Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammany_Hall

Immigrant Support

Tammany Hall\’s electoral base lay predominantly with New York\’s burgeoning immigrant constituency, which often exchanged political support for Tammany Hall\’s patronage. In pre-New Deal America the extralegal services that Tammany and other urban political machines offered served as a rudimentary, if inadequate, public welfare system. The patronage Tammany Hall provided to immigrants, many of whom lived in extreme poverty and received little government assistance, covered three key areas. First, Tammany provided the means of physical existence in times of emergency: food, coal, rent money or a job. Second, Tammany served as a powerful intermediary between immigrants and the unfamiliar state, from dealing with the police and the bureaucracy to simply obtaining a pushcart license. Third, Tammany officials offered friendship and social intercourse to immigrants who found themselves in an unfamiliar social setting.^[4]

Tammany\’s services are exemplified by a diary entry of ward boss George Washington Plunkitt in which during the course of a day he assisted the victims of a house fire; secured the release of six \”drunks\” by speaking on their behalf to a judge; paid the rent of a poor family to prevent their eviction and gave them money for food; secured employment for four men; attended the funerals of two of his constituents (one Italian, the other Jewish); attended a Bar Mitzvah; and attended the wedding of a Jewish couple from his ward.^[5]

Tammany Hall also served as a social integrator for immigrants by familiarizing them with American society and its political institutions and by helping them become naturalized citizens. One example was the massively expedited, although legally dubious, naturalization process organized by William M. Tweed. Under Tweed special naturalization committees were established to complete the forms, pay the fees and obtain the witnesses necessary for naturalizing immigrants, and judges were compelled to expedite naturalization proceedings.^[6]

The Irish

Tammany is forever linked with the rise of the Irish in American politics. Beginning in late 1845, millions of Irish Catholics began arriving in New York. Equipped with a knowledge of English, very tight loyalties, a proclivity for politics, and what critics said was a propensity to use violence to control the polls, the Irish quickly dominated Tammany. In exchange for votes, they were provided with money and food. From 1872 onward, Tammany had an Irish \”boss.\” They played an increasingly important role in state politics, supporting one candidate and feuding with another. The greatest success came in 1928 when a Tammany hero, New York Governor Al Smith, won the Democratic presidential nomination.

 

 

Tammany Ring, by Thomas Nast

Tweed Machine

By 1854, Tammany\’s lineage and support from immigrants had made it a powerful force in New York politics. Tammany controlled businesses, politics and sometimes law enforcement. Businesses would give gifts to their workers and, in exchange, tell the workers to vote for the politicians that were supported by Tammany (usually a straight Democratic ticket). In 1854, the Society elected its first New York City mayor. Tammany\’s \”bosses\” (called the \”Grand Sachem\”) and their supporters enriched themselves by illegal means. The most infamous boss of all was William M. \”Boss\” Tweed, whose control over the Tammany Hall machine allowed him to win election to the New York State Senate. His political career ended when he was sent to prison along with his partner Francis I.A. Boole, after his ousting at the hands of a reform movement led by New York\’s Democratic governor Samuel J. Tilden in 1872. In 1892, a Protestant minister, Charles Henry Parkhurst, made a widely heard denunciation of the Hall, which led to a Grand Jury investigation, the appointment of the Lexow Committee and the election of a reform mayor in 1894.

1890–1950

Weakened by defeats, the tiger is hunted by enemies in 1893. Puck cartoon by F. Opper

Despite occasional defeats, Tammany was consistently able to survive and, indeed, prosper; it continued to dominate city and even state politics. Under leaders like John Kelly and Richard Croker, Charles F. Murphy and Timothy Sullivan, it controlled Democratic politics in the city. Tammany opposed William Jennings Bryan in 1896.

