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 9, 1915
The weather will bring another day of fair skies with little cloud cover and gentle winds out of the northwest. The high will reach about 79° with the low near 60°.
Over 250 Negro waiters of this city have called a strike. The waiters are members of the Public Waiters’ Association of Philadelphia and are striking to support their demand for a raise in pay from $2.50 per day to $3.00. The men are predominately employed by the Purveyers’ Association which is an organization composed of various caterers in the city. The men claim the raise is necessary because they do not receive tips.
Mr. E.T. Stotesbury has concluded arrangements for the building of a country home in Chestnut Hill. Mr. Stotesbury has purchased 200 acres adjoining the residence of Charles Welsh near Montgomery Avenue and Paper Mill Road. The purchase price for the land was $250,000.00.
John Heffron, 66 years old of 4204 Main Street in Manayunk, fell while gathering ferns on Tunnel Hill yesterday and badly injured his back. With no one to help he crawled for 2 miles to Pay Bridge where passersby finally saw him. The crawl took Mr. Heffron 9 hours. He was taken to St. Timothy’s Hospital.
The “borders” at Eastern State Penitentiary are taking up agriculture by correspondence course from Pennsylvania State College. No textbooks are used as each inmate involved gets separate lessons along with answers to questions through the mail. Warden “Bob” McKenty collects the homework and then distributes the next lesson. It is hoped that soon the fallow fields within the walls will be yielding crops to supplement the menu.
On the baseball diamond, “Pete” Alexander looked unhittable today in the first 7 innings at West Side Grounds in Chicago against the Cubs getting his 10th win of the season and leading the Phillies to a 4 to 3 win. Here at Shibe Park, despite a strong showing by Bullet Joe Bush the A’s just could not score enough to beat the Indians and went down to defeat 2 to 1.
WAR NEWS
On the western front, the French have declared victory in the battle for Neuville St. Vaast, north of Arras. General Joffre has also announced a new offensive in the Woevre region directed at Metz. The Italians under General Cadorna have opened a fierce attack on Austrian positions east of the Isonzo river and from Tolmino to the Sea. Also, the Italians have advanced 6 miles along the front from Caporetta to the Gulf of Trieste. In the east, the Germans are using huge quantities of poisonous gas against Russian forces east of the Vistula River in Poland. Also the Germans have been greatly reinforced in the Baltic province of Kovno.