Day in history for May 8, 2004

1854 -- 150 years ago

Everyday strangers come to The Argus to inquire about houses to rent or boarding houses. Not finding anything, they buy lumber and throw up a shanty to live in until they can build a house. There are a great number of such tent-like houses all around us. There are not half enough houses, boarding houses and hotels.

1879 -- 125 years ago

There is a so-called crazy man who goes about Washington crying out to every man who looks like an office holder: ''Quit stealing, quit stealing.''

1904 -- 100 years ago

T.P. Laflin, owner of a Rock Island livery stable, David Matthews and F.N. Rouse of the Milan area went to Springfield to attend the first good roads convention ever held in Illinois.

1929 -- 75 years ago

International Harvester Company will build a second large warehouse on its site in East Moline.

1954 -- 50 years ago

Ever examine Honey Creek, which empties into the Mississippi River from Campbell's Island upstream from the John Deere Harvester Works, East Moline? If you have, lately, you've been amazed at the oily mess that drains into the Mississippi from this pollution source.

1979 -- 25 years ago

Fire erupted near a hydrogen tank storage area at the Quad-City Nuclear Generating Station late this morning, but Cordova firemen quickly extinguished the blaze, fire officials said. There are all kinds of rumors that there is a hydrogen fire, but that's not true.

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