January 1 John Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major premieres in Leipzig January 2 1st Test match hat-trick, Fred Spofforth at the MCG January 2 British battleship Thunder explodes in Gulf of Ismid, 9 die January 2 Dr. Benjamin E Mays, named president of Atlanta Board of Education January 2 Northwestern League (minor baseball league) organized, Rockford, Ill January 7 Dutch King Willem II marries Emma von Waldeck-Pyrmont January 9 Cheyenne prisoners led by Dull Knife revolt at Fort Robinson January 9 Kirland Warbler discovered on Andros Island in Bahamas January 11 Zulu war against British colonial rule in South Africa begins January 12 British Zulu War begins: Lieutenant-General Chelmsford invades Zululand January 16 January record 13" of snow falls in New York City (broken Jan 7, 1996) January 20 British troops under Lord Chelmsford set camp at Isandlwana January 21 Henrik Ibsen's "Et Dukkehjem," premieres in Copenhagen January 22 James Shields (D) elected U.S. senator from Missouri after previously serving as U.S. senator from Illinois and Minnesota January 22 Zulus attack British Army camp in Isandhlwana South Africa January 23 National Archery Association forms (Crawfordsville Ind) January 29 Custer Battlefield National Monument, Montana established January 30 French President MacMahon resigns February 5 Joseph Swan demonstrates light bulb using carbon glow February 10 1st electric arc light used in the California Theater February 10 Henry Morton Stanley departs to the Congo February 12 1st artificial ice rink in North America (Madison Square Garden, New York City) February 12 News about slaughtering of Isandlwana reaches London February 14 Chilean troops occupy Antofagasta February 15 Congress authorizes women lawyers to practice before Supreme Court February 18 Arabs capture Egyptian premier Nabar Pasha February 22 1st 5 and 10 store opened by Frank W. Woolworth (Utica New York) February 25 Congress passed 1st Timberland Protection Act February 27 Constantine Fahlberg discovers saccharin the artificial sweetener February 28 "Exodus of 1879" southern blacks flee political/economic exploitation March 1 Library of Hawaii founded March 3 1st female lawyer heard by Supreme Court (Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood) March 3 U.S. Geological Survey director authorized in Department of the Interior March 27 Longest championship fight (136 rounds) March 29 Tsjaikovski's opera "Jevgeni Onegin," premieres in Moscow April 8 Khedive Ismael of Egypt fires French/British ministers April 8 Milk was sold in glass bottles for 1st time April 18 Trial of Standing Bear-Crook on indians citizen rights begins April 20 1st mobile home (horse drawn) used in a journey from London and Cyprus May 8 George Selden files for 1st patent for a gasoline-driven automobile May 10 Meteor falls near Estherville, Iowa May 16 Antonin Dvorak's "Slavic Dancing," premieres May 16 Treaty of Gandamak to set up Afghan state between Russia and English May 20 5th Kentucky Derby: Charlie Shauer aboard Lord Murphy wins in 2:37 May 21 Battle of Iquiquw May 24 7th Preakness: L Hughes aboard Harold wins in 2:40 May 30 92 degrees F highest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in May May 30 Gilmore Garden (New York City) renamed Madison Square Garden May 31 1st electric railway opens at Berlin Trades Exposition May 31 Madison Square Garden opens June 5 13th Belmont: George Evans aboard Spendthrift wins in 2:42.75 June 16 Gilbert and Sullivan's "HMS Pinafore" debuts at Bowery Theater New York City June 18 W. H. Richardson, a black inventor, patents the children's carriage June 21 F. W. Woolworth opens 1st store, failed almost immediately June 26 Ismael Pasha resigns as khedive of Egypt June 30 Ex-khedive Ismael Pasha leaves Cairo with train full stolen goods July 1 Ex-khedive Ismael Pasha sails from Alexandria to Naples July 4 Africaner Union forms by Reverend SJ du Toit at Cape colony July 4 Battle at Rorkes Drift: Britain ends attack on Zulus July 17 1st railroad opens in Hawaii August 4 Pope Leo XIII publishes encyclical Aeterni Patris August 12 1st National Archery Association tournament (Chicago) August 17 Ferdinand de Lesseps forms French Panama Canal Company August 20 Government Kappeijne of Coppello resigns August 23 Governor-general Charles Gordon of Sudan returns to Cairo August 28 Battle at Ulundi: Lord Chelmsford beats king Cetshwayo's Zuluz September 15 Pim Mulier forms "Haarlem Football Club" September 19 Thomas Ray becomes youngest to break a world track and field record pole-vaulting 11' 2" at age 17 years and 198 days September 20 U.S. Grants come to San Francisco for elaborate extended visit September 23 Baldwin steam motors tram 1st tried in Sydney Australia September 23 Richard Rhodes invented a hearing aid called the Audiophone September 28 Sydney Australia inaugurates steam motor tram route September 29 NL owners meeting in Buffalo adopt reserve clause, giving each team exclusive rights to their players October 1 Cincinnati Enquirer publishes 1st report on baseball reserve clause October 2 Start of Sherlock Holmes adventure "Musgrave Ritual" October 7 Germany and Austrian-Hungary sign Twofold Covenant October 12 British troops occupy Kabul Afghanistan October 19 Afghan's emir Mohammed Yakub forced to resign October 19 Thomas Edison demonstrates electric light October 21 Thomas Edison perfects carbonized cotton filament light bulb November 2 In a 6-day footrace a Mr. Weston loses to a horse, 900 to 885 km November 4 Elkins patents refrigerating apparatus November 4 James Ritty patents 1st cash register, to combat stealing by bartenders in his Dayton, Ohio saloon November 6 Canada celebrates 1st Thanksgiving Day November 19 National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders determines what "is" a trotter November 28 Battle at Lydenburg South Africa: General Wolseley beats Sekhukhenes Pedi-Zulu December 5 1st automatic telephone switching system patented December 13 1st federal fish hatching steamer lauched (Wilmington Delaware) December 20 Tom Edison privately demonstrated incandescent light at Menlo Park December 26 John Brahms' "Tragic Ouverture," premieres December 28 North British Railway's train falls as Firth bridge collapses (Scot) December 30 Gilbert and Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance," premieres December 31 Cornerstone laid for Honolulu's Iolani Palace December 31 Cornerstone laid for Iolani Palace (only royal palace in U.S.) December 31 Edison gives 1st public demonstration of his incandescent lamp December 31 Gilbert/Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance," premieres in New York City December 31 Opera "Pirates of Penzance" is produced (New York City)
