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 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1916
There will be clear bright skies over the city today. The high will be around 76° and the low near 61°.
Some policemen spent a good part of last evening acting as cowboys. It began with complaints from residents around 22nd & Walnut Street, about shrill, drunken, angry sounding singing. When police got to the area they found the singer was a lonely lost sheep. The animal was taken to the 15th & Locust Street station and placed in a cell. After settling the sheep in for the night the officers were visited by a man with a calf tied to his automobile. The man said he found the animal at 23rd & Walnut. The calf was placed in the cell with the sheep. This morning the cow was claimed by Samuel Snyder, a drover from 30th & Race Street. He said the calf got away from a drove he was leading down Chestnut Street last night. Mr. Snyder apologized for taking so long to retrieve the calf but explained he first had to pick up a 2nd cow that wandered off at the 32nd & Woodland Avenue station. No one has claimed the sheep.
At the Garrick Theatre, 1330 Chestnut Street, this morning 17 young women received their diplomas as graduates of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. The ceremonies will continue tonight at the school, 21st Street & North College Avenue with the unveiling of a 7 foot high by 10 foot wide bas-relief depicting a woman physician, in cap and gown, comforting and caring for a child while an infant is presented to her and surrounded by other women (shown below).
In baseball yesterday the Athletics in New York split a doubleheader with the Yankees losing the first game 7 to 2 but wining the second 1 to 0. The A’s meet the Yankees in another doubleheader this afternoon. The Phillies are here against the Giants and also split a doubleheader yesterday. The Phillies took the first game 5 to 1 but surprisingly Alexander lost the second game 10 to 2. Old Pete just didn’t have his stuff giving up 7 runs, 10 hits and 4 walks. The Phillies meet the Giants again this afternoon.
WAR NEWS
An enormous sea battle is occurring off the Danish coast near the Jutland peninsula in the North Sea between the British Grand Fleet and the German High Sea Fleet. It is reported that over 250 ships and more than 100,000 men are involved in the engagement. The British fleet is commanded by Admiral John Jellicoe while the German fleet is under the command of Admiral Reinhard Scheer. From Russia comes the news that all men 19 years old and over have been called to the colors regardless of marital status. In the Balkans, what remains of the Serbian Army has been safely moved to the port city of Salonica on the Aegean Sea.
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