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. So, check back often for new editions. To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com

TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1917

The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies today with slightly cooler temperatures.  Today’s high will reach 53° with the low about 38°. Mr. and Mrs. Edward T. Stotesbury have donated $100,000.00 to the Y.W.C.A. The money will be used for the building and equipping of a hostess house near Camp Dix, N.J. where soldiers can meet and entertain their families.

Mr. and Mrs. Edward T. Stotesbury

A fire at the home of Frank Falcune resulted in serious damage to the 3rd floor of his home at 1311 Kimball Street. Mr. Falcune, his wife and five small children escaped the blaze with the help of 13 year old Angelo Macianta who lives next door. Unfortunately, our young hero, Master Macianta, suffered severe burns to his hands. The Fire Department determined that the fire was the result of mice chewing on a box of matches.

On the sports scene, in high school football this afternoon in a game with ramifications for the championship, South Philadelphia and West Philadelphia played to a 0-0 draw. The match was played at Strawbridge & Clothier Field, 62nd & Walnut Streets, before a large enthusiastic crowd. It was a hard fought contest which included the ejection of two players for fighting. The tie gives Northeast High the chance for the championship and sole passion of the Gimbel Cup if they can defeat Central High tomorrow. In other scholastic games Penn Charter overwhelmed Germantown Academy 52 to 0 and Episcopal Academy defeated Friends’ Central 20 to 13. In basketball the Greystock Greys beat Kensington’s Jasper Jewels last night at Nonparel Hall, Kensington & Ontario Avenues, 22 to 16. This was the Jewels’ first loss of the season.

WAR NEWS

The battle of Cambrai is continuing and has become a vicious back and forth struggle. In some areas of the front the British have advanced while in others they have been forced to retreat. There are points where the fighting has even been hand to hand. Now, even if Cambrai is not taken by the British it will never again be a German depot because much of it has been reduced to rubble. On the southern front, the Germans are using gas against the Italians on the Piave line. The worst fighting is around the Asiago plateau between the Brenta and Piave Rivers on Monte Fontana and Monte Spinuccia. On the eastern front, Russian diplomats have left Stockholm for Petrograd carrying peace offers from the Central Powers. The Bolsheviks have promised an immediate cessation of hostilities once they had control of the government.

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