Day in history for March 12, 2004

1854 -- 150 years ago

The first-class freight rate from Rock Island to Chicago is 35 cents per 100 pounds. The rates on grain vary from 8 to 15 cents a bushel. The passenger fare is $5 and the time required for the trip is about nine hours.

1879 -- 125 years ago

The floor of the drill hall in the new armory of Rodman Rifles was laid today.

1904 -- 100 years ago

Spring's advance was checked today by the heaviest snow of the season.

1929 -- 75 years ago

Democrats renominated Chester C. Thompson and Republicans chose former mayor Walter A. Rosenfield as their candidates for mayor in primary elections yesterday. C.W. Sandstrom won a 3-way race for renomination in Moline.

1954 -- 50 years ago

A proposal to fingerprint operators and employees of rural Rock Island County taverns hit snags of criticism at Tuesday afternoon's session of the county board of supervisors. The fingerprinting requirement is in a new rural tavern license application revised on instructions of board chairman Henry F. Staack, who also is county liquor commissioner.

1979 -- 25 years ago

The Sauk Trail Inn, the first restaurant to open at the Interstate 80 interchange, Annawan, has been sold to Iowa 80 Truckstop, Inc., of Walcott, Iowa. The restaurant was sold by four Annawan brothers, Calvin, Willis, Herbert and Kenneth Ufheil, who formed a family corporation and opened the business in 1968.

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