Music recorded in August 1889
In August 1889, the Battle of Toski took place in southern Egypt, in which the British-European allied forces defeated the Mahdist army, stabilizing British power on the Nile. The Great Spokane Fire in Washington Territory in the United States led to the start of urban reconstruction, and the fully electric luxury Savoy Hotel opened in London, setting a model for modern hotel management.
At the end of the month, dock workers in London launched the London Dock Strike of 1889, and the Prevention of Cruelty to, and Protection of, Children Act 1889, which prohibited child abuse, saw social policy and the labor movement advance simultaneously.
Confirmed recordings this month: 146
1 day (6 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Life Let Us Cherish Waltz | HG. |
| Columbine Mazurka | HG. |
| Strauss Waltz | HG. |
| Exhilaration Schottische | HG. |
| Strauss Waltz | HG. |
| One Heart, One Soul | HG. |
[Events on August 1, 1889]
・Stopwatch mechanism patent
On this date, Swiss-born watchmaker Henry A. Lugrin (date of birth and death unknown) filed a patent application with the United States Patent Office for a stopwatch mechanism (Stopwatch Patent), which was later granted on December 31 of the same year, and became a form of the modern stopwatch used in sports and technical applications requiring precise measurement of elapsed time.
・Muro Saisei (1889–1962)
Muro Saisei (1889-1962, real name Muro Terumichi) was a Japanese poet and novelist born on August 1st in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. Known for his lyrical and introspective style, which drew on his experiences growing up in an orphanage and the climate of the Hokuriku region, he left a significant mark on the history of modern literature with works such as "Lyric Poems" and "Around the Time I Became Aware of Sex."
2 days (5 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Wedding March | HG. |
| Pearl Of Pekin Sel. | HG. |
| Pearl of Pekin Sel. II | HG. |
| Slightly On The Mash | HG. |
| Santiago Waltz | HG. |
[Events of August 2, 1889]
・Eduardo Gutiérrez (1851–1889)
Eduardo Gutiérrez (1851–1889) was an Argentine Gauchos writer best known for his novel Juan Moreira, which featured a gaucho as the protagonist. Born in Buenos Aires, he portrayed outlaws who fought against violence and injustice in the form of serialized novels and newspaper articles, and left behind many historical novels before his death on August 2, 1889.
??day (5 songs)
*In the original source, "First Book Of Phonograph Records," the five songs listed in the table below are listed after August 2nd (before August 13th). On this site, they are listed in this position as recordings of an unknown date (??), in accordance with the order listed in the original source.
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Wellington's March | F. Voss 1st Reg't Band |
| Colonel Wellington's March | F. Voss 1st Reg't Band |
| Dance Ethiopia | F. Voss 1st Reg't Band |
| Spanish Fantasy | F. Voss 1st Reg't Band |
| Song & Dance Schot. Sweetest Of Them All | F. Voss 1st Reg't Band |
13th (12 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Aria Trovatore | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Hattie Polka | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| For Ever & For Ever | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Sea Flower Polka | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Sacred Song | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Culver Polka | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Old Folks At Home | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Polka Brilliant | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Dream Of Love | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Surf Polka | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| Lizzie Polka | HG. J. Mitthauer |
| American Airways | HG. J. Mitthauer |
[Events of August 13, 1889]
・The beginning of public telephones
In the United States, William Gray (1850–1903), an inventor from Hartford, Connecticut, obtained a patent for a coin-controlled apparatus for telephones (US Patent No. 408,709), which enabled calls to be made by inserting a coin. This marked an important step toward the commercialization of coin-operated public telephones (payphones) installed in public places.
15th (11 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| German Song | C. Kegel |
| Air Varie I | C. Kegel |
| Air Varie II | C. Kegel |
| Glory Glory Hallelujah | C. Kegel |
| Hungarian Polka | C. Kegel |
| Divertisement | C. Kegel |
| Theme With Var. | C. Kegel |
| Liliput Polka | C. Kegel |
| Aria Bergsohn | C. Kegel |
| Hunarian Polka | C. Kegel |
| Santiago Waltz | C. Kegel |
[Events of August 15, 1889]
・Æneas MacKenzie (1889–1962)
Æneas MacKenzie (1889–1962) was a screenwriter born in Stornoway, Scotland, who later wrote screenplays for Hollywood historical spectacles such as The Ten Commandments. He moved to the United States at a young age and became known for his screenplays based on ancient history and biblical stories.
