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 – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1915
The forecast calls for an unsettled day weather wise. The heat wave continues but today will not be as hot as previous days. There will be partly cloudy skies with the possibility of showers. The high will reach about 83° with the low near 70°.
Around town today, Edward T. Stotesbury (shown below), head of Drexel & Company, was re-elected president of the Reading Company this afternoon.
And Charles C. Neyl, Principal of West Philadelphia High School, gave a luncheon address to the Rotary Club at the St. James Hotel. Principal Neyl opined that today’s teachers do not prefer “boy angels” in their classes but on the whole prefer boys that get into trouble occasionally and can take their medicine when caught because they are the more manly type.
Longshoremen started their morning in disappointment when they arrived at Tony Artrusio’s food stand at Delaware and Race streets and found it burned to the ground. Mr. Artrusio has supplied the men with their “hot dogs”, fishcakes and other longshore delicacies for years. The fire started by an overturned oil stove on which Tony does his cooking.
In crime news, a terrible incident occurred this afternoon at the home of Benjamin Fendell, 1937 Tasker Street. According to neighbors Fendell, 48 years old, and his wife had been arguing for the past few weeks. This morning they were both drinking alcohol in the kitchen when a fight broke out. Fendell slashed his wife’s throat with a razor then attempted to kill his 9 year old son who was in the room. The boy got away as Mrs. Fendell fled to the yard, collapsed and died. Mr. Fendell followed her into the yard and perhaps realizing what he had done used the razor on his own neck. He died at St. Agnes Hospital a half hour later.
On the sports scene, in baseball today at Shibe Park the A’s out did the tigers 3 to 2. Out in Pittsburgh at Forbes Field the Phillies fell to the Pirates 2 to 1. In shooting, the Quaker City Rifle Club will hold their weekly contest tonight at the club’s range at 105 North 9th Street. The public is invited.
WAR NEWS
German zeppelins executed a devastating air raid on the northeast coast of England last night. At least 15 civilians were killed and dozens of buildings set ablaze. On the western front, British forces in northern France are pushing the Germans back near LaBassee. The British are acting in conjunction with the French who are attacking the German lines further south. The Italians have opened a new invasion of Austria through the Stelvio Pass. In the east, in Galicia the Russian army is continuing its retreat from the area around Przemysl and east of the San River.