Day in history for August 29, 2002

1852 -- 150 years ago

The potato crop in Ireland has been affected by the disease which has come for the last seven years. The whole crop may be destroyed and Ireland fears famine.

1877 -- 125 years ago

Frank Wheelan, while assisting in the removal of scaffolding at the Rock Island Arsenal, fell and sustained severe injuries.

1902 -- 100 years ago

The Barstow Creamery, owned by William Letsch, was burned to the ground shortly after noon.

1927 -- 75 years ago

Rock Island has the distinction of being the home of a past grand commander of the grand commandery of Illinois Knights Templar, Harry H. Cleaveland. Mr. Cleaveland occupied this office in 1910.

1952 -- 50 years ago

Thick, acrid smoke swirled hundreds of feet from the Rock Island Arsenal and many Quad-City residents assumed a dangerous fire was threatening the ordnance plant. However, there was nothing to it. The salvage department was merely burning a quantity of oil at the Arsenal salvage dump.

1977 -- 25 years ago

An estimated half-million dollars worth of cocaine bound for the Quad-Cities was intercepted by federal drug agents in Muscatine, Iowa. Three Quad-Citians were arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration agents and charged with unlawful possession of narcotics. The three had picked up cocaine in Quincy and were en route back to the Quad-Cities when the trailing agents made the arrests in Muscatine.

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