16th (11 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| 4th Virginia Reg March | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Andante & Waltz E. Eleanorem [?] | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| La Bella Italia March | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Military Schottische | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Golden Shower Waltz | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Southern Roses | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| August Club, March | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Andante & Waltz | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Delightful Shottische | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Welcome Home Grand March | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Promenade March | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
[Events of August 16, 1889]
・Clarence Nichols Hickman (1889–1981)
Clarence Nichols Hickman (1889–1981) was an American physicist and engineer. In addition to his work on rocketry and the development of the bazooka, he is known as the "father of scientific archery" for his scientific analysis of archery flight. He worked at Bell Laboratories and other institutions, and influenced not only military technology but also the entertainment industry, including the improvement of the player piano.
・William J. Reiter (1889–1979)
William J. Reiter (1889–1979) was an American film assistant director born in Richmond, Virginia. He participated in many early Hollywood productions and is known for films such as The Sea Hawk. He is also recognized for being nominated for the temporary Best Assistant Director award at the 6th Academy Awards.
17th (11 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Nadjy March | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Pretty Katie Ryan – Song & Dance | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| The Phonograph Serenade | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| National Airways | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Irish Airways | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| French Air | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| “You Know” No. 1 | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| “You Know” No. 2 [Du Weiss] | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| Short and Sweet Overture | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| The Silver Rheine Waltzes | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
| The Phonograph Serenade | Duffy & Imground's 5th Regt. Band |
[Events of August 17, 1889]
・Reporting on the Jack the Ripper case
The August 17, 1889, issue of the East London Observer, a newspaper based in East London, reported the completion of the inquest into the murder of Alice McKenzie (1849?–1889), which was considered part of the "Jack the Ripper" case, and the verdict of "culpability unknown." Coroner Baxter harshly criticized the poor housing conditions and poverty in the Spitalfields area, and called for the redevelopment of the east end of London and for moral and social redress.
・Lalla Carlsen (1889–1967)
Lalla Carlsen (1889–1967, born Haralda Petrea Christensen on August 17, 1889, in Svelvik, Norway) was a singer and actress. She was active in the Chat Noir revue theater and is known as one of Norway's leading female revue stars in the first half of the 20th century. Her numerous 78 rpm recordings for Columbia and Odeon, including classics like "Han Jon" and "Norge i rødt, hvitt og blått," remain. These recordings were later reissued on LP, CD, and on streaming services like Spotify, making her voice relatively accessible today.
・Georges Taconet (1889–1962)
Georges Taconet (1889–1962) was a composer born on August 17, 1889 in Mont-Saint-Aignan, France, and based in Le Havre. He left behind many songs and chamber music, and in 1926 he received the Prix Gossier, an award given to composers from Normandy.
20th (6 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Clarinet Solo | N. Vogel |
| Slumber Song From Masaniello | N. Vogel Miss Hangs |
| On The Meadow | N. Vogel Miss Hangs |
| Brilliant Variations | N. Vogel Miss Hangs |
| Grand Fantasia | N. Vogel Miss Hangs |
| Brilliant Fantasia | N. Vogel Miss Hangs |
[Events of August 20, 1889]
・The world's first patent for an electric drill
On August 20, 1889, Arthur James Arnot (1865–1946), an electrician from Scotland who was based in Melbourne, and William Blanch Brain (1843–1908), a mining engineer, obtained a patent for the world's first electric drill. This electric drill, designed for use with heavy machinery, became the prototype for later industrial and household power tools and had a major impact on the development of the power tool industry.
・Witold Friemann (1889–1977)
Witold Friemann (1889–1977) was a Polish composer and pianist born in Konzyn. He studied at the Warsaw Conservatory and other institutions, leaving behind many piano and orchestral works and contributing as an educator to the development of the next generation of Polish music. His works have been recorded in the song collections "Selected Songs," "Witold Friemann: Works for Clarinet & Piano," and song collections on the Orphée Classics label, and are still available to listen to on CD and digital download.
