Day in history for August 23, 2002

1852 -- 150 years ago

The railroad will be completed from Chicago to Joliet in the next 35 days. Mr. Farnham, who is in charge of this undertaking, is a man of uncommon energy. He will not let the work lag.

1877 -- 125 years ago

Rock Island County cast 599 votes in the election of J.J. Glenn as circuit judge.

1902 -- 100 years ago

The cornerstone of the new Rock Island Public Library building was laid today without ceremonies of any kind. Data of an historical nature were placed inside the stone.

1927 -- 75 years ago

Nicola Sacco and Bartolomo Vanzetti, radicals for whom there has been nationwide agitation, were executed in Boston today for the holdup murder committed six years ago. They went to the chair praising anarchy. The executions set off riots by Marxists in many foreign cities.

1952 -- 50 years ago

A new bridge across the Mississippi River linking Moline and Bettendorf may become a reality by 1955, it was announced by members of the Davenport bridge commission. Preliminary plans revealed a call for the erection of a second span of the present Iowa-Illinois Memorial bridge.

1977 -- 25 years ago

A Davenport couple escaped injury when their light engine plane crashed into a muddy field south of the John Deere Expressway at 41st Street. J.C. Garst, 28, and his wife were taking a pleasure flight in a single-engine plane when the plane suddenly lost altitude, Garst said.

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