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 – MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1916
There will be fair skies over the city today with the high reaching a pleasant 82° and the low near 54°. The Bureau of Health released its mortality report showing 485 deaths last week. Tuberculosis claimed 79 lives, heart disease 61, acute nephritis and Bright’s disease 55 and homicide 6. The Bureau also reported a troubling outbreak of typhoid fever. Thirty cases are reported with most being in South Philadelphia. So far 7 deaths have been attributed to typhoid.
It is Ruthenian Day at the “Philadelphia Today and Tomorrow” civic exposition being held at the Commercial Museum, 34th & Spruce Street. The day will feature many displays by members of the Ruthenian community living in Philadelphia including an exhibit of weaving by the children of St. Basil’s Orphanage, 832 North 7th Street. The day will conclude with a concert by the choir of the Ruthenian Catholic Church, 816 North Franklin Street. The members of the choir will be wearing the native costumes of their homeland, Galicia which is a province of Austria. There are nearly 1 million Ruthenians living in the United Sates.
The Municipal Band has announced its schedule for this week. The band will be preforming at Northwood Park tonight, Arrott & Castor Road. And tomorrow evening at Wharton Square, 23rd & Wharton Streets, Wednesday at Orthodox & Richmond Streets, Thursday at 5th & Chew Streets, Friday at Oak Lane Park, Fern Rock Station and Saturday at Clark’s Park, 43rd & Woodland Avenue.
From Washington D.C. comes the news that at noon today Louis D. Brandeis took the oath of office as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Mr. Brandeis is the first Jew to sit on the Court. The ceremony took place immediately after the Court had handed down its decisions for today.
In sports today, The Phillies take on the St. Louis Cardinals at National League Park starting at 3:30pm. The Athletics are in St. Louis against the Browns. In Polo at the Bryn Mawr Polo Club, Bryn Mawr meets Coronado at 4:30pm. In Boxing at the Olympia A.A., Broad & Bainbridge, Benny Kaufman of Southwark meets Frankie Brown of New York in a bantam weight match. Brown is thought by many to be a future champion of the division. [EDITORS NOTE: Benny Kaufman was one of many Jewish fighters to come out of South Philadelphia also called Southwark in those days. He compiled a record of 75/42/32 in 149 bouts. He was born in Russia as Jacob Flinkman in 1888 (or thereabouts) and died in 1972.]
Also on the card tonight, Leo Flynn of Kensington meets Willie Spencer of Gloucester: Joe Robinson of Gloucester vs. Jimmy Gannon of Southwark; Terry Ketchell takes on Frankie Clark both of Southwark and Eddie O’Keefe of Southwark meets Nate Jackson of Oklahoma.
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