61 years ago…
January 22, 1946 – Peter Oliphant Knight, organizer of the Tampa Electric Company and its president for 53 years, steps down from his position at the age of 80. Knight founded the company in 1893 and brought Florida its first electric streetcars. Francis J. Gannon is named unanimously as his successor.
Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.
105 years ago…
December 28, 1901 – The City of Tampa loses a lawsuit brought by Almira Pierce for the injury she sustained while walking on a plank sidewalk in Hyde Park. The city’s sidewalks were in such deplorable condition that the Tampa Morning Tribune called the verdict a lucky one for the city in that the small settlement of $25 ($554 in today’s dollars) could have been much higher. Ms. Pierce, one of many individuals in litigation with the city over the same issue, had originally asked for $10,000 ($222,000 today).
Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.
Because you asked…
December 22, 2006 - A network cable supplying Internet access to the TampaGov website has been cut. Brighthouse Networks is aware of the problem, and are working to correct it. In the meantime, the TampaGov site is experiencing intermittent outages. We apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for your patience during repairs.
100 years ago…
December 1, 1906 – St. Petersburg officials announce the discovery of a “pure artesian” well, 450 feet below the surface, that would answer all of the city’s water supply problems. The water supply “was found to be unlimited,” and would “equal the demands of the city for all time.”
Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.
60 years ago…
November 26, 1946 – Peter O. Knight, a lawyer, businessman and leader in the development of Tampa and Florida throughout the first half of the 20th century, dies in his Hyde Park home at the age of 80. Knight founded Tampa Electric Co. in 1893, brought Florida its first electric streetcar, and made Tampa one of the first cities in the country to have then-modernized transportation.
Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.
95 years ago…
October 18, 1911 – Plans are laid out for a new telegraph and telephone system for Tampa’s police department. The new system, anticipated to cost $6,800 ($135,000 in today’s dollars), will be able to accommodate thirty call boxes, almost twice as many as the old system.
Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.
80 years ago…
August 22, 1926 – The Tampa Morning Tribune announces a new addition to Tampa’s “skyscraper section” with a story on a proposed twelve story building. The new office tower, located on the corner of Morgan and Zack Streets, was built for the Peninsular Telephone Company.
Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.
Just yesterday, it seemed that the emergency generator installed in the median on Bayshore Blvd. was going to stay*. Today the Tribune reports that Tampa City Council will move the generator because of protests by over 600 people. Bayshore residents have been complaining that the structure is “an eyesore.” The Times says the vote was unanimous (Saul-Sena was absent): We need to move this thing and soon. Councilwoman Mary Alvarez went so far as to say “This is an emergency.”
With all due respect, Ms. Alvarez, a lunatic brandishing a gun is an emergency. A fire tearing through one of those Bayshore Condos is an emergency. And pumping sewage water out when a hurricane floods the area (that’s what this generator is for, you know) is an emergency. Moving a necessary piece of infrastructure because of aesthetics is not an emergency.
Furthermore, If the Bayshore location of the generator is unacceptable now, why wasn’t this considered before the enclosure was built? By trying to save money and put it in the most economically feasible place, you will spend more of us citizens’ tax money to house it in a more expensive place, PLUS the costs to tear down what was already built.
By the way, the good people of Egypt Lake have power lines and poles cutting through their front yards. These have been there for over two years now, and no one has said it was an “emergency” to have them removed. (yeah, I know that’s the county, not the city, but still).
You people really need to get your act together.
*NOTE: For you readers, my archives really suck right now, and I hope to address that very soon. But I can usually find something if I look for it. I bring this up because sometimes it is damn near impossible to find a Tampa Tribune story even if only one day has passed. Clicking on “Thursday” gave me a list of metro stories from last week - the tenth. Arrgh.
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