Day in history for January 25, 2002

1852 -- 150 years ago

A young lady trying to elope was caught by her father, but the lady's suitor drew a pistol, which persuaded the father to send for the minister and agree to a home wedding. After the ceremony, all retired. The rope ladder hung at the lady's window all night, but there was no further attempt to escape.

1877 -- 125 years ago

The road tax of $3 a year is the most unpopular of all taxes and the hardest to collect. Rock Island and Moline should abolish the road tax.

1902 -- 100 years ago

The Twin-City Slaughtering and Rendering Company will revolutionize the meat business. Its most striking feature is its cleanliness.

1927 -- 75 years ago

Directors of the Rock Island County Fair voted to discontinue annual exhibits and to sell the fairgrounds at Joslin at auction.

1952 -- 50 years ago

Frank McClaren, Bettendorf, 38-year-old veteran truck driver who last March rescued an injured woman from a roadside canal, was named Driver of the Year for 1951 by the Iowa Motor Truck Association.

1977 -- 25 years ago

The opening of the new Bicentennial Elementary School in Coal Valley is the fulfillment of a dream for some, for others it is viewed with a bit of nostalgia. Parents of the youngsters in kindergarten through second grade who attend the `Old North School' view the move with a sigh of relief. But to some native-born residents, the move means the end of a family tradition.

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