Day in history for February 29, 2004

1854 -- 150 years ago

The publishers of the Chicago Democratic Press will please accept our thanks for a copy of a pamphlet entitled ``Rock Island and its Surroundings in 1853.'' It is made up of a series of letters written by Mr. Scripps of the Press.

1879 -- 125 years ago

Mrs. Ebenezer Cook of Davenport willed most of her $300,000 estate to churches and leaves $50,000 to build a Home for the Friendless in Davenport.

1904 -- 100 years ago

Korea will throw in its lot with Japan in the Japanese-Russia war.

1929 -- 75 years ago

Mrs. J.L. Irving will be chairman of the ``red letter day'' feature of the campaign for charities.

1954 -- 50 years ago

Following installation of telephones and other needed equipment, the Davenport civil defense ground observers corps will go into action on the roof of St. Luke's Hospital. Additional room for work of the unit has been provided at the hospital and all facilities are being transferred from the former position on the roof of the Palmer School, where the unit has been activated for the past two years.

1979 -- 25 years ago

John Vize was 12 years old when he first saw the great looming hulk of the Quinlan, an old Davenport paddlewheeler drydocked in a Rock Island boatyard. Since then, the 32-year-old Moline man has known what he wants to do. ``I wanted to own one,'' he said. Vize wants to launch an excursion boat service along the Mississippi River.

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