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 often for new updates.
To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com
TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – MONDAY, JULY 12, 1915
Under partly cloudy skies with the high reaching about 80°, the Orangemen of Philadelphia and surrounding areas celebrated the 225th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne today. The battle and its aftermath drove King James II from the English throne and placed William of Orange in his stead. Because of disagreements within the organization between prohibitionist and anti-prohibitionist, 2 parades were held. Starting at 9:30am the prohibitionist marched from Broad & Locust to Poplar Street where they boarded trolley cars to Woodside Park for the day. The anti-prohibitionist started an hour after their fellow celebrants at Broad & Locust and marched directly to Central Park at 4400 North 5th Street where alcohol and beer was waiting.
The July term of the Grand Jury opens today and the 1st case presented will be that of Ida Riehl, the girl charged with murdering Edmund Hauptfuhrer last May after he refused her pleas to marry her. Ida has testified at a Coroner’s inquest that after telling Hauptfuhrer she was carrying his child he laughed and spit in her face. It was then that she shot him. Ida’s story can be reviewed in our May 24 through 29 editions.
In local politics, Congressman William Vare (shown below) and his brothers all failed to attend the meeting held by Senator Penrose in Atlantic City yesterday. Their absence leaves the Republican Party in a deadlock over the naming of a Mayoral candidate. State Senator McNichol and other influential members of the organization were on hand and promised to continue working for unity.
William Vare
On the entertainment scene, Victor Herbert, composer of Babes in Toyland and Naughty Marietta and his orchestra will be performing at Willow Grove Park this week. Reserved seats start at .10¢. At the Palace Theatre, 1214 Market Street, the new Charlie Chaplin comedy “A Woman” opens today. All seats are .10¢. At Woodside Park there is free Vaudeville daily at 3:30pm, 7:45pm and 9:45pm.
In sports today the A’s are traveling to Chicago to open a 4 game series. The Phillies played a doubleheader here and lost both games. Moran’s boys dropped the 1st game 2 to 1 and lost the nightcap 4 to 2. In boxing tonight at the Broadway A.C., 15th & Washington Avenue, Little Willie Hannon of Point Breeze takes on K.O. Joe O’Donnell of Gloucester, N.J.in the wind-up. Four other bouts are on the card. At the Quaker City A.A., 26th & Dauphin, 5 bouts are also on the card with the wind-up featuring Sailor Smiley of North Penn against Bobby Williams of Gray’s Ferry.
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