21st (10 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Quartett Aus Rigoletto | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| Home Sweet Home | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| Santiago Waltz | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| Hungarian Polka | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| Air With Var. | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| Variations | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| Waltz Lune Du Miel | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| Aria Don Juan | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| Loin Du Bal | HG. Mr. Belucci |
| San Tiago Waltz | HG. Mr. Belucci |
[Events of August 21, 1889]
・The oldest postmarked postcard depicting the Eiffel Tower
The oldest known postmarked postcard depicting the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel), a tourist attraction at the Paris World's Fair, is dated August 21, 1889. Sent from Paris during the 1889 World's Fair, it is considered to be evidence that the Eiffel Tower began to circulate around the world as a visual symbol.
・Mikhl Gelbart (1889–1962)
Mikhl Gelbart (1889–1962) was a Polish-born Yiddish song composer who emigrated to the United States. He left behind many pieces for use as teaching materials in schools and summer camps for the Arbeter Ring (Workmen's Circle), an educational organization for workers, and had a major influence on the musical education of children in the American Jewish community.
・Forrest Stanley (1889–1969)
Forrest Stanley (1889–1969) was an American actor and screenwriter from New York who was active during the silent film era. He appeared in many films, including the historical film When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922) and the horror film The Cat and the Canary (1927), and was a key figure in popular entertainment in the early 20th century on both stage and screen.
・Thea Aichbichler (1889–1957)
Thea Aichbichler (1889–1957) was a German film actress born in Munich, Germany, who appeared in many films set in southern Germany from the 1930s to the 1950s. She played supporting roles in films such as "Bei der blonden Kathrein" (1934) and "Der Ochsenkrieg" (1943), and is known as a character actress who represents the Bavarian film culture.
23rd (11 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Barbiere Of Seville | Mr. A. Belucci |
| Casta Diva Norma | Mr. A. Belucci |
| Air With Variations | Mr. A. Belucci |
| Noderato Norma | Mr. A. Belucci |
| Last Rose of Summer | Mr. A. Belucci |
| Charlotten Polka | Mr. A. Belucci |
| New York Waltz | Mr. A. Belucci |
| Noderato Tyrolean | Mr. A. Belucci |
| Santiago Waltz | Mr. A. Belucci |
| Gretta Polka | Mr. A. Belucci |
| New Paris Waltz | Mr. A. Belucci |
[Events of August 23, 1889]
・The beginning of the modern national security system
The House of Lords of the United Kingdom debated the Official Secrets Bill (No. 232), which aimed to punish the leaking of classified information in official duties, again with amendments from the House of Commons, and passed it with the amendments. This debate was part of the legislative process for the Official Secrets Act 1889, which was later enacted, and is considered one of the starting points of the modern state secrecy system.
・Truus Schröder-Schräder (1889–1985)
Truus Schröder-Schräder (1889–1985) was a Dutch architect and interior designer born on August 23, 1889. Together with architect Gerrit Thomas Rietveld (1888–1964), he created the Rietveld Schröder House, a modern residence that embodies De Stijl, in 1924, and is highly regarded as its client and co-designer.
26th (7 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| My Treasure Polka | AT Van Winkle |
| Selections From The Owls Overture | AT Van Winkle |
| Scotch Songs | AT Van Winkle |
| Cascade Polka | AT Van Winkle |
| Galop Brilliant | AT Van Winkle |
| My Treasure Polka | AT Van Winkle |
| Galop Brilliant | AT Van Winkle |
[Events of August 26, 1889]
・300th Anniversary of the Founding of Edo
In Japan, a festival commemorating 300 years since Tokugawa Ieyasu founded Edo was held on August 26, 1889 (corresponding to August 1 on the lunar calendar) at Toshogu Shrine and Shinobazu Racecourse in Ueno, Tokyo. It has been argued that this was a symbolic celebration that emphasized the continuity from Edo to Tokyo and incorporated memories of the Tokugawa period into the urban identity of modern Tokyo.
・A. T. Van Winkle recordings
Research into the history of marimba ensembles reveals that in America, xylophone player A. T. Van Winkle (1846–1915) recorded 42 wax cylinder records for the North American Phonograph Company on August 26, 1889, and then recorded many more over the next two days. These recordings were made for an automatic coin-operated player, and are considered some of the earliest commercial recordings of solo percussion instruments.
27th (4 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Celia Polka Mazurka | AT Van Winkle |
| Air With Variations | AT Van Winkle |
| Hazel Dell Polka | AT Van Winkle |
| Apollo Galop | AT Van Winkle |
[Events of August 27, 1889]
・Premiere of the play "The Middleman"
Playwright Henry Arthur Jones's (1851–1929) play The Middleman premiered at London's Shaftesbury Theatre on August 27, 1889. Starring E. S. Willard (1853–1915), this social drama portrayed middlemen as "parasites on talent and labor" and was a successful work that reflected the labor issues of the time.
