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 – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1915
There are cloudy skies and light rain on the city today but none of that dampened the enthusiasm and good feelings of all Philadelphia baseball fans. Today’s high will reach about 69° with the low tonight around 56°. The Big News Is:
THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES WIN NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT
Today in Boston, Erskine Mayer pitched a great game giving up only 2 runs and 5 hits as the Phillies crushed the Braves 9 to 2. The World Series is now set and for the 2nd year in a row it will be a team from Philadelphia against a team from Boston. The series will begin here at National League Park on Friday, October 8th.
In other news, at about 11:00am this morning armed robbers smashed the window of a jewelry store at 13th & Drury near Chestnut Street and took off with about $13,000.00 worth of goods. However, they were pursued by an angry crowd of shoppers and interested citizens numbering almost 100. The robbers even shot their guns at their pursuers but the crowd kept coming. Finally one of the robbers was caught by a driver for the American Ice Company, Charles Maroney, 1262 South 22nd Street. A fight ensued with the thief aiming the gun at Mr. Maroney’s head. Maroney smacked the gun away and proceeded to beat the robber. He was shortly joined by a co-worker, William Chambers and the thief was subdued. The other robber got away.
Director of Public Safety Robery Dripps stated today that the power of the police department will be used to ensure a clean and fair election. The police will be at polling stations to prevent ballot stuffing, gang thuggery and “phantom” voting. Mr. Dripps said that registration rolls in specific districts will be examined to remove “phantoms” from the lists. It is estimated 25,000 names on the lists are “spirits”.
On the Southern border, American cavalry and artillery have been sent to reinforce our troops at Progresso and Mercedes, Texas today. The additional troops were dispatched after reports that all telegraph and telephone wires had been cut and that Mexicans were preparing for a raid on the towns.
On the sports beat, in High School football today Central beat Wilmington High 12 to 0, St. Luke’s beat Southern 13 to 0 and Haverford School beat West Philadelphia 2 to 0. In boxing there is a full card at the National A.C. tonight, 11th & Catherine Streets. In the wind-up match two South Philadelphia welterweights meet when Tommy Howell of Little Italy takes on Willie Moore of Southwark.
WAR NEWS
Sir Edward Grey announced in London today that the British government has learned that German and Austrian military officers have proceeded to Bulgaria to assist in the operations of the Bulgarian army. This makes it almost certain that Bulgaria will soon enter the war on the side of the Central Powers. On the eastern front, Field Marshal von Hindenburg’s army has stormed Russian positions east of Vilna and near Dvinsk causing the Russian offensive in that area to stall.
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