TAMMANY SOCIETY 



5695 



TAMPA 



The New York Historical Society, the 

 Academy of Design and many other educa- 

 tional institutions were founded or fostered by 

 Tammany. On April 13, 1808, the Society 

 marched in a body to Wallabout Bay, and laid 

 the foundation stones for a mausoleum, where 

 they later deposited the bones of 11,600 Revo- 

 lutionary patriots. In the War of Secession 

 the grand sachem of Tammany, William D. 

 Kennedy, led a regiment composed of mem- 

 bers who were equipped by the organization. 

 It would be difficult to record even a small part 

 of the interesting and worthy exploits of this 

 society during its early history. 



The Society in Politics. Although the or- 

 ganization existed for many years for patriotic 

 purposes, it soon came to have a political sig- 

 nificance. For many years it led practically a 

 twofold existence patriotic and political 

 with the leadership of both elements in the 

 same hands. Tammany Hall, the home of the 

 Society, was eventually leased to the political 

 element in its membership, with the privilege 

 also of using the Society's name. For a time 

 there was a nominal connection between the 

 two wings, but for nearly fifty years Tammany 

 has been recognized solely as a political ma- 

 chine, wielding vast power, perfect in its or- 

 ganization, and determined to control the gov- 

 ernment of the city and state of New York. 

 '" Numerous scandals have darkened its history, 

 the most notable one occurring in 1871, when 

 Tammany Hall was under the leadership of 

 William M. Tweed. Far-reaching bribery and 

 corruption were charged against the organiza- 

 tion and Tweed was eventually sent to prison. 

 About twenty-five years later, under the leader- 

 ship of Richard Croker, the power of Tammany 

 spread until its influence was felt in national af- 

 fairs. However, its effort to dominate national 

 politics has never been successful. Such noto- 

 riety surrounded the last years of Croker's 

 reign that he preferred a residence in Great 

 Britain rather than continue in the turmoil of 

 New York politics. 



His successor in the leadership was Charles 

 F. Murphy, under whom Tammany has been 

 both the victor and the vanquished in election 

 contests; but fully half of the time since the 

 days of Croker, Tammany has had control of 

 the administration of affairs in the city of New 

 York and has at times dominated the legisla- 

 ture at Albany. In 1913 it met with the most 

 serious defeat of a decade when its candidates 

 for office in New York City were so badly de- 

 feated by the ticket headed by John Purroy 



Mitchel (1879-1918) for mayor; four years later 

 it defeated Mitchel. 



The present Tammany Hall exists because 

 of its influence over the hordes of people on 

 the East Side of New York City and across 

 the river in Brooklyn, a part of Greater New 

 York. Tammony holds the fealty of this great 

 mass of voters by reason of its almost paternal 

 care of what they believe to be their material 

 interests. C.H.H. 



Consult Kilroe's Saint Tammany and the Ori- 

 gin of Society of Tammany, or' Columbian Order 

 of New York. 



TAM'PA, FLA., a winter resort on the west- 

 ern coast of the state, and the county seat of 

 Hlllsboro County. It is situated on an inlet of 

 Tampa Bay at the point where it receives the 

 Hlllsboro River. Jacksonville is 212 miles north- 

 east. Transportation is provided by the At- 

 lantic Coast Line, the Seaboard Air Line, the 

 Tampa Northern and the Tampa & Gulf Coast 

 railways, by steamer lines which operate to Key 

 West, the West Indies and important Gulf and 

 Atlantic ports, and by lines operating between 

 Tampa and Port Tampa. The population in- 

 creased from 37,782 in 1910 to 53,886 in 1916 

 (Federal estimate) . Tampa ranks second among 

 the cities cf the state, Jacksonville holding first 

 place. 



Tampa has the best harbor on the western 

 coast of Florida. By water and by rail, the 

 city sends out large shipments of fruits, vege- 

 tables, lumber, rosin, fish, cattle, wheat, flour, 

 turpentine and phosphate. The most important 

 industry is the manufacture of cigars. Although 

 Florida raises a superior grade of tobacco, most 

 of the supply used in the cigar factories of the 

 city comes from Havana. About 10,000 peo- 

 ple, mostly Cubans, are employed in the cigar 

 factories, and about 300,000,000 Havana cigars, 

 the greater part of the world's supply, are made 

 here annually. The fishing industry and the 

 manufacture of fertilizer are also important. 



Owing to its delightful location and its health- 

 ful climate, Tampa has become a favorite win- 

 ter resort, and its fine hotels are among its most 

 notable buildings. The magnificent Tampa Baj- 

 Hotel, which was erected at a cost of $5,000,000, 

 is owned by the city and operated under lease. 

 It is one of the largest tourist hotels in the 

 United States. Tampa has a handsome Fed- 

 eral building, a customhouse and a number of 

 fine church, school, bank and office buildings. 

 In addition to the public schools there are the 

 Jesuit College, the Holy Name Academy, for 

 girls, and a Carnegie Library. 



