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 often for new updates.
To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com
TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1915
Today’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with light winds. The high will reach 84° and the low around 66°. John Wanamaker’s plan to buy Belgium from Germany for $100,000,000,000.00 will be discussed this evening at a meeting of the Philadelphia branch of the National Security League at the Union League Club, Broad & Sansom Streets. Mr. Wanamaker is chairman of the National Security League.
The inquiry into the fire on the battleship Oklahoma at the New York Shipbuilding Company in Camden has revealed that there may have been tampering with an oil pipe. The damaged pipe released oil which fed the fire hindering firemen from extinguishing it and causing extensive damage. In order to prevent any further possible sabotage several hundred workers of foreign nationality have been transferred from the nightshift to the dayshift where they can be watched. And all foreign workers will undergo examination. Guards will also be kept on board day and night for security.
On the international scene, in the Caribbean a revolution is underway in Haiti. It began early this morning and by 7:00am President Jean Vilbrun Guillaume Sam was trapped in the Executive Palace under attack. The revolt is being led by supporters of former President Zamor and 167 political prisoners that President Guillaume Sam had executed earlier today.
On the baseball beat, the Phillies winning streak in Cincinnati finally game to an end today. Moran’s boys had beaten the Reds on Sunday 4 to 2 and yesterday 6 to 2. But today the Reds got the best of the National League leaders capturing the win with a run in the bottom of the 9th, final score 4 to 3. The Athletics finally won a game after dropping both games of a doubleheader Sunday in Cleveland and building their losing streak to 5 in a row. Today they opened a home stand against the Browns at Shibe Park and beat St. Louis 6 to 4. Young Tom Sheehan got the win. Mr. Mack recently picked up Sheehan from the Peoria Club of the I.I.I. League.
WAR NEWS
In the west, Austrian warships and hydro-aeroplanes made a combined attack on the eastern Italian coast in the Ancona region. The fleet consisted of 1 cruiser and 4 torpedoboats which shelled the railway lines in the area while the hydro-aeroplanes attacked city of Ancona. For their part the Italians have captured the island of Pelagosa in the Adriatic Sea west of the Dalmatian coast. In the east, the Russians report that they have repulsed the German advance along the Narew River. And stiff resistance all along the Polish front has apparently halted, for now, the German move on Warsaw.
GET YOUR COPY OF PHILADELPHIA: THE WORLD WAR I YEARS AT AMAZON.COM, BARNES & NOBLE AND OTHER BOOK STORES OR JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW.