Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-01-05
AN old ENGINEER.
DFArH OF TIN VENERABLE JOHN ". CUM
NIsGS LAST EyESNa
Hs Was PraotieAl Esgia, BuII,r. an Old River
san, asa Was Sapsrislsaasa, q he
0y wEE Works sr Mise
teen ltarL

Another Old and well known citizen
Of wheeling j. dead.
Last svsnins. az I've minute % ntue
o'eioek. John w. cammings died, aged
seventy-eight years
oi TIE macy prominent citizens that
have sose from among as during the
past 'seiVe months. none we're better
kuo~n titan was "Uncls John"
A river man, aud Superintendent
OF the ci'y water works. he was known
both a. home and abroad, aud the news
OF his demise will create sorrow for
many miles up and down the Ohio Val.
ley. Possessed OF most genial nature.
although 10 was hidden somewhat from
those who did not KNOW him lntimatelv
beneath thin mask OF affected brusoue.
ness ana an assumed harshnesS which
was Tar from natural. he was nos.
sesseu OF very wide circle OF
warm friends, who will sincerely mourn
MS loss. As practical engineer he had
no superior In all this section OF country.
what ne didn't know about pumping
engines, even the most modern, was
scarcely worth acquiring, aud IL has
been truthfully said OF him. that no
knaw tho location OF every foot Of
water main in the city OF Wheeling. its
size, when II was put down, and It's pres.
ent condition. For some months past
his health has not been good, aud from
the combined effects of an advanced age
and a life OF hard work, many years of
IL In tho public service, he was unable
to rally from his Illness.
John w. Cummlns was born in sea
coast village OF Scotland, near Inver.
ness, September ~, 1915. He came To
THIS country at the age OF twolvc, to
JOIN his uncles, John, Andrew, George
aud Charles White, pioneers In this city.
out who were all deceased at the time
OF Mr. Cummings arrival except An.
drew. with Andrew Mr.. Cummings
MADE ms home, and spent his early
years OF acquiring an education and in
cIerklng 10 stores. In 1888 he began Ia
learn the trade OF engine build.
Ing, with Cuthbert, Smith & Wallace.
and was with that firm when they built
the first water works for the city. Tho
urn failing, he finished his trade with
a. Nj. Phillips la the spring OF 1885
no became engineer OF the steamer Rob.
ert Emmett, under his cousin, William
White, and later he was engineer OF the
william Wort, and on the Reserve, and
then became head engineer OF the Har.
flsourgh, Capt. Jos. Smith. Two year.
later ho formed partnership with
Knox &c Lloyd aud Captain Hicks, and
they ran the OHIO Valley between thl :
city and New Orleans. This continued
Tor three years, when the partnership
was dissolved. Mr.. Cummings was
later engineer OF tho TioEa, Cant.
l,HeHry Mason, the st. Cloud. with Cant.
Samuel Mason, the Atlanta, with Cant.
Asa johnson, the Baltimore, and then
Tor seven years was engineer OF the
Altamount, Capt. johnson. Ho was On.
gagged on the Clipper and other boats un.
I'll 1861, when he retired from the river
Tor year, to become engineer OF the
water works. He returned to tho
river, but in 1868 was again made
superintendent OF the water works, and
was there continuously for fourteen
years. For q next ten years be was
engineer AZ various points, but in Janu-
airy, 1850. he was again elected super
intendent of the water works, and held
tho position until the politics OF tho
Water Board changed, last year,
through the Democratic deadlock In
Council, and the resulting compiled
lions.
Mr.. Cummings was married In 1928
TO Naomi White, who died In 1871, leav-
Ing three daughters and n son Tho
daug are Mrs. James Rhodes, Mrs.
George Carnahan aud Mrs. S. Hamilton.
Mr.. Cummings life was busy and
an eminently useful one. and his death
will be regretted by the entire com.
munity.