Day in history for September 12, 2003

1853 -- 150 years ago

Fort Madison is reported to have subscribed $125,000 in stock of the Warsaw and Rockford railroad which will run through Rock Island and Moline.

1878 -- 125 years ago

General William T. Sherman visited Rock Island Arsenal today.

1903 -- 100 years ago

A morning fire in the Rock Island Cotton Mattress Company resulted in a loss of $7,000.

1928 -- 75 years ago

Rock Island was awarded the 1929 state convention of the American Legion today.

1953 -- 50 years ago

Melvin Garber, eight-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Garber, 19 Hillcrest Ct., Rock Island, was doing some weeding in the front yard last June and came on a ``weed'' about six inches high growing from a crack between the wall of the house and the sidewalk. He smelled the weed and thought it might be a tomato plant. The rest of the family declared it a weed, but Melvin defended it. Melvin watered and tended the weed and watched little green balls expand. Recently, the balls began to turn red and Melvin picked the first one. It looked like a tomato, it smelled like a tomato, yes, it even tasted like a tomato and Melvin was vindicated.

1978 -- 25 years ago

Four Barstow boys apparently were gearing up for a huge breakfast. The boys were nabbed by Rock Island County sheriff's police and a Burlington-Northern railroad detective for allegedly taking four full cases of breakfast cereal off a boxcar here.

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