Day in history for March 8, 2005

1855 -- 150 years ago

Casper Fiedler, an enterprising merchant in Rock Island the last two years, died at the age of 33.

1880 -- 125 years ago

The Diamond Jo line steamer Josie and its tow arrived in this port today, the first boat down this season.

1905 -- 100 years ago

Austin Dent, formerly of Rock Island, is visiting friends here. He travels as a member of the band in West's minstrels.

1930 -- 75 years ago

John H. Hauberg has been named chairman of the sesquicentennial committee which will arrange a celebration of the 150th anniversary of a battle in the Revolutionary War fought at the site of Rock Island.

1955 -- 50 years ago

Ben Geifman, 1847 22nd St., Rock Island, landed an 89-pound sailfish recently at Acapulco, Mexico, where he and Mrs. Geifman are spending a three-week winter vacation. The Rock Island man battled the big fish, which was nine feet long, for 25 minutes before bringing it in.

1980 -- 25 years ago

Jim and Pam Hurley share their rural Tampico farm with a parakeet, an Arabian horse and some of the rarest dogs in the country. The dogs include two of the few ``Chinese fighting dogs'' in the U.S. The breed, properly known as ``Shar-Pei,'' are also called ``wrinkle dogs'' because of their many loose folds of skin.

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