Day in history for August 15, 2003

1853 -- 150 years ago

A Mr. Cummings of Prairie du Chien, Wis., has been appointed to take charge of Ft. Armstrong or the ruins thereof, on the island. He will succeed Mr. Drum, deceased.

1878 -- 125 years ago

Ernst Krell, one of the oldest residents of Rock Island and a recognized leader among the Germans, died today at 45. The city loses one of its most enterprising merchants.

1903 -- 100 years ago

The Springfield baseball club defeated Rock Island, 1 to 0.

1928 -- 75 years ago

Two young stars, Velma Driffill and Florence Appelquist, will play for the women's championship at Black Hawk Hills Country Club.

1953 -- 50 years ago

State's Atty. Bernard J. Moran today began running newspaper advertisements offering a $100 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of violators of gambling and prostitution laws in Rock Island County. The first advertisements are being published today in The Argus and Moline Dispatch.

1978 -- 25 years ago

An unusual centerpiece graced the meeting table of the town board in Coal Valley, a single stalk of wilting green marijuana. Board members feigned ignorance when asked who brought the weed and who planned to take it home at the end of the meeting. When the weed, which grows wild along many area roads, attracted more attention than the business at hand, Supervisor George White placed it on the floor under the table.

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