・Shima Zenrin (1889–1964)
Yoshichika Shima (1889–1964) was a Japanese educator and agronomist who served as the sixth president of Hokkaido University. He was nicknamed the "God of Apples" for his life's dedication to the research and promotion of apple cultivation. He was born in Hiroshima on August 27, 1889, and died on August 7, 1964. He left a significant mark on the development of modern Japanese fruit farming and agricultural science in Hokkaido.
28th (4 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Sea Breeze Polka | AT Van Winkle |
| Apollo Galop | AT Van Winkle |
| Parisian Polka | AT Van Winkle |
| Cascade Polka | AT Van Winkle |
[Events of August 28, 1889]
・Creating an insurance premium table
In Japan, important events related to actuarial practice in the early days of life insurance began on this day.
Research into the history of mathematics education has reported that in 1889, Naruse Tatsuya, who founded the Nippon Life Insurance Company, sent his employee Iwasaki Yonejiro to work with mathematician Fujisawa Rikita, and that Fujisawa instructed Oka Kosuke, Uda Kakusaburo, and others to create an insurance premium table over the course of a week, starting on August 28, 1889.
29th (11 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Knights of Pythias March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Beggar Student Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Beauty Galop | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Piccollo Polka | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| US Marines March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Golden Hours Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Saw My Leg Off | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Kilarney Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Irish Waltzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Jolly Minstrel | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Russian Melody | Tacianu Sisters |
[Events of August 29, 1889]
・George Curtis Fawcett Rowe (1832–1889)
George Curtis Fawcett Rowe (1832–1889) was a British-born actor and playwright who worked in Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. He gained popularity for his role as Wilkins Micawber in his own stage production of David Copperfield, but died in poverty in his later years in New York.
30th (18 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Invitation March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Fedona Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Brilliant Prommonade | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Medley “Fast Mail” | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Daughter Of Love | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Piccollo Polka | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Mayor Bayntons March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Sweet Dreams Waltzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Billington March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Old Oaken Bucket | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Golden Shower Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Funeral March Sleep On | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Mrs. Brady's Daughter – Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The “Bagpipe” | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Southern Roses Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Our Executive March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Irish Airways | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Brunette & Blonde Waltzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
[Events of August 30, 1889]
・Dinner with Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde
It is said that on this day, Joseph Marshall Stoddart (1845–1921), editor of Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, hosted a dinner at the Langham Hotel in London, inviting Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) and Oscar Wilde (1854–1900). This meeting led to the commissioning of The Sign of the Four and The Picture of Dorian Gray, two of the most iconic works of detective fiction and decadent literature.
・Eduardo Ciannelli (1888/1889–1969)
Eduardo Ciannelli (1888/1889–1969), often referred to as "Edward Ciannelli," was an Italian baritone singer and film actor. Although some sources say he was born in 1888, most film databases list his birthday as August 30, 1889. He played many villainous roles in Hollywood films.
31st (14 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Diamond March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| “Secret Love” | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| I Think Of Thee Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| “Polo” Galop | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Society York | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Monastery Bells – Serenade | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Gambrinus Polka | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Sunny Day's Schottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Sounds From Home – Waltzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Lyra Polka | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Don't Be In A Hurry – Galop | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The White Rose Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Pretty Violets | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Golden House Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
[Events that occurred on August 31, 1889]
・Laying of underwater telegraph cables
An underwater telegraph cable was laid on the lower reaches of the Kiso River in Japan between the villages of Kisosaki and Nagashima in Mie Prefecture on August 31, 1889. According to local historical documents, this was the first underwater cable in Mie Prefecture, and it contributed greatly to improving the reliability and modernization of telegraph communications in the region.
Summary of information on recordings made in August 1889
The events surrounding sound recording in August 1889 were a time when commercialization and international expansion were progressing simultaneously, with internal experiments at the Edison Laboratory, the development of printed materials, and public demonstrations at the Paris World's Fair.
Here, we have selected primary sources that directly refer to August, or recording technology and corporate trends that can be positioned as "summer 1889," in the context of recording history.
