New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-29
WILLIAM HENRY ALLEN ROCKER
Death Of Well Known Printer Who Had
An Interesting Career.
From The Albany Argus.


Of William Henry Allen Rocker brother Of the late
s96ery ROokeT Of NewYork CITY 0 al o. his hh homes
"a InFerary. Province OF Ontario, Canada, where
he had resided most OF the time since he Ieft
Albany. number OF years ago.
William Henry Allen Rocker was connected with
The Argus" during nearly twelve Administrators
OF The Argus" and worked forty years IN its
ann6Gaced eleven Fresidea Victories ' feg t5 Ees
p@T1e Of na set up me sadeEs OF over dozen
Columbia County. September g. 1921 He left there
years residenee in Lyons Wayne County. duripg
which time the eIdeT Rocker a partner Of
Myron Holly, pEe OF the hrst canal commissioners
family removed 70 AI5aRy in ISs Thew ,s R geSeF
family Of printers Myrc1 Ii was for MAN. Ne yesra
editor OF different papers in Albany being al
The Press and KHieeTbocker another Srotb or
ws f9T many MAJ years yo iorssn OF the composing
holders Of the original stock of the company when
hooker was early IhIo~h upon ms own resources.
and E-aufully entered the battle of life first as
Of ali arts In the ONCE of The AIb p[eseTp4tlye
tsser Leaving there in $40 he entered tbs en-
g.oy OF me Argns as a Jo1rnsynsn printer.
position Of deputy foreman IN The New-York
Tribune composing room. his brother. Thomas n.
NAMED in New-York about eighteen months. and
tnen retnrnea 20 AIpshy, ana IA 30 resumed bis
remained uninterruptedly until 1856, when he was
interest Of his employers During Ais fortv 't or
fifty years Of service in the composing room he
One Of the stories which he was accustomed to
tell constitutes an Illustration Of how copy came
trsthand 70 the foreman, During times, along
IN lS5. the Editor Of THE Argus was in the
editorial room with party OF Dromipent poll
ucians one evening. discussing the outlook
messenger boy arrived from the telegraph office
with a bunch OF manifold copy, and, the
custom OF the editors of those days Il was placed
IN the dummy and sent up 10 the composing
room without perusal TO be put in type. Mr..
Rockers eagle eye soon discovered its Importance,
and he yelled down the tube TO the coterie Of
II guess you haven't read that dispatch; when
you have done so. think II would be well 10 in
form the town"
The despatch contained news of the surrender OF
Lee TO Grant at Apponatto1, and the virtual end
Ing of the There q surprised lot OF
editors Just then but IL only few moments
before the news was given out and the flags were
ay1ng bells ringing bonflres blazing and the people
Everywhere rejoicing. MIR. Rocker could also tell
many interesting "reminiscences about the promi-
merit politicians Of days gone by; he had IN his
day more than Governor OF the state or New
York stand over him while ne made up an I'M
r,orfant message or other state paper ana was
never known TO "pi" form or galley except on
one OCCASION when certain editorial writer IN an
m advised moment penned an article which MIR.
Rocker knew would set the town by the ears and
not having desiring 70 assume the responsoillty
OF leaving ont the article In question, ne Drought
about an accident" by which u was reduced 10 q
mass OF unacceptable and irextricabis 'pL