On this page we will look back at life in the city during the war years. Here we will provide the visitor with the stories making the news, what was happening in sports and entertainment, city politics, the social scene and the prominent people at the time. We will also recount the events occurring in the war on that day. So, check back each day for new editions.

To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com

TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1915

There will be rain this afternoon with overcast cloudy skies. The high will reach 71° with the low about 58°.  Because of the rain today’s Phillies and Athletics games have been called off. Both teams will finish the regular season tomorrow with doubleheaders. The Phillies will meet Brooklyn and the A’s will take on the Senators.

Mayor Blankenburg held a meeting in his office today over the method to be employed in providing tickets by the Phillies for the World Series. There are already allegations of exorbitant prices, unfair distribution to speculators and the refusal of the Phillies to sell tickets to members of the Mayor’s cabinet. The meeting was attended by the Mayor, Director of Public Safety Dripps, Superintendent of Police Robinson and the president of the Phillies, Mr. William F. Baker (shown below). After the meeting the Mayor announced that the issues had been resolved and that Mr. Baker had promised to distribute a certain number of tickets to city officials. Also the Mayor mentioned that he has been invited to watch the games in Mr. Baker’s box.

William Baker

A street carnival is ongoing tonight at 32nd & Berks Streets in aid of Jewish war suffers. The event is run by the Hebrew Central War Relief Committee. The carnival includes booths with various articles for sale presided over by pretty girls and dancing in the yard of the William S. Stokley School.

In crime news, Samuel Roman, 28 years old of 1921 Hancock Street was sentenced to 30 days in jail for beating his 60 year old mother for serving him a breakfast he didn’t like. Magistrate Emely called him a “sickening specimen”. In the very next case Thomas Fagan, 23 years old of 111 Sophia Street, was sentenced to only 10 days for beating his 82 year old mother-in-law.

Out in Pittsburgh, the English and French governments have placed an order for $15,000,000.00 worth of artificial arms and legs for wounded soldiers. The company intends to ship 250 arms and legs each month until the order is filled.

In international news, at a conference held near Cape Haitien, Haiti leaders of the rebellious Haitian factions have agreed to surrender to the American forces and lay down their arms. The rebels have promised no further resistance to the United States. And the United States Department of State today informed the Ottoman Empire’s Ambassador that reports of Turkish massacres of Armenians are creating an “unfriendly opinion” of Turkey in America.

WAR NEWS

On the western front, a thunderous and brutal artillery barrage was launched today in the Champagne region of France by the Allies. It is thought this is the prelude to a new infantry assault. In the Dardanelles and along the coast of Asia Minor, the Anglo-French forces have begun another artillery attack against Turkish positions. The assault is being coordinated between naval vessels off the coast and land batteries.

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