Time in a Bottle

By Eric M. Jones

IT WAS LATE SEPTEMBER 1938 AND the future looked bright. Westinghouse Research and Development was hard at work on a project to bury a Time Capsule for the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. This was one of the first projects my dad worked on at Westinghouse and it was barely mentioned later after the turmoil of WWII made everything prior—even the hopeful things—seem utterly inconsequential.

Dad is the guy in the back with the hat on, fourth from the left. Dr. W. E. Shoupp the Westinghouse Vice President of R&D is on the right. Dad worked directly for Shoupp for most of his career. Dad praised his boss as a guy who was usually up to his elbows in grease and never thought he was above his employees. Legend has it that Dad carried a Westinghouse checkbook, a Waterman fountain pen, a big security clearance, and Shoupp’s authority to fix problems ... or so people said. Dad called himself a “Technological Gunslinger.”

The Time Capsule project was completed nine years before I was born, and seven years before my parents met. I only ever heard a word or two about the Time Capsule. What part Dad played in this project is now anyone’s guess. Dad’s skills were many and his credentials few.

Westinghouse seemed to have built other time capsules, as well as one buried right alongside this one in 1964, sort of as a silly adjunct to the earlier one. But the second capsule (and a third one never interred) marked the cluelessness of Westinghouse management. The company soon spiraled down from a major U.S. research and development laboratory to an entertainment, song and dance company (CBS), all guided by a new generation of bean-counters who calculated that it was more profitable to sell soap operas, and the once famous Westinghouse brand name, than to do actual research and development or make actual well-engineered products. Google “Who killed Westinghouse?” George Westinghouse Jr. would have rolled over in his grave.

Time capsules have had a problematic history. Most seem to have been forgotten about within a few decades of their installation. Many are destroyed by groundwater, thieves, or political upheavals. Fads come and go. Governments and countries rise and fall.

“Time Capsule Historian” William Jarvis, believes that most time capsules do not provide much useful information to historians. They are typically filled with “useless junk,” and provide little to illuminate the lives of people when the time capsule was planted.

The Egyptians unintentionally built time capsules in the form of tombs for their royalty. But almost all of them were robbed within a few years of their completion. A scant few were only discovered recently, and one hopes there are a few more to be discovered.

Interstellar Pioneer 10 (1972) and Pioneer 11 (1973) carried plaques including the famous full-frontal-nude man and woman that had some people claiming NASA was sending pornography to the aliens.

There are few time capsules rivaling the life expectancy of the disks put on the twin Voyager interstellar spacecraft launched in 1977. They contain not only somewhat cryptic line drawings, but the protected back has recordings of music, sounds, scenes from Earth, voices, and greetings in many languages. They thoughtfully included a needle and cartridge and brief instruction on how to play the recordings.

These disks and plaques have so far stood the test of time. They don’t yet look the least bit silly, although the map telling any alien civilizations where we are is starting to look a wee bit problematic.

Another space time capsule, the KEO satellite, is the work of French artist Jean-Marc Philippe, which was to have been launched in 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and now 2014 (... it’s creeping into the future all by itself!), carrying individual messages from Earth’s inhabitants for Earthlings around the year 52,000 AD, when the 80 mm sphere is due to return to Earth. Somehow this seems to be reaching too far into the future to give me much confidence of its success. There seems to me a great probability that Earthlings will have migrated to the stars by then, or morphed into cybernetic robots, or had the zombie apocalypse.

What is particularly special about the Westinghouse 1939 World’s Fair capsule is that it was the most studied, best built, and best documented time capsule ever installed. On the other hand, in the year 6939, how will anybody care about this time capsule? Will anybody even know of its existence, or location?

Westinghouse wisely buried it deep in a very public place and published 3,000 copies of an archival-paper book of its location and how to find it, and other relevant topics (including when to open it even if the current calendar system has been forgotten, and how to read English if the English language is obsolete) for some future historian to discover. These books were distributed to museums, libraries and monasteries all over the world, including ancient Tibetan monasteries. And now here it is on the Internet for everyone, too.

Remembering what is in any time capsule and where it is located is problematic. If there were anything of value in them, the contents and location would be best kept secret. If there was nothing of value in them, the contents and location would be unimportant and would be forgotten. Perhaps that is why Westinghouse filled the capsule with items that had no intrinsic value.