In 1901, anti-Tammany forces elected a reformer, Republican Seth Low, to become mayor. From 1902 until his death in 1924, Charles F. Murphy was Tammany\’s boss. In 1927 the building on 14th street was sold. The new building on East 17th Street and Union Square East was finished and occupied by 1929.^[7] In 1932, the machine suffered a dual setback when Mayor James Walker was forced from office and reform-minded Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president. Roosevelt stripped Tammany of federal patronage, which had been expanded under the New Deal—and passed it instead to Ed Flynn, boss of the Bronx. Roosevelt helped Republican Fiorello LaGuardia become mayor on a Fusion ticket, thus removing even more patronage from Tammany\’s control.

Tammany depended for its power on government contracts, jobs, patronage, corruption, and ultimately the ability of its leaders to swing the popular vote. The last element weakened after 1940 with the decline of relief programs like WPA and CCC that Tammany used to gain and hold supporters. Congressman Christopher \”Christy\” Sullivan was one of the last \”bosses\” of Tammany Hall before its collapse.

Tammany never recovered, but it staged a small scale come-back in the early 1950s under the leadership of Carmine DeSapio, who succeeded in engineering the elections of Robert Wagner, Jr. as mayor in 1953 and Averell Harriman as state governor in 1954, while simultaneously blocking his enemies, especially Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr. in the 1954 race for state Attorney General.

 

 

All politics revolved around the Boss. 1899 cartoon from Puck

Eleanor Roosevelt organized a counterattack with Herbert Lehman and Thomas Finletter to form the New York Committee for Democratic Voters, a group dedicated to fighting Tammany. In 1961, the group helped remove DeSapio from power. The once mighty Tammany political machine, now deprived of its leadership, quickly faded from political importance, and by the mid-1960s it ceased to exist. The last building to serve as the physical Tammany Hall, on Union Square, is now home to the New York Film Academy. A large decorated flagpole base within Union

By Albert J. Countryman Jr.

Officers from the Gloucester City Little League told members of the Gloucester City Business Association (GCBA) last week that at least $35,000 is missing and that charges will be filed.

\”There will be baseball this year,\” said the new treasurer, adding that they are all very upset and embarrassed about what has happened.

\”Some $35,000 has been embezzled, and it has left us bankrupt,\” he said. \”We will be filing charges.\”

He indicated that the person who allegedly stole the money was able to access the League\’s funds through by obtaining a Mac Card and a Visa card, and then withdrawing cash from ATM machines.

\”I considered this person a friend. He fooled all of us,\” said the new treasurer.

\”We refuse to give the name (of the alleged thief),\” said Little League Officer Bruce Darrow. \”It will be out eventually.\”

The Little League asked GCBA members to considering sponsoring a team or putting up a sign to help the organization get back on its feet.

March 9, 2008

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 21 Texas A&M scored four runs in the first inning and didn\’t look back en route to a 12-3 victory over the Rutgers baseball team to take the three-game series with Sunday\’s victory in front of 2,942 fans at Olsen Field.

Rutgers (3-6) won Friday\’s opener, but Texas A&M (11-3) won the final two games to take the series from the Scarlet Knights.

After Rutgers stranded a runner on third with one out in the top of the first, Texas A&M jumped out to the early lead with a four-run first inning. Most of the damage came on a three-run home run to right field from Luke Anders.

Rutgers got one of those runs back with one swing of the bat in the top of the second as designated hitter Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.) lifted the third pitch he saw well over the fence in left field for his first career home run.

Senior Donny Callahan (Sparta, N.J.) doubled to the gap in left-center field in the fourth and Jaren Matthews (Teaneck, N.J.) drove him home two plays later with a sharp line drive single to center field to cut the Aggies\’ lead in half at 4-2.

Texas A&M countered with three runs in the bottom-half of the frame, however, as the Aggies strung together three extra-base hits in the inning to make it 7-2.

The Scarlet Knights pushed across a third run in the fourth when Brett Garlick (Livingston, N.J.) followed a Joey Ianiero (Bloomsburg, Pa.) single with a single of his own up the middle to score Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.), who reached on a fielder\’s choice, from second base to make it 7-3. The Scarlet Knights threatened for more in the inning but stranded runners on second and third.

