Day in history for May 22, 2002

1852 -- 150 years ago

The New York potato market is glutted. Ten thousand barrels of potatoes are lying on the docks and can't be sold for cost. Potato speculators are wearing long faces.

1877 -- 125 years ago

Friends serenaded Mr. and Mrs. George Wagner, who will leave in a few days on a trip to Germany.

1902 -- 100 years ago

At a campfire held in the Illinois Theater, Rock Island, the state G.A.R. delegates heard speeches by three governors, a former governor, and General Eli Torrance, national commander of Civil War veterans. Judge H.M. Trimble was elected Illinois department commander.

1927 -- 75 years ago

Because of public excitement when Charles Lindbergh safely flew the Atlantic, the Rock Island switchboards handled a record 60,000 calls in one day.

1952 -- 50 years ago

Tomorrow is Tim Moore day on WHBF-TV, and the star of the CBS-TV Amos and Andy show, who is spending two weeks in his hometown of Rock Island, will appear on the 3:30 House Party show. The Kingfish will be presented one of the famous keys to Rock Island by Mayor Melvin McKay, and Herbert E. Wilson, president of the chamber of commerce, will give official greetings from the community.

1977 -- 25 years ago

What a number of persons, including a Rock Island policeman, termed an unidentified flying object high above Rock Island, apparently was a planet, a spokesman for the Quad-City Airport Control Tower said today.

Back: Available days in May 2002