Day in history for April 14, 2003

1853 -- 150 years ago

A violent northeast wind and rainstorm prevailed Thursday to last Monday. It was accompanied by occasional squalls of snow.

1878 -- 125 years ago

W.L. Campbell addressed a temperance meeting in Rock Island.

1903 -- 100 years ago

Nicholas J. Feighor, engineer, and J.D. Gippert, fireman, both of Rock Island, were injured in a Burlington Railroad wreck at Ophiem in which R.C. McGlensey of Galesburg, engineer, and John Norris, Beardstown, lost their lives.

1928 -- 75 years ago

With a record low temperature for April 14 and .86 of an inch of snow, Rock Island last night and today felt the sting of a blizzard which gripped four states to the westward. The mercury fell to 23 degrees above zero during the night.

1953 -- 50 years ago

Davenport food stores were formulating plans for sale of colored oleo when it becomes legal July 4. Proprietors of supermarkets and smaller stores said they anticipate tremendous business when the colored product may be sold here.

1978 -- 25 years ago

Knowledge and experience in changing manufacturing practices from the inch to the metric system is what the editors at the Industrial Press were looking for four years ago when they asked E.R. `Dick' Friesth, Coal Valley, to write a book on the subject. Now the book, ``Metrication For Manufacturing,'' is rolling off the presses and soon will be available locally.

Back: Available days in April 2003