The Aggies answered back again, however, in the bottom of the fourth with two runs on a pair of two-out hits to build a 9-3 advantage and end starter Matt Giannini\’s (Millington, N.J.) day after 3.2 innings.

A Jon Gossard (Harrington Park, N.J.) leadoff double in the fifth gave RU life, but the hitter was stranded at third.

The Aggies added a run in the seventh off reliever Kevin Lillis (Fair Haven, N.J.) and used a pair of fielding errors in the eighth to plate two more runs off reliever Tony Wargo (New Providence. N.J.)

Giannini (0-3) took the loss with nine runs on nine hits and a pair of strikeouts in 3.2 innings, while Carson Middleton (3-0) got the win in relief with 4.2 scoreless innings.

Ianiero, a redshirt freshman, made his first career start at second base, while junior transfer Ryan Beard (Point Pleasant, N.J.) made his first appearance as a Scarlet Knight, with a scoreless eighth inning of work on the mound.

Rutgers returns east where it will host the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Wednesday at Bainton Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

The town of Mount Ephraim will be introducing its website by the end of March. Currently, we are in the midst of compiling information that we feel will be beneficial to the residents and also visitors of Mt. Ephraim. With the support of Mayor Joe Wolk and Commissioners Bruce Greenwald and Andy Gilmore, a town resident and fire fighter, Jeff Vilardo has been designing the website.

The website will include such information as contact information, frequently asked questions, links to other town websites, voter information and much more. Looking into the future, plans for the website are to expand and grow the site into one comprehensive site where residents can find the information they may want.

If you are a business owner or organization in Mt. Ephraim we need you to contact us with your current information. We need to have your business or organization name, owner or officer information, mailing address, telephone number, email address and website information if appropriate. Our goal is to have our businesses and organizations thrive due to the impact of our website. Residents can\’t support you if they don\’t know how or what businesses and organizations the town of Mt. Ephraim has to offer.

The website address is www.mountephraim-nj.com. You will want to check it often as there will be important borough information and a calendar of important dates for the town. Please contact Bernice Alibrando with any questions, comments or business/organization information. You may reach her at [email protected] or 856-933-3928.

 Dennis and Tammy Galligan were seeking a new venture when they noticed that the property at 200 S. Broadway was for sale. Not really knowing what a gold mind they were landing, they purchased Bert\’s Shamrock (which it was then called) and renamed the bar Jack\’s Bar & Grill in memory of Tammy\’s father, Jack Walters, a long time Gloucester City resident.

Upon opening they began slowly making much needed renovations and were visited by a gentleman who claimed to be a local historian, friendly with one of the original band players of Bill Haley & the Comets. The Galligans were of course a bit skeptical and blindly dismissed this person and went about their business. Shortly thereafter, upon applying for a UEZ matching façade grant they were dumbfounded by the reality that they were indeed sitting on the best kept historical secret in the City…as their property was the place Bill Haley & his Saddleman got their start and began what we now know as Rock n Roll.

It was back in the early 1950\’s, in an 18 month stint at the Twin Bar, now owned by the Galligans, Bill Haley & the Saddlemen enthusiastically combined country and western, rhythm and blues and various other musical styles to form a successfully blended sound, which resulted in what Haley described as \”the birthplace of rock \’n\’ roll — a place where he could experiment with the crowd,\” according to co-authors John von Hoelle and John W. Haley (son of Bill Haley), in Sound and Glory, which is a biography of Bill Haley.

Aware of the building\’s rich history, the Galligan\’s vigorously worked hand in hand with the City to rehabilitate their façade, change their name to Jack\’s Twin Bar all to enhance their image — with the full intention of keeping Bill Haley\’s legend alive.