But I couldn’t imagine not taking a look at the objects buried inside this first Westinghouse Time Capsule. How valuable do you think these objects and recordings will be to the archeologists of 6939 AD?

Did Westinghouse choose wisely? What do you think?

Contents of the Westinghouse 1939 World’s Fair Time Capsule

ARTICLES OF COMMON USE

Contributing to Convenience, Comfort, Health, Safety
   Alarm clock
   Can opener
   Eyeglasses, bifocals (Bausch & Lomb)
   Fountain Pen (Waterman)
   Mazda electric lamp (Westinghouse, 60 watt, 110 volt)
   Mechanical pencil (Waterman)
   Miniature camera (Eastman, Bantam K.A. special f4.5 lens)
   Nail file
   Padlock and keys (The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company)
   Safety pin
   Silverware—knife, fork, spoon (Heirloom plate, Grenoble pattern, by Wm. A.       Rogers Ltd., Oneida Ltd. Successor)
   Tape measure (Keuffel & Esser)
   Tooth brush
   Tooth powder in small container
   Transmitter and receiver of ordinary handset telephone
   Watch (small wrist watch for woman)
   Westinghouse Sterilamp (bactericidal)

For the Pleasure, Use, and Education of Children
   Boy’s toy—a mechanical, spring propelled automobile
   Girl’s toy—a small doll
   Mickey Mouse child’s cup of plastic material (Bryant Electric Company)
   Set of alphabet blocks

Pertaining to the Grooming and Vanity of Women
   Woman’s hat, style of Autumn, 1938 (designed specially by Lilly Daché)
   Cosmetic make-up kit (Elizabeth Arden Daytime-Cyclamen Color Harmony Box,       including two miniature boxes of face powder, lipstick, rouge, eye shadow)
   Rhinestone clip (purchased at Woolworth’s)

Pertaining Principally to the Grooming, Vanity or Personal Habits of Men
   Container of tobacco
   Electric razor and cord (Remington-Rand Close Shaver with Westinghouse       motor, General Shaver Corp.)
   Package of cigarettes
   Safety razor and blades (Gillette Aristocrat one-piece razor, Gillette Safety Razor       Co.)
   Smoking pipe (Drinkless Kaywoodie, Kaywoodie Company)
   Tobacco pouch, closed with zipper (Alfred Dunhill of London)

Pertaining to Games pictured and Described in Micro-file
   Baseball
   Deck of cards
   Golf ball (Kro-flite, A.G. Spalding & Bros.)
   Golf tee
   Poker chips

MATERIALS OF OUR DAY

Fabrics
   Asbestos cloth (Johns-Manville)
   Cotton swatches (Jas. McCutcheon & Co.)
   Glass fabric samples (Westinghouse glass tape)
   Linen swatches (Jas. McCutcheon & Co.)
   Rayon swatches (Du Pont and Celanese)
   Rubber fabrics (Lastex cloth, United States Rubber Products, Inc.)
   Silk swatches (Jas. McCutcheon & Co.)
   Wool swatches (American Woolen Company)

Metals and Metallic Alloys
   Hipernik (Westinghouse nickel iron alloy)
   Aluminum (Commercially pure sample from Aluminum Company of America)
   Aluminum high-strength alloy (ST 37 alloy furnished by Aluminum Company of       America)
   Carbon steel (Electro Metallurgical Company)
   Chromium (Electro Metallurgical Company)
   Copper (Westinghouse Research Laboratories)
   Ferromanganese (Electro Metallurgical Company)
   Ferrosilicon (Electro Metallurgical Company)
   Ferrovanadium (Electro Metallurgical Company)
   Iron (Pure sample from Westinghouse Research Laboratories)
   Magnesium high-strength alloy (Dowmetal, furnished by Dow Chemical       Company)
   Manganese (Electro Metallurgical Company)
   Silicon (Electro Metallurgical Company) 
   Stainless steel (Electro Metallurgical Company
   Temperable copper (Cupaloy, furnished by Westinghouse)
   Hipersil (Westinghouse)
   Tungsten wire (Filament for Westinghouse Mazda electric lamp)

