animation. He awakens in the year 2000 to find the United States and the world radically altered by technological marvels—such as pneumatic travel and aerial navigation—and a unified global society that has largely moved past the conflicts of the nineteenth century. It has lasted as a curious time capsule of Victorian-era technological optimism and the era's fascination with the possibilities of the coming twentieth century.

The Story

The narrative begins in the gloomy atmosphere of the Presidio of San Francisco in November 1887. Junius Cobb, a man gripped by a secret and profound sense of loss, confides in two associates, Craft and Hathaway. He reveals his plan to undergo a "century's sleep," using a specialized apparatus hidden beneath the base of the Statue of Liberty to preserve his life until the year 2000. Despite his friends' pleas and his own deep emotional distress at the prospect of leaving everyone he knows behind, Cobb proceeds with his task, eventually succumbing to his self-imposed isolation.

Upon his awakening in the year 2000, Cobb is greeted by new acquaintances, including Rawolle and Lyman. He quickly realizes the extent of the changes that have occurred over the past century. He discovers a world connected by the "Central Pneumatic Railroad" and high-speed aerial vessels like the Orion. The United States has grown into a massive, orderly nation, and the broader world has seen the rise of the "United States of Germany" and a reformed Russia. Even the legal system has been overhauled, favoring efficiency and strict, severe punishments to discourage corruption among a professional class of judges.

Cobb’s transition is marked by a series of technical and cultural adjustments. He learns to speak Volapük, a universal language that has become the standard for international communication, and he marvels at the daily newspapers that track global events. His journey takes him across a technologically advanced continent, visiting New York and Chicago, the latter serving as the country's metropolis. Throughout this process, he remains a "lion of the hour," treated with great distinction by dignitaries and foreign ministers who are fascinated by his miraculous survival.

The story’s emotional core revolves around the mystery of a copper cylinder Cobb left behind. His friends’ descendants—Marie and Mollie—discover this hidden communication, which leads to a quest to find the resting place of Marie Colchis, a woman from Cobb's past. Using instructions found within the cylinder and specific life-giving technologies, they successfully resurrect her from her long entombment. The narrative concludes with the successful location of the North Pole by Cobb and his companions, marking the final triumph of their scientific exploration. The story ends on a note of reunion and prosperity, as the characters exchange gifts of gold and precious stones, cementing their bonds in this new, technologically refined world.

How It Unfolds

The secret oath Cobb binds his friends to silence under a solemn religious oath, revealing his plan to depart from his present time. He views this separation as a tragic necessity, accepting the pain of leaving his world behind to face the future.

The long sleep begins Cobb secures his apparatus and settles into his state of suspended animation, leaving behind a farewell card for his unknowing comrades. His departure is framed as a desperate act of will, driven by a internal, nameless sorrow.

Awakening to a new century Cobb is resurrected in 2000 and begins to navigate the societal shifts of the new millennium. He is shocked but quickly adaptive, learning the universal language and embracing the modern conveniences of his new environment.

The investigation of the past Characters from the new century discover a long-lost copper cylinder that provides instructions for a miracle. They uncover the tomb of Marie Colchis and use sophisticated equipment to restore her to life.

The final expedition Cobb and his crew pilot the Orion toward the Arctic, seeking to conquer the physical boundary of the North Pole. They successfully locate the axis of the earth and erect a monument, concluding their scientific quest.

The People

Junius Cobb is the story's catalyst, a man defined by a powerful, almost obsessive will. He sacrifices his place in the nineteenth century to escape a hidden personal misery, eventually becoming an observer and diplomat in the year 2000. He is resilient, intellectually capable, and deeply sentimental about the past.

Craft and Hathaway are Cobb's confidants in 1887. They are loyal friends who struggle to understand Cobb's decision, representing the grounding presence of the old world. Their devotion to his secret remains their defining trait until his disappearance.

Rawolle and Lyman serve as guides for Cobb in the new era. They are pragmatic, efficient, and representative of the technological advancements of the 21st century. They facilitate his integration into the new world and support his grand expedition to the North Pole.

Marie Colchis is the subject of the resurrection. Her story is one of tragic entombment and eventual salvation. Her recovery serves as the emotional resolution for Cobb, representing the tether to his past that he is finally able to reclaim.

Mollie and Marie Hathaway are the curious, energetic descendants who uncover the secrets left by their predecessors. They act as the agents of change, transforming from observers into active participants who enable the story's final, miraculous reunion.

In Its Own Voice

"I swear by all that I hold sacred, by my hope of salvation in the after life, and by my belief in a just and good God, that I will not divulge or disclose, by tone of voice, or writing, or other symbol, that which maybe communicated to me this night; so help me God."

Cobb insists upon this solemn oath from his friends before revealing his plans for a century-long sleep.

"If it be God's will, the form will shake, will quiver, open its eyes, will breathe, and become a living woman once again."

This instruction, found in a hidden copper cylinder, provides the guide for the resurrection of Marie Colchis.

"Surely this was little reward for the years of arduous toil and physical suffering of mankind, for the vast sums expended and for the hundreds of human lives which had been sacrificed in the vain ambition of discovering the polar axis of the earth!"

Cobb contemplates the vast, human cost of polar exploration upon finally reaching his goal.

What It's Really About

The book explores the intersection of rapid technological progress and the persistence of human emotion. It poses questions about the price of advancement, weighing the material benefits of a streamlined, high-speed society against the loss of the personal connections that define a life. The narrative argues that even in a world of pneumatic tubes, universal languages, and scientific marvels, the human heart remains preoccupied with love, memory, and the desire for resurrection. It suggests that while systems of government and transportation may evolve toward perfect efficiency, the fundamental human drive to seek out and preserve one's most cherished attachments—even across the divide of a century—remains the ultimate, unchanging pursuit.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of science fiction will find this a fascinating specimen of the late nineteenth-century utopian genre. It captures the specific, wide-eyed ambition of the 1890s, when electricity and engineering were seen as the panaceas for all social ills. You will experience a world where the future is imagined as a cleaner, faster, and more rational version of the past, filled with elaborate descriptions of "pneumatic roads" and "aerial ships" that reflect the industrial fervor of the author's own time.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the book's limitations. The writing style is formal and often dramatic, reflecting the literary conventions of 1890. The inclusion of Volapük, a failed artificial language, serves as a dated reminder of how quickly the "universal solutions" of one era can become historical curiosities. Furthermore, the plot relies heavily on coincidences and a highly sentimental view of relationships that may feel archaic. If you enjoy period pieces that reveal as much about the author’s contemporary anxieties as they do about their futuristic fantasies, this book provides a rewarding look at the turn-of-the-century imagination. It is not a fast-paced thriller, but rather a slow, deliberate exploration of a dream of progress, punctuated by the author’s earnest, if sometimes clunky, enthusiasm for a world yet to come.