Day in history for September 27, 2004

1854 -- 150 years ago

Lewis M. Webber of Rock Island was nominated at a Democratic party convention to represent Rock Island, Mercer and Henry counties in the Illinois legislature.

1879 -- 125 years ago

Malaria is very prevalent in Rock Island County at present.

1904 -- 100 years ago

A cyclone did damage estimated at $30,000 in East Moline.

1929 -- 75 years ago

Thousands of people visited the Rock Island store of Montgomery Ward Company at its formal opening today.

1954 -- 50 years ago

From Eldridge, Iowa, to Chicago, from roof-top observers to jet plane pilots, it was a busy day Sunday for the Ground Observer Corps and the filter center of the United States Air Force. The cause of the commotion was a report from the observer corps in Eldridge that two objects, unidentified, had been sighted by no less than six watchers there.

1979 -- 25 years ago

Combines are rolling in the lush farmlands surrounding the Quad-Cities as farmers begin harvesting what area crop experts say will be record, or near-record, corn and bean crops. Jack Kenney, Rock Island County extension adviser, says some farmers are reporting soybean yields of 50 bushels per acre, up from the county's 1977 average yield of 36.4 bushels per acre.

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