Last June, they partnered with the Gloucester City UEZ and together they hosted the 1^st Annual Rock n Roll Revival, which featured Bill Haley\’s Original Comets and other rockabilly bands in an all out tribute to Bill Haley and Gloucester City\’s claim to fame as the birthplace of rock n roll. A plaque commemorating Bill Haley\’s contribution to the cultural history of the region naming Jack\’s Twin Bar as the birthplace of Rock N Roll, now sits on the front of the building, provided by the Camden County Board of Freeholders.

This years Rock N Roll Revival event will be held on June 20 and June 21, along Broadway, which will again focus on Gloucester City rock n roll history. Jack\’s Twin Bar is also currently working with the City to erect a mural on the outside wall of their establishment, which will depict Bill Haley\’s earlier days in relation to his debut in Gloucester City.

The bar/restaurant have various specials and bands, which play on a regular basis and are open daily from 11:30-2 am, and Sundays from 1 to 10 pm. Lunch specials and Happy Hour from 3 to 6 pm is available every day.

Related: Buy Local/UEZ

By Sgt. 1st Class Eric Hendrix, USA Special to American Forces Press Service FORWARD OPERATING BASE FENTY, Afghanistan, March 10, 2008 – Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Loetz recently received a Bronze Star Medal for Valor for saving the life of an Afghan truck driver in 2007.   Army Sgt 1st Class Michael Loetz, of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, is awarded a Bronze Star Medal for Valor for rescuing an Afghan truck driver during an ambush in eastern Afghanistan. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Eric Hendrix, USA (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The story behind the rescue is both harrowing and heartwarming. The Distribution Platoon of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, had just taken over combat logistics patrol operations and were taking a load of ammunition to troops in the Korengal Valley on May 30, 2007. \”I took over a platoon with a lot of brand-new privates with no experience,\” said Loetz, a 37-year-old native of Charleston, S.C. \”The roads hadn\’t been improved at all. We were almost tearing the doors off the trucks because it was cliff on one side, rocks on the other.\” Distro platoon\’s mission is to take vital supplies to locations where supply helicopters can\’t get to. It will often use the services of area Afghan drivers and their rugged vehicles nicknamed \”jingle trucks.\” Loetz\’s platoon delivers ammunition, mail and everything in between to warfighters in these hard-to-reach locations. It\’s a dangerous drive into the Korengal Valley. \”We got hit going up the road. It was just small-arms fire, but the jingle truck in front of me got hit,\” Loetz said. A firefight ensued, and the Afghan driver of the truck in front of Loetz got out and crawled underneath the truck for safety. \”We talked the driver out from under the vehicle (after suppressing enemy fire), got him back in the truck and continued on,\” Loetz said. At the top of the hill where the load of ammunition was to be dropped, Loetz talked with the Afghan driver and told him that as long as he stayed with the platoon on the way back down, he would make sure that the driver got to the bottom in one piece. Then the worst happened. \”We got hit by an (improvised explosive device) on the way back down,\” Loetz said. \”At least three (rocket-propelled grenades) hit the side of the cliff below my truck, and at least two hit the rock wall above it.\” The jingle truck in front of him took some small-arms fire, tearing up its front end. \”At that point, we were separated from our lead element, and we couldn\’t drive around the jingle truck on that narrow road,\” Loetz said. Loetz\’s gunner was laying suppressive fire with a .50 caliber machine gun. \”I said, \’the hell with it,\’ and I got out of the truck and went and grabbed the jingle truck driver,\” Loetz explained. \”He was hiding under the rear axle of his truck trying to avoid getting hit again.\” Despite the hail of gunfire, Loetz put his own life in jeopardy, snatched the Afghan driver and threw him in the backseat of the Humvee. \”He had no way to protect himself and no way to defend himself. I had already promised him that we would take care of him,\” Loetz said. \”You just don\’t go back on a word like that. I knew that if I didn\’t get him, he would stay right there and die.\” The next step was to get the platoon back together and move down the hill. \”I was thinking that I needed to move the jingle truck just enough to get my vehicle around it,\” Loetz said. \”There was just no room. So, I pushed it off the cliff.\” Trying to push the truck off the cliff with a Humvee was not feasible because of the possibility of damaging their ride out of the valley. Loetz pushed the truck so that it would roll off the side of the cliff. The jingle truck tumbled more than 100 feet to the valley bottom. Army Lt. Col. William Ostlund, commander of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, talked about seeing the event unfold from the battalion operations center on Camp Blessing. \”I remember very well, watching the video feed and watching as the truck rolled over the cliff, thinking that it was one of our trucks and it took the breath out of me,\” Ostlund said. On the road, Loetz was getting his convoy back together. \”We were still taking small-arms fire, and I got back in my vehicle and we were assessing the situation. By that time, Company A had moved into an over-watch position and locked on the opposite side of the valley,\” Loetz said. The coordinated suppressing-fire effort gave the distribution platoon the chance to get out of the kill zone and down the hill to safety. Ostlund recounted getting the good news that Loetz\’s convoy had gotten out of the valley safely. \”We got word that not only did we not lose any soldiers from (Company F), but we didn\’t lose an (Afghan) either. The local population is our center of gravity. We need to maintain the love and affections of the population and protect them. And if we put them at risk and don\’t do everything to protect them, we\’re really not doing what we\’re supposed to be doing here,\” Ostlund said. The lanky platoon sergeant from whom those brand-new privates had learned a valuable lesson said only: \”It\’s what you train for.\” (Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Hendrix is assigned to 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Related Sites: Combined Joint Task Force 82 NATO International Security Assistance Force

