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.
To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com
TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1916
Bright sunny days are in store for Philadelphia today and tomorrow. There will be light gentle breezes with the high reaching 69° and the low tonight about 38°. The children in the neighborhood of 63rd & Woodbine Avenue have a new playmate and he is the most popular companion in Overbrook. His name is Jack and he is just 4 weeks old. His fur is soft and brown and he loves to cuddle and be fed fresh milk from a bottle. He also loves to run, jump and play tag. You see Jack is a bear. His owner, James Whelan, not only lets Jack romp with the children but also takes him to parties and other charitable benefit events.
In entertainment this weekend at motion picture theatres around the city, Mary Pickford stars in “Poor Little Peppina” at the Bluebird, 2209 North Broad. At the Frankford, 4711 Frankford Avenue, Charlie Chaplin stars in “Carmen”. John Barrymore stars in “The Lost Bridegroom” at The Germantown Theatre, 5508 Germantown Avenue and his sister Ethel stars in “The Kiss of Hate” at the Ruby, 7th & Market.
In sports, the University of Pennsylvania Relay Carnival is underway at Franklin Field. More than 3000 athletes from schools and colleges throughout the country are competing. In all, 68 events are on the schedule. In yesterday’s action Penn’s sprint medley team led by Ted Meredith set a new world record. And Penn’s Howard Berry (shown below) won the Pentathlon. Mr. Berry is also a standout baseball and football player and considered by many as the best college athlete in the country.
Howard Berry
Other schools also won laurels, Wisconsin won the distance medley race, Carter of Illinois won the hop, step and jump and McCormick of Cornell took the 16 pound hammer throw. And in the local high school individual and team events, Northeast High won 1st place overall.
Across the Atlantic, it has now been 6 days since the 1st shot was fired in the Irish uprising and reports from London are that over 500 are dead. Fighting has occurred in 7 Irish counties, mostly in the southeastern and western part of the Island. Parts of Dublin have been destroyed by fire. It is estimated the between 10,000 and 15,000 Sinn Fein members and their sympathizers have taken up arms against Britain. The British are asserting that they are gaining control and restoring order gradually in Dublin and throughout the Island. However, it is known that the General Post Office building in Dublin, which became a rebel headquarters, is still in the hands of the Irish.
WAR NEWS
In the Middle East there are reports that the British army at Kut-el-Amara has surrendered after a siege of 143 days. Kut is 100 miles south of Bagdad. The British force is composed of 2000 British and 6,000 Indian soldiers. All attempts to relieve the army by running the Turkish blockade on the Tigris River had failed.
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