Day in history for April 24, 2007

1857 -- 150 years ago

Our friend Sweegles, an amusing wag, was discussing the probability of the forthcoming comet of destroying the earth or at least scorching it a little.

1882 -- 125 years ago

The long-awaited new press for the Morning Argus has now arrived. It will be used for the first time tomorrow morning.

1907 -- 100 years ago

Fifteen cents will be the price of a shave in most Rock Island barbershops beginning tomorrow. The raise of a nickel, however, carries with it a neck shave.

1932 -- 75 years ago

Mrs. Jean W. Randlett, home economist for International Harvester Co., will give a series of talks in Rock Island County next week.

1957 -- 50 years ago

Employees at Rock Island Arsenal will make up the bulk, if not the entire audience, of ''first-nighters'' to witness the exclusive Quad-City showing of ''The Ten Commandments'' at the Rocket Theater.

1982 -- 25 years ago

A Geneseo area man who started farming only six years ago came in third in the annual Illinois Jaycees Outstanding Young Farmer contest in Bloomington. Jerry Rogers, 34, who farms about 600 acres of land near Geneseo, decided to make farming his career after completing his master's degree in animal science at the University of Illinois and working four years for the Protein Plus livestock feed company.

Back: Available days in April 2007