Gloucester City Councilman Nick Marchese, (PHOTO) chairman of the finance committee, made the following prepared statement at the February 28^th council meeting on the state of this year\’s budget preparation.

 

\”I want to address this year\’s budget. The Finance Committee has been meeting to complete the review of the departmental budget requests.

We need the support of our citizens and our City employees to understand the financial difficulties the City and the State are having.

 

As we meet with each of the seven unions that represent our employees we want to make sure that the people who work through those unions know exactly what is going on with the negotiations of their contracts.

 

Some representatives are stating that they will not accept any less benefits then they are receiving now.

 

The City\’s current concerns are Longevity and Sick Time buy back. We have made no secret about that. These are things that are not happening in many other places in the state that are happening here now.

 

The City can no longer keep up with the high cost of health costs, increases in pensions, and the many capital improvements the City needs.

 

The taxpayers need the employees to work with us through the tough times and you will be rewarded when things are better. With the cost of living raises that all employees will get will more than cover the loss of the other previous benefits.

 

I personally agree with Gov. Corzine in that spending or misspending must be cut to stop the continued tax increases that we burden our citizens with.

 

We are reaching out to all of the City\’s employees to meet and discuss any question you might have as well as to discuss your future options, pay concerns, and the reality of what is going on state wide.

 

We want to be fair to our employees. We don\’t want layoffs or you paying extra for your health Insurance. We value your efforts to the City and need your support to help us bring Gloucester back.

 

Things have been good for a long time. They are not now!

 

We promise that when things are better we will not forget who stepped up and helped.

 

Are there any questions?\”

On March 9, 2008. (nee Hyland) Age 90. Of Glassboro. Formerly of Gloucester City. Devoted mother of Jim (late Gertrude) Pusey and the late Larry (Stella) Pusey. Beloved grandmother of Debbie (Greg) Moore, Tina Williams, Larry (Terri), Michael, John (Kris) and Sharon (Bill) Allison. Beloved great-grandmother of Matthew, Nick, Mitch, Jennifer, Jessica, Thomas, Patrick, Nicole, Christopher and Haley.

