Image of letter from Thomas A. Edison to the Librarian of Congress, stamped January 9, 1894, requesting a copyright for his film titled 'The Sneeze' , which depicts a man named Fred Ott sneezing in the United States. View of a still image containing 45 individual frames of the film 'The Sneeze' along with explanation of their creation and preservation at the Library of Congress. Thomas A. Edison and associates seated at a table containing photographic equipment. The film 'Fred Ott's Sneeze' (proper title, filmed January, 1894) is shown at the end of the clip.
View of a book entitled "Builders of Hawaii." A hand opens it to several different places, revealing photos of persons who played roles in the early development of Hawaii. Also revealed are pages from the newspaper "Commercial Advertiser" reporting that flags changed as "Hawaii becomes the first outpost of Greater America" and "Old Glory is the new flag of the Hawaiian Islands." (This refers to the establishment of the Territory of Hawaii, under the U.S. Hawaiian Organic Act of 1900.) A portrait of Sanford Ballard Dole is shown. (He was the President of the Republic of Hawaii, 1894-1900, and its first Territorial Governor, 1900-1903.) Views of the Hawaiian State Archives Building, on the grounds of the Iolani Palace, in Honolulu. A plaque honoring Captain James Cook. Views of visitors inside an exhibit that includes a reproduction of an early Hawaiian cottage.
Telephone facility construction in the United States. A picture showing a man digging a hole for a telephone pole in 1894. A picture shows several men raising a telephone pole in 1895. Men using a tractor to pull telephone lines in the later years. A tractor with auger drilling holes for the telephone posts. A derrick (out of sight) placing a post in the hole. A man standing beside the post guiding it into the hole. In 19th Century, crews of men are seen manually digging trenches on the sides of the road in a city street for laying telephone lines. In contrast , a man operates a powered trenching machine along a street, while helpers watch, Houses in view along the side of the road.
Carmencita in a solo dance performance, United States. She performs Spanish dance and was the first woman to appear in front of an Edison motion picture.
Native American Indian dancers from Buffalo Bill's Wild West show perform the Buffalo Dance. Recorded at Edison's Black Maria Studio in West Orange, New Jersey, United States