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, DECEMBER 4, 1915
Today’s forecast calls for clear and fair skies over the city with moderate winds from the northwest. The high will be about 36° with the overnight low near 26°. The Bureau of Health reported 481 deaths last week which is 28 more than the proceeding week. The deaths were broken down as follows: 257 males, 224 females, 64 boys and 45 girls.
Well, it is Christmas time and as seems to happen every year we are told that Christmas Trees are scarce. And because of the scarcity they will also be more expensive than last year. Only 28,000 trees arrived in 48 carloads at the 19th & Allegheny Avenue Rail Yards so far. Last year 69 carloads arrived by this point and in 1913 almost 100 freight cars, loaded full of trees were available.
State Senator Edwin Vare (shown below) has purchased a 41/2 acre tract of land in South Philadelphia upon which he plans to build 158 small modern houses. The cost to build the dwellings will be about $800,000.00. The Senator believes this part of South Philadelphia is now ready for development. The land faces the Southern Boulevard below Oregon Avenue and east of Broad Street.
Edwin Vare
From the White House today came the official announcement that President Wilson will marry Mrs. Edith Bolling Galt on December 18th in a ceremony at the bride’s home, 1308 20th Street N.W, Washington D.C. The announcement also noted that only the immediate family of the couple will be attending the wedding.
On the sports scene, in basketball last night the pride of Gray’s Ferry, the Greystock Greys defeated Kensington’s Jasper Jewels 29 to 23 in a brilliant defensive game. Tonight at Musical Fund Hall, 808 Locust Street, Southwark’s DeNeri will host the Trenton Potters. The game starts at 9:00pm. In the Philadelphia Trapshooting League a 3 way tie for 1st place exists between the Landsdale Shooting Association, the S.S. Whites of this city and the Highland Club of Edge Hill. A 10 club match is scheduled this afternoon which will surely break all ties.
WAR NEWS
In the Balkans, Mohammedan Albanians called Arnauts are aiding the Germans and Austrians in Montenegro fighting the Serbian and Montenegrin armies in a coordinated guerrilla warfare campaign. Also, reports have been received that Monastir the last important Serbian city to hold out against the Teutonic allies surrendered to the Bulgarians on Thursday. The city is very close to the Greek border. Now all of Serbia, except for a small corner in the extreme southwest of the country is controlled by armies of the central powers.
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