Edison Phonograph Works publishes "Inspector's Handbook"
The Edison Phonograph Works published the first edition of the "Inspector's Handbook of the Phonograph," a pamphlet for field engineers and inspectors, in August 1889. This handbook systematically explained how to handle batteries, how to adjust cylinder phonographs, and how to handle cylinder recordings, and was positioned as an attempt to standardize the operation of recording equipment and recordings.
Jonas Walter Aylesworth's cylinder duplication experiment
Chemist Jonas Walter Aylsworth (1868–1916) left behind a technical note on phonograph cylinder duplication technology in Notebook NB050, dated August 14, 1889. This "Technical Note, Jonas Walter Aylsworth, August 14, 1889," which remains at the Edison Laboratory, shows that Aylsworth was testing wax compositions and duplication materials for cylinder recording in an effort to improve sound quality, durability, and mass production.
Completion of the roll-film kinetograph and recording experiments before the departure in August
In later testimony, Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) stated that by the summer of 1889 he had prototyped a roll-film kinetograph (a photographic device) and an early kinetoscope for viewing it, and that he had reached a stage where he was able to conduct photographic experiments before leaving for the Paris World's Fair in August 1889. Japanese researcher Junichi Fujita analyzed court records and other documents to show that Edison had actually prototyped a continuous photographic recording device using approximately 3/4-inch-wide celluloid roll film in the summer of 1889, and although this was for video rather than sound, it can be said to have marked an important turning point in "recording media" technology.
Beginning of Talking Doll training recording
Prior to the production of practical records for Talking Doll, records show that repeated "training" recordings of young women reciting nursery rhymes and Mother Goose songs were made at the West Orange factory in the summer of 1889. Charles W. Batchelor (1845–1910) and others had asked toy companies to select recording material by August, and this period of trial and error led to the commercialization of Talking Dolls the following year, in 1890.
Charles Batchelor ships out Talking Doll prototype
In a letter to the Edison Phonograph Toy Manufacturing Company dated August 8, 1889, Charles W. Batchelor (1845–1910), a close aide to Edison, reported that he had "dispatched a finished doll with a built-in phonograph." This was a prototype talking doll with a small phonograph and wax cylinder recording inside, and is an early example of a toy with built-in recording and playback capabilities, preceding the commercially available talking doll of 1890.
International Expansion of Phonographs and Talking Dolls as Seen in Letter Book LB-031 (June-August)
"Letterbook LB-031" (June-August 1889) contains letters from Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), Alfred O. Tate (1863-year-old, unknown), and Samuel Insull (1859-1938), and documents the manufacture of phonographs and talking dolls, as well as sales strategies for expanding phonographs into Europe and Asia. While each letter spans June through August, the entire folder suggests that by the summer of 1889, recording equipment and recordings were already being organized as a business premised on an international market.
Edison's phonograph at the Paris World's Fair and its presentation at the Eiffel Tower
At the 1889 Paris World's Fair, an Edison phonograph was installed in the Pavilion Gallierie des Massines, and a print dated August 19th shows visitors experiencing recording and playback at an "audition," demonstrating that recording technology was an independent attraction at the fair. Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) is said to have visited the Eiffel Tower in mid-August and presented the tower's designer, Gustave Eiffel (1832–1923), with a "Spectacle" Class M phonograph; this meeting scene is still recreated in the Eiffel Tower exhibit today.
Mass production of band clarinet recordings for Europe
According to letters in the Edison archives, Thomas Maguire (date of birth and death unknown) wrote in a letter dated August 26, 1889, that he had shipped eight recordings of band performances and 92 recordings of clarinet and piano solos, all of which had been recorded by August 24 of that year, to Europe on the steamship La Normandie. While the titles and recording dates of the individual records are unknown, this report indicates that as of August 1889, a large number of music cylinders were being produced with the European market in mind.
The image of the phonograph in the newspaper novel "A PROPOSAL BY PHONOGRAPH"
The Australian newspaper, The Avoca Mail, published its August 30, 1889, edition with a short story titled "A PROPOSAL BY PHONOGRAPH," reprinted from Chambers' Journal. The story tells of a young scientist, Tom Douglas, who uses a phonograph to record a marriage proposal message for his cousin, Dora. The story provides a fairly accurate description of how a mica film and steel needle imprint sound vibrations on the surface of a wax cylinder, which are then played back to recreate the original voice. This indicates that the workings of the phonograph were already common knowledge to readers in 1889, and were the subject of novels.