Non-Metallic Materials and Substances
   Airplane pulley of laminated phenol plastic Micarta-Westinghouse
   Anthracite coal (sealed in glass, furnished by Anthracite Institute)
   Artificial cellulose sponge (E.I. duPont de Nemours & Co., Inc.)
   Artificial leather
   Asbestos shingle (furnished by Johns-Manville)
   Beetleware: a specimen of urea plastic (Westinghouse)
   Carborundum (The Carborundum Company)
   Glass wool
   Linen packing thread
   Leather samples: tanned cowhide, genuine morocco (goatskin)
   Lucite: a specimen of methyl methacrylate plastic (DuPont)
   Manufactured rubber (tire section furnished by Fisk Tire Co., Inc.)
   Micarta: a specimen of phenol plastic (Westinghouse)
   Noiseless gear of laminated phenol plastic Micarta: Westinghouse
   Paper: four kinds of permanent rag paper used in money, books, permanent       ledgers and for special wrapping
   Portland Cement (Sample furnished by Portland Cement Co., sealed in glass)
   Raw rubber (Furnished by United States Rubber Products, Inc.)
   Transite: a specimen of material made of asbestos and cement (Johns-Manville)
   Rock wool (Johns-Manville)
   Synthetic “rubber” (Neoprene Chloroprene, furnished by DuPont)

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Money of the United States
   Dollar bill, silver dollar, half dollar, quarter dollar, dime, nickel, penny

Electrical Items
   Electric wall switch (Bryant Electric Company)
   Electric lamp socket (Bryant Electric Company)

Seeds (Selected and furnished by U.S. Department of Agriculture—All samples sealed in glass tubes)
   Wheat, corn, oats, tobacco, cotton, flax, rice, soy beans, alfalfa, sugar beets,       carrots, barley

Books (All other books, reports, etc. reduced to microfilm)
   Selected leather-bound rag-paper copy of the Holy Bible
   Copy of the Book of Record of the Time Capsule

Type (Supplementary to discussion in Micro-file)
   Handset type—Capital and lowercase alphabets of Goudy Village No. 2 type,
      14 point
   Linotype—8 point Caslon 13 em slug set on standard Linotype in the shop of       the Tuckahoe Record, Tuckahoe, N.Y. The line reads: “This type set by       Linotype Machine”

Optical Instrument (Other optical instruments described in Micro-file)
    Magnifier and viewer for use with microfilm and newsreel film

Special Texts (Written on permanent paper in non-fading ink)
   Special messages from noted men of our time (Albert Einstein, Robert A. Millikan,       Karl T. Compton, Thomas Mann)
   Certificate of Official Witnesses at packing of the Westinghouse Time Capsule 
   Message from Dr. Thornwell Jacobs, President of Oglethorpe University
   List of Westinghouse men whose suggestions, guidance, engineering and other       special skills made the Time Capsule possible

SCENARIO OF MICROFILM SEQUENCES

Introduction
   Greetings
   Directions for making a larger projection machine

Aids to Translation
   Explanation of keys
   Fable of the North Wind and the Sun in Twenty Languages
   The Lord’s Prayer in 300 Languages
   The Practical Standard Dictionary: New York: Funk & Wagnalls: 1938
   Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English, by John S. Farmer and W.E. Henley:       New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.: 6th Impression

Where We Live and Work
   Introduction
   Individual Homes: Architectural Forum: pages from various 1937-1938 issues
   Apartments, by Harvey Wiley Corbett: En. Britannica Vol. 20, pp. 870-881
   The Trailer: catalogue of Kozy Coach, Kalamazoo, Mich., 1938
   Offices, by Harvey Wiley Corbett: En. Britannica, Vol. 2, pp. 274-287 incl.
   The Story of Rockefeller Center, 1938
   Office Equipment, by W.H. Leffingwell: En. Britannica; Vol. 16, pp. 712-719 incl.
   Office Machines: catalogue of International Business Machines Corp., 1938
   Factories: En. Britannica, Vol. 9, pp. 29-31 incl.
   Photograph of Westinghouse East Pittsburgh Works
   Photograph of Westinghouse Transformer Works, Sharon, Pa.
   Photograph of Westinghouse Elevator Works, Jersey City, N.J.
   Photograph of Headquarters of General Motors Corp., Detroit, Mich.
   Photograph of First stages on assembly belt in General Motors factory
   Photograph of press that makes automobile tops out of cold steel
   Photograph of rolling cold steel, American Iron & Steel Institute
   Photograph of pouring molten iron into a furnace, Amer. Iron & Steel Institute