Granny loved to travel and spent one month in Ocean City each Summer. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend her viewing on Thursday Evening from 6 to 8 pm at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Father Michael Goyette of Saint Mary\’s R.C. Church will preside over the services beginning at 8 pm in the funeral home. Cremation is private at the request of the family.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations in Granny\’s memory to Lighthouse Hospice: 1040 N. Kings Highway, Suite 100, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 or Senior Care of Washington Twp.: 100 Kingsway East, Suite C, Sewell, NJ 08080. Please write Elizabeth C. Pusey in the memo of the check. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Elizabeth C. Pusey.

Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries may be made through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Phone: 856-456-1142

By Lyle Fulton

Madison, NJ…After having their opener pushed back a few days, The College of New Jersey women’s lacrosse team finally got to take the field and they made their 2008 debut a successful one as the Lions handled host FDU-Florham by the score of 20-4.

The Lions (1-0) took charge from the opening draw as they scored the game’s first 10 goals and eventually led 11-2 at the half.

The Devils (0-1) netted the first two goals to start the second half, but TCNJ closed things out scoring the final nine goals.

Senior Toni-Anne Cavallo (Cedar Grove, NJ/West Essex) led a very balanced attack for the Lions with five goals, while senior Karen Doane (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) recorded three goals and pair of assists. Junior Rachel Gordon (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) and sophomore Angela Wilmer (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) each scored three times and freshman Alison Jaeger (Hampton, NJ/North Hunterdon) made a successful debut for the Lions with two goals and two assists. Junior Katie Reuther (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) also scored twice for TCNJ.

In goal for the Lions, senior Caitlin Gregory (Winslow, NJ/Eastern) got the start and finished with 12 saves, while freshman Mary Waller (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright) as saw time in net, but did not face a shot.

The Lions, ranked fourth in the latest Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Division III poll, return to action on Sunday, March 16 at St, Mary’s College (MD) in a 1 p.m. start.

By Sara Martino

May the \”Luck of the Irish\” come to every lad and lassie that visits the Lucky Star Gallery.

Michael and Amanda (Mandy) Little can pose you in an Irish setting and may even be able to make you look like a traditional leprechaun if you choose, as Mandy has a knack of making you look special and classy with her unique gift of putting you in the right setting. With her twelve years of experience, she will do your make-up and hair styling upon request in preparation for your photos.

\”After posing for their photos with special make-up and costumes, many of the women said they have gained confidence in themselves,\” said Mandy, which is surely a reason why the gallery has many repeat customers.

Customers may pose in retro outfits; including stockings from the 1950\’s complete with seams (remember them ladies?). If you prefer cheesecake, or pin-up style complete with black fish net stockings (remember them men?), no problem… Customers who are pursuing a modeling career use the talents of Mandy who can create bombshell pinups for their portfolios.

\”It is rewarding to see the expressions of the new mothers who sit for their pictures of themselves and their newborns in our \”Alice in Wonderland\” setting,\” said Mandy. \”Family photos can be a lot of fun.\”

Male customers are certainly welcome either with their special lady or by themselves to be photographed in vintage costumes or in regular clothing. Even Michael himself has posed and is quite taken with his partner\’s work.

Michael, a former Army paratrooper and Mandy, a blooming artist, met in an art gallery and have a son who is also an artist. Mandy is a self-taught artist and has always loved painting and the arts. On the walls of the Lucky Star Gallery, Mandy has exhibited colorful and unusual paintings of herself. In addition to her artiste talents, she is a classic songstress and a Marilyn Monroe impersonator.

One of the primary objects of the gallery owners is to attract local and regional artists and to encourage budding artists. \”This summer we will host an exhibit of gifted children\’s art, hoping to make them more aware of the exciting career in painting,\” Mandy said.

Mike and Mandy said they thank their lucky stars to have found their spot here at 531 Monmouth Street in Gloucester City. \”We were lucky to have the means to start our business and lucky to be of help to our customers and neighbors\”, they said. \”We hope our venture will attract many more arts and entertainment businesses and customers for the City.\”

Related: Buy Local/UEZ