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 each day for new editions.
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TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1916
The thunderstorms that swept through the city last night have moved on. Today there will be partly cloudy skies with little chance of rain and the high reaching 65° with the low tonight near 44°. Thousands of Philadelphians are flocking to the New Jersey shore for Easter. The most popular destination is Atlantic City. It will be on that city’s boardwalk (shown below) where the smartly dressed set will participate in the annual Easter promenade. The entire boardwalk and every amusement pier, hotel and grandstand is gaily and brightly decorated for the over 100,000 visitors expected on Sunday.
A “Tag Day” is being held today to benefit Roosevelt Hospital, 5th & Green streets. The hope is to raise funds to retire a $5,000.00 debt. Nurses from the hospital assisted by Boy Scouts and Campfire Girls will be selling small celluloid tag buttons in center city on Chestnut Street and at the ferry landings.
In business news, the Delaware River has earned the title of the “Clyde of America” and the proposal for 2 more ship building facilities along the river will certainly add to its renown. Presently the river is home to Cramps, New York Shipbuilding, Quigley & Dorp, Penn Ship, the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Chester Ship Yard, Harlan & Hollingsworth and Pusey & Jones. Those yards are joined by Eddystone Munitions Co., Remington Arms Co. and the Du Pont Plant. And now plans are being laid for another new shipyard near Chester and a second at Gloucester, New Jersey.
On the sports scene, in professional baseball the 1st place Phillies beat the Giants in New York yesterday 6 to 2. Al Demaree got his 2nd win of the season. And the Athletics have now won 2 in a row at Shibe Park. They beat the Red Sox 3 to 1 on Friday behind the strong pitching of Elmer Myers and the hitting of Amos Strunk and Nap Lajoie. Strunk went 3 for 3 with two doubles and old Nap went 4 for 3. Today the A’s did it again beating the Sox 6 to 2. Jack Nabors got the win with Amos Strunk and Rube Oldring leading with the bats. Oldring knocked home 4 of the A’s runs. In college baseball, Penn beat Swarthmore at Franklin Field 3 to 2.
In high school track, the Williamson School beat Northeast High at Northeast’s field in their annual meet. Leading the trade school boys, Mr. Gerhardt won the 100 yard dash, Mr. Guest took the 880-yard run and Mr. Gardiner won the shot put. Out in Pottstown, Central High went down to defeat at the hands of the Hill School at their dual meet today. Finally, in shooting the Lansdale Gun Club defeated the team from S.S. White Toothpaste 669 to 664.
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