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 – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1915

The forecast calls for rain today and tonight. The unseasonable temperatures continue with the high reaching 79° and the low about 58°. The Bureau of Health released the weekly mortality report for the city showing 498 deaths this week which is 91 more than last week. Also in the last two weeks 112 new cases of typhoid fever and 129 new cases of scarlet fever have been reported.

The soldiers of the Philadelphia branch of the Salvation Army were on parade today (shown below). At 1:30pm Commander Eva Booth led 1500 men and women from the Chambers-Wylie Presbyterian Church, Broad & Spruce Streets, to Washington Square for an open air meeting. The parade and other events are taking place in conjunction with the 25th annual Congress of the Atlantic Coast Province of the Army which continues through the weekend.

Salvation Army Parade

Secretary of the Navy Daniels announced today that the Navy Yard at League Island will play a large role in the coming buildup of America’s naval forces. A sum of $500,000,000 has been allocated by the government over the next 5 years for the building of 10 battleships, 6 battle cruisers, 100 submarines, 70 destroyers and other auxiliary ships. The Navy Yard will be providing the armor plate used to protect these ships. Also Secretary of the Army Garrison announced that the Frankford Arsenal will be engaged to produce ammunition for a proposed army of 665,000 men. Both of these initiatives will be a great boon to employment in the city.

At National League Park today the Philadelphia Police held their 11th annual carnival in front of 18,000 cheering fans. The event is held to support the Police Pension Fund and widows’ fund. There were sprint and long distance races, wrestling and boxing matches, refreshments and snacks and music provided by the Police Band. The day concluded with a fat mans’ race for patrolmen weighing over 250 pounds which was won by Bill Hendrixsen of the 23rd district.

On the college football scene in an game fans eagerly anticipated the Carlisle Indians travelled to Forbes Field to meet the University of Pittsburgh team and their former coach Glenn “Pop” Warner. Coach Warner had led the Indians from 1907 until last year when he accepted the job at Pittsburgh. Many had hoped that Carlisle would be able to somehow overcome the bigger and quicker Pitt team but that was not the case as Pittsburgh overwhelmed the Indians 45 to 0. [Editor’s note: Pop Warner (shown below) coached Pittsburgh from 1915 to 1923 and is credited with 3 national championships in1915, 1916 and 1918. His last coaching job was at Temple University from 1933 to1938]

Pop Warner

Pop Warner

In other games of interest Navy and Penn played to a 7 all tie at Annapolis, Colgate 13 Army 0, Cornell 41 Bucknell 0, Penn State 27 Gettysburg 12, Rutgers 21 Muhlenberg 0, Villanova 14 Lebanon 0 and Syracuse 82 Rochester 0.

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