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THE YEAR 1918 |
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SPAN OF A CENTURY COMPILED FROM NOTES ANDS DATA
COLLECTED BY |
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On January 18, 1918 the following announcement was made: Camden has over-subscribed its quota on two Liberty Loans, pledging $11,800,000 for defense; has subscribed $173,000 to the Red Cross, $23,000 more than was asked; $120,000 to the YMCA War Work Fund, $20,000 more than what was asked; and $80,000 to the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital; and has given more than 1,700 of her sons to the fighting forces.. |
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On February 21, 1918 a drive was started in Camden for the sale of War Stamps, under the direction of Charles K. Haddon and David Baird Jr. The amount asked for was $3,5000,000. |
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Eighteen trolley cars of the Public Service Railway Company were destroyed early on the morning of March 2, 1918 in what was believed to have been an incendiary fire. The loss was placed at $150,000. |
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David Baird Sr. was sworn in as United States Senator on March 7, 1918 to succeed the late Senator William Hughes. |
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The imposing and magnificent new Camden High School, built at a cost of $500,000 on Park Boulevard, was dedicated on April 25, 1918. The previous Camden High School, at Haddon and Newton Avenues, was renamed Junior High Scool Number 1, and was renamed later Clara Burrough Junior High School. |
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An announcement was made on May 25, 1918 that out of 8,500 employees of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, 5938 had purchased $76,055.26 cents in War Stamps in seven weeks. |
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The cornerstone of the synagogue for the congregation Sons of Israel was laid at Eight and Sycamore Streets on the afternoon of May 12, 1918. |
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Merchants Trust Company laid the cornerstone of the new building at Broadway and Carman Street on May 14, 1918. |
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In June of 1918 Camden County was asked to supply 21 of the 25,000 nurses needed at once by the government |
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Judge Frank T. Lloyd and County Prosecutor Charles A. Wolverton served as Federal Food Administrators for Camden County during the war. |
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With a per capita investment of $2.63, Camden County stood third in the state in June 1918 in the sale of War Savings Stamps. The total investment in the county at that time was $445,245.51 |
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Because of the heavy automobile traffic across the Delaware on Sundays, the abandoned ferry house at the foot of Market Street was opened and extra boats run from there during the summer of 1918 to relieve the congestion at the railroad ferries. All this was changed with the opening of the Delaware River Bridge on July 1, 1926. |
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How many will remember that in June of 1918, as a food conservation measure, restaurants and eating houses in Camden were permitted to serve roast beef only on Mondays at the noon meal. The mid-day meal on Thursdays was the only time at which steaks could be served. |
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City Council on July 8, 1918 passed the ordinance bonding the city for $650,000 for making the necessary improvements at Yorkship Village, the shipyard housing site. |
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It was reported in the newspapers on July 6, 1918 that Camden had at that time 500 acres under cultivation in 10,000 City gardens, in order “to increase the world’s store of food”. |
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Camden County’s first draft contingent to be sent to Camp Humphreys VA left the city July 9, 1918. One hundred and eleven men were in the group. |
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Augustus Reeve, for more than half a century one of Camden’s leading residents, and for twenty-five years President of Cooper Hospital, died on July 19, 1918 at the age of 85. |
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The Liberty Loan Drives in Camden City and County were directed by Melbourne F. Middleton as chairman, with Burleigh B. Draper as Vice Chairman, and Elwood C. Jefferis as Secretary. |
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The second National Registration Day occurred on September 12, 1918 at which time all men between the ages of 18 and 46 were required to register for army service. |
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Influenza epidemic of great severity visited Camden and all New Jersey in October of 1918. The Fourth Liberty Loan campaign was handicapped by the illness of many of the workers. An emergency hospital was opened in the Battery B Armory. It remained open one month. The schools and all public places were closed during the epidemic. |
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On November 7, 1918 a wave of delirious joy swept over Camden and the country inspired by an unfounded announcement of Germany’s surrender. The World War ended at 6:00 AM Washington time, November 11, 1918. The armistice was signed at midnight. |
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