Day in history for August 21, 2003

1853 -- 150 years ago

J.W. Fletcher, Rock Island barber, today was standing in his shop trimming a camphene lamp when he was struck by lightning. The silver watch in his vest pocket stopped at the time he was killed, nine minutes past three.

1878 -- 125 years ago

In the worst storm of the season, lightning hit the stack of the Anawalt And Denkmann Sawmill, split trees in Sinett's Addition, and washed out a railroad bridge at Cable.

1903 -- 100 years ago

Leon Mitchell won the championship cup and best medal score in the Rock Island Arsenal Country Club tournament. He defeated his brother, Ardo, in the final round.

1928 -- 75 years ago

Herbert Hoover, Republican nominee for president, today visited his birthplace home in West Branch, Iowa. Several hundred Quad-City Republicans made the 50-mile trip to West Branch.

1953 -- 50 years ago

Police who Friday investigated the breaking of six windows at Rock Island Senior High School said the damage apparently was done by boys shooting pieces of rock with sling shots.

1978 -- 25 years ago

Unsightly vegetation is cropping up in Silvis and the city council is planning to harvest some of the eyesores and some of their owners. Weeds stretch nearly five feet tall on some private lots. If lawns are not maintained, the city will mow the lots and the property owner will be charged for the work, an ordinance stipulates.

Back: Available days in August 2003