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 – TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1917
Today will be another pretty day for the city with fair skies and gentle breezes. The high will reach near 85° with the low tonight about 64°. Brother Ennodius Richard has been appointed president of LaSalle College, Broad & Stiles Streets. Brother Richard is 40 years old and was born in Ireland. He came to the United States 20 years ago and has been teaching mathematics at LaSalle since 1912. Brother Richard said the college will open on September 10 and expects to have between 200 and 300 young men attending.
In news concerning business, the Internal Revenue Collector reports that last year Philadelphia produced 858,224,000 cigars. That number makes this city the largest manufacturer of cigars in the nation. Lancaster, Pa. finished 2nd with 817,573,415. The Hero Manufacturing Company, Gaul & Adams Streets, has been awarded a contract from the government to produce 1,000,000 gas masks for the army. The contract is worth $1,502,000.00. And up in Bristol the government has awarded a contract for the building of forty 9000-ton freight steamships to the Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation the headquarters of which are located here. The contracts were negotiated and signed by W. Averill Harriman, president of the company.
The Bell Telephone Company here has advised the Draft Appeal Board that it will ask for exemptions for almost 800 of its skilled mechanics. The company said it would not ask any exemptions for men in its clerical, financial or administrative departments. However, the company asserts that the mechanics cannot be replaced by those without specialized training and certainly not by women.
WAR NEWS
America will send “war dogs” to France. Secretary of War Newton Baker has announced that 1000 dogs donated for the fight will be trained for military service with our fighting men as scouts to find enemy positions.
On the western front, Trieste is being evacuated by the Austrians. The Austrian high command has ordered the civilian population to leave the port city. The order was given due to the continuing advance of the Italian army. Trieste has been held by the Hapsburg royal family since 1382. It is the 4th largest city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In West Flanders the British are advancing but the going is slow. The ground has been turned into a sea of mud due to yesterday’s heavy downpour. The British have gained 2000 yards southeast of Langemarck.
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