Day in history for May 16, 2002

1852 -- 150 years ago

Rock Island markets: Wheat, 70 cents; corn, 25 cents; oats, 18 cents; hams, 10 cents a pound; butter, 15 cents a pound; potatoes, 70 cents a bushel.

1877 -- 125 years ago

Last week the Weyerhaeuser And Denkmann sawmill ran only five days but sawed more lumber in that time than was ever scored by any two mills in this vicinity in the same length of time. The grand total was 804,867 feet.

1902 -- 100 years ago

Women's committees in Rock Island today began accepting donations of money for improving 12th Street from 18th Avenue to Chippiannock Cemetery.

1927 -- 75 years ago

The chamber of commerce began work on plans to bring an exhibit of the Illinois Academy of Fine Arts to Rock Island throughout all of June.

1952 -- 50 years ago

The towboat Jack Don exploded and burned about eight miles above New Boston on the Mississippi River. Twelve members of the crew were imperiled but got away to safety. The explosion occurred in a crank case of one of the two engines and the resulting fire spread quickly throughout the boat.

1977 -- 25 years ago

Students at Augustana College have been voting this week as to who is the ugliest of them all, and the results of the 21st annual festival will soon be known. Actually, not everyone in the contest shares the grotesque features of the 11 candidates in the Ugly Man on Campus Festival; to balance the show there are also 11 beauties.

Back: Available days in May 2002