Our Arts and Entertainment
   Introduction
   The Arts, by Hendrik Willem van Loon: New York: Simon & Schuster
   Painting: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 17, pp 36-65
   Arozco Frescoes
   “Guernica”—Pablo Picasso
   “American Landscape”—Charles Sheeler
   “Summer Wind”—Alexander Brook
   “Promenade”—Charles Burchfield (1928)
   “Lower Manhattan”—John Marin (1920)
   “Persistence of Memory”—Salvador Dali (Catalan)
   “Daughters of the Revolution”—Grant Wood (American 1932)
   “Composition Black, White & Red”—Piet Mondrian (Dutch)
   “Dr. Meyer-Hermann”—Otto Dix
   Sculpture: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 20, pp. 198-231
   Music: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 16, pp. 3-24 (with score)
   Harmony: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 11, pp.       203-212
   Finlandia, by Jean Sibelius
   The Stars and Stripes Forever, by John Philip       Sousa
   The Flat-Foot Floogee, by Slim Gaillard, Slam       Steward and Bud Green
   Photograph of Arturo Toscanini, one of our       great directors, conducting a symphony       orchestra
   Photograph of a string quartet
   Photograph of a vocal soloist accompanied by       orchestra, with audience in foreground
   Photograph of diners dancing to the       accompaniment of an orchestra in a famous       New York night club
   Catalog of instruments, showing construction,       range and how to manipulate
   Literature: Introduction
   The Essay: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Vol. 8, pp. 716-717
   Freud, Goethe, Wagner, by Thomas Mann: New York: Alfred A. Knopf: 1937
   The Short Story: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Vol. 20, pp. 580-583
   Verse: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Vol. 23, pp. 96-98
   The Novel: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Vol. 16, pp. 572-577
   “Arrowsmith” by Sinclair Lewis: New York: Grosset & Dunlap: 1925
   “Gone With The Wind” by Margaret Mitchell: New York: Macmillan: 1938
   “The Theater” by George Jean Nathan: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Vol. 22, pp.       21-41
   Best Plays (1936-1937) by Burns Mantle: New York: Dodd, Mead
   Motion Pictures, by Terry Ramsaye: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp.       854-871
   Music Hall Program for “You Can’t Take It With You,” Sept. 1, 1938
   Radio: Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Vol. 23, pp. 663-668
   The Story of Radio, by Orrin E. Dunlap, Jr.: New York: Dial Press, 1935
   A radio studio, National Broadcasting Company, New York City
   Radio Corporation of America Building, Rockefeller Center, New York
   Master switchboard of the National Broadcasting Comapny
   Director of radio dramatic program, National Broadcasting Company
   Radio broadcasting antenna
   Radio actors “on the air”
   Standard Bridge Rules: R.H. Macy & Co., New York, 1938
   Photo of a bridge tournament: Acme
   Hoyle’s Card Rules: R.H. Macy & Co., New York, 36th Edition, 1938
   Typical poker scene: Acme
   Spalding’s Rules of Golf—1938
   Typical golf match: Acme
   Spalding’s Football Rules—1938
   Scene from football game
   Spalding Baseball Rules—1938
   Scene from baseball game

