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 13, 1915
There will be clear and fair skies over the city today. The high will reach 87° and the low tonight will be about 65°. The Salvation Army brought happiness into the lives of 2500 poor children today. Twenty-five special trolley cars were loaded with the youngsters for a day at Will Grove Park. The children enjoyed the amusement rides, games and athletic events and a hearty lunch was provided at mid-day with ice cream for dessert.
Old Bill Loughlin died today. He had just passed his 50th birthday. Bill was killed by the man he had lived with and loved for 22 years, former state congressman Frederick Hess. It happened at their home at 327 West Girard Avenue. Mr. Hess had been away for 10 days on a business trip and Bill missed him very much. Every day he would walk along the sidewalk or stand on the porch calling Hess’s name. Old Bill was overjoyed when Mr. Hess returned home and was following him up the stairs when Hess suddenly turned around and headed back down. Mr. Hess didn’t see Old Bill and stepped on his neck killing him instantly. This afternoon Old Bill the parrot was buried in the backyard of the house he loved in a small, simple ceremony because Old Bill was not an ostentatious bird.
In crime news, the Grand Jury today handed down an indictment charging Ida Riehl with murder and voluntary and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Edmund Hauptfuhrer. A trial date has not yet been set.
In international news, in Mexico, the army of Venustiano Carranza, First Chief of the Constitutionalist Party, has driven the forces or Emiliano Zapata from Mexico City. However, the Zapatistas have virtually stripped the city bare of food, horses and automobiles in their retreat. Thomas Hohler, British charge d’affaires there, is trying to arrange food shipments into the starving city. In Europe, estimates have been made by statisticians on the cost of the present war. They have concluded that there have been 21,770,000 men engaged in the fighting and 2,108 warships. In American dollars it is estimated the war is costing the belligerents $42,250,000 per day and up to April 1, 1915 has cost $10,000,000,000.00.
On the sports scene, out in Chicago the A’s fell to the White Sox at Comiskey Park, 7 to 0. Here at National League Park the Phillies opened their 3 game series against the Cardinals with an 8 to 0 win. In boxing, the big news tonight is the return of Philadelphia’s own Battling Levinsky (shown below). Levinsky will meet Joe Rosen of West Philadelphia in the wind-up at the Douglas A.C, 11th & Spring Garden Streets. Four other bouts are on the card.
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