Mitchel, John Purroy (1879-1918), was elected reform mayor of New York City in 1913. His election ended, for a time, control by Tammany Hall, a notorious political group.
As mayor, Mitchel appointed city department heads with professional backgrounds to improve the efficiency of government. During his term, New York City became the first big city in the United States to adopt a comprehensive zoning ordinance. Mitchel reduced the city debt, fought dishonesty in the city’s police department, and set up a relief fund and workshops for the unemployed. However, a number of Mitchel’s actions angered powerful interests, and he lost his bid for reelection in 1917.
Mitchel was born on July 19, 1879, in Fordham, New York, and graduated from New York Law School. In 1906, as a commissioner of accounts for the city, he exposed dishonest practices of two borough presidents, the fire department, and the licenses bureau. After leaving office as mayor, Mitchel entered the U.S. Army’s air force. He died on July 6, 1918, in an accident during flight training.
