Alexander Cummings
November 11, 1810
Although born on this day in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Alexander Cummings would later go on to serve as Governor of the Territory of Colorado. But not before first serving as the catalyst that would shape Philadelphia media.
Known for its slogan: “In Philadelphia, nearly everybody reads The Bulletin,” Cummings found The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin in 1847. In its infancy the “Cummings ‘ Evening Telegraphic Bulletin” made history for publishing the first telegraph in a U.S. newspaper.
Cummings lost control of The Bulletin in the 1850’s but not before settling in last of place of the cities 13 papers. Edited by Gibson Peacock until 1895, The Bulletin sold for 2 cents to William L. McLean. Within 10 years The Bulletin, under McLean, grew to be the cities largest paper and even peaked as the nations biggest evening daily paper in 1947. Decline in the 1970’s mostly due to the Philadelphia Inquirer lead to the final edition of The Bulletin to be published in January 29, 1982.
