Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-04
AMOS J. CUMMINGS.
HIS RECORD AS CoMPoSIToR, WRITER.
AND CORRESPONDENT.
..a Member of Congratulated In His
Support of All Measures In the
Interest OF Labor.
New York IIerald.)

REPRESENTATIVE Amos j. Cummings was
born in Conkling, Broome county, y. ~
on Nav Is. 1871. Both his father and
grandfather were clergymen Wien ne
had completed his common-school educa-
ton at the age Of II years. and when MS
father was editor OF tho Christian Palla-
dunn and tho Christian Messenger ha
became an apprentice I'M the composing
room of his fathers printing office. After
mastering the art he left his native town
and travelled about the South and west
"a a compostor.
Mr.. Cummings then became a printer
IN a newspaper Office In this city Nh're
he remained until the outbreak or the re-
bellion. when he became sergeant-mdlor
of the Twenty-sXth New Jersey Noiun-
teers. A gallant war record was MS ana
he received Official mention for bravery at
Fredericksburg.
Just after Mr. Cummings resumed Woth
as a compositor. nv 1853, the drait rlo'S
broke out, when all the troops, includlhS
the entire state militia. were at the 'front.'
and the property OF the city was uhder
nolice protection alone. The newspaper
Office In which he worked was attacked
nv tho mob. and Mr.. Cummings partlcl-
pated I'm the defence lie was ole OF the
four compositors who remained IN the
office. The lower part or the bulldlis WIS
wrecked. but the rioters wete hha,y
driven away by Captain Thorne at the
head OF a strong body Of police.
LOST HIS PLACE.
The compositors struck for higher wages
I'm August, lSH and Mr.. Cummings l"s1
his place. lie then set type for ohh'iS
newspaper until December, when ne r.
turned TO this city and secured WORK WIN
Charles T.. Wilbur, one OF the owners Oh
n law Journal Wilbur had undertaken
to print a list of citizens subject 10 the
draft. and Mr. Cummings had worked on
this list only few weeks when he WAS
offered a situation in the oditorial-room
of the newspaper by which he had IoF-
merly been employed.
lie was placed in charge or the weekly
edition of the paper ana after TWO years
OF this work he became night elltot.
afterward city editor and then pohtlcAl
editor. lie had charge Of the political
department Of the paper during the Grant
campaign.
Mr.. Cummings accepted an engagement
as managing editor OF another newspaper
in this city In 1862 ami gave suci salts
faction that after a three months ttial
he became a stakeholder In the paper
Overwork compelled his temporary re-
tirement in the winter OF 1872, ana ne
went to Florida. lie visited Colorado
Utah, Nevada, and California the fol-
lowing sunuler. sending correspondence 10
his paper under the signature Of "Ziska.'
Mr.. Cummings went % Florida every
winter until 1875. visiting the Everglades
Lake Ollachobee and other unfrequented
parts OF the State, and his writings
reached "A wide circulation.
4 New York evening paper was In his
charge from the spring % 1915 until after
the nomination Of Samuel J. Tliden for
the presidency. Finding himself over
worked again. late that fall Mr.. Cum
mings visited Florida. and. returning in
the spring. resumed work on the morning
newspaper.
He was sent 10 nearly every quarter OF
the globe az special correspondent. re-
ported State and national political con-
yentions, and for two years made a
speciality OF murder trials based on cir
cumstabtlal evidence. lie reported the
Billings. Hayden, and Malley murder tri-
az.
A MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
Mr.. Cummings was elected president OF
the New York Press club IN 1884,. ani
accepted 4 reelection. but declined third
nomination.
Mr.. Cummings was electca 10 congress
In the fall Of 1856. and on March IT,, 1857.
became managing editor OF the evening
edition OF the paper OF which he was a
stockholder. H. remained with this until
the opening OF Congress In December.
lie declined denomination 10 Congress
I'm 1888. but In the fall Of 1889 was elected
TO nh the vacancy caused by the death
OF Samuel s. Cox, and was reelected In
the fall OF 1902.
IU Congress Mr.. Cummings has actively
supported ali measures brought In the In
terest OF labor. He was an advocate OF
the Mills tariff bin and an opponent OF
the Mckinley bill and the force bill.
Representative Cummings is an earnest
speaker and an active worker in the COM
mittee-roOm.
The name OF Amos J. Cummings Is
probably as well known 10 the members
OF the typographical professlon-certainly
10 the union members--as that OF any
man living. lie IS member OF New
York Typographical Union. No. 6, an or
ganization 10 which he has been attached
for more than thirty years.
Mr.. Cummings is chairinan OF the House
Committee on Naval Affairs. His appoint
ment to this important place by Speaker
Crisp met with wide approval