How Information Is Disseminated Among Us
   General Introduction
   Magazines: Introduction
   Saturday Evening Post, May 7, 1938
   Collier’s, Sept. 3, 1938
   Ladies Home Journal, September 1938
   Woman’s Home Companion, September 1938
   Vogue, September 1, 1938
   McCall’s, September 1938
   Good Housekeeping, September 1938
   Adventure, September 1938
   Love Story, September 3, 1938
   True Confessions, October 1938
   Complete Western Book Magazine, September 1938
   Detective Story Magazine, October 1938
   Amazing Stories, October 1938
   Weird Tales, September 1938
   American Mercury, September 1938
   Time, February 28, 1938
   Newsweek, July 25, 1938
   Reader’s Digest, September 1938
   Harper’s Magazine, August 1938
   The Atlantic Monthly, July 1938
   Scientific American, September 1938
   Life, May 23, 1938
   Look, September 13, 1938
   Your Life, September 1938
   Fortune, February 1938
   New Yorker, September 3, 1938
   Introduction: A Magazine of the pre-halftone era
   Leslie’s Weekly, several times
   Newspapers: Introduction
   New York Herald Tribune, August 24, 1938
   New York Times, August 19, 1938
   New York World-Telegram, August 10, 1938
   New York Sun, January 8, 1938 (complete final)
   New York Post, September 6, 1938, Sports Extra
   New York Journal American, July 14, 1938
   New York Daily News, August 30, 1938
   New York Mirror, August 29, 1938
   Daily Worker, August 30, 1938
   The Cartoon: Introduction
   Batchelor’s “In the Spring a Young Man’s Fancy ...” Chicago Tribune-New York       News Syndicate, 1938
   Talburt’s “Land of the Rising or Setting Sun?” New York World-Telegram       Syndicate, 1938
   Kirby’s “Laughter for the Gods,” New York World-Telegram Syndicate, 1938
   The “Funny Paper": Introduction
   Caniff’s “Terry & The Pirates” Link’s “Tiny Tim” and “Dill and Daffy,” Chicago       Tribune-New York News Syndicate, June 25, 1938
   Willard’s “Moon Mullins” and Branning’s “Winnie Winkle the Breadwinner,”       Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate, June 25, 1938
   Gray’s “Little Orphan Annie” and Gould’s “Dick Tracy,” Chicago Tribune-New York       News Syndicate, June 25, 1938
   King’s “Gasoline Alley” and Edson’s “The Gumps,” Chicago Tribune-New York       News Syndicate, June 25, 1938
   Segar’s “Sappo” and “Thimble Theater,” King Features, Sunday, September 18,       1938
   Knerr’s “Dinglehoofer & His Dog” and “The Katzenjammer Kids,” King Features,       September 18, 1938
   Disney’s “Mother Pluto” and “Mickey Mouse,” King Features, September 18,       1938
   DeBeck’s “Bunky” and “Barney Google,” King Features, September18, 1938
   Cady’s “Peter Rabbit,” New York Herald Tribune Syndicate, September 4, 1938
   Webster’s “Timid Soul,” New York Herald Tribune Syndicate, August 7, 1938
   Webster’s “The Thrill that Comes Once in a Lifetime,” New York Herald Tribune       Syndicate, August 27, 1938
   Our Books: Introduction
   Methods of Printing, by G. Leonard Gold
   Design and Beauty in Printing, by Frederic W. Goudy: Press of the Woolly Whale,       March 8, 1934
   A History of the Printed Book, by Lawrence C. Wroth: New York: Limited Editions       Club, 1938
   Color in Use: International Printing Ink Corp., copyrighted 1935
   Color as Light: International Printing Ink Corp., copyrighted 1935
   Color Chemistry: International Printing Ink Corp., copyrighted 1935

Book of General Information About Us
   A Book of general information about us: Introduction
   The World Almanac for 1938

Our Religious and Philosophies
   Introduction
   The World’s Living Religions, by Robert Ernest Hume: New York: Charles       Scribner’s Sons, 1936
   A History of Philosophy, by Alfred Weber & Ralph Barton Perry: New York:       Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1925

Our Education and Educational Systems
   Introduction
   Education: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 7, pp. 964-1005
   All The Children: 39th Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools, New York       City, School Year 1936-1937

Our Sciences and Techniques
   Introduction
   Scientific Method: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 20, pp. 127-13
   The Story of Science, by David Dietz: Dodd, Mead: 1938
   The Smithsonian Physical Tables: Washington: Smithsonian Institution,       Publication 3171, 1934
   Meteorology: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 343-356
   Mathematics: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 69-89
   Portraits of Eminent Mathematicians, by David Eugene Smith: New York: Scripta       Mathematica, portfolios 1 and 2
   Telescopes: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 904-909
   Microscopes: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 433-443

Our Earth, Its Features and Peoples
   Introduction
   The World Atlas: New York: Rand McNally
   Our Races: Introduction
   The World’s Races: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 2, pp. 41-50
   Explanation of the Fundamental Triangulation Net of the United States (with       map)
    Methods of Surveying: Coast & Geodetic Survey booklets, Nos. 502, 529, 562,       583, Spec. No. 23, Dept of Commerce
   Geology: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 10, pp. 155-173
   Exploring Down, by Sherwin F. Kelly, reprint from the Explosives Engineer,       Sept.-Oct. 1935
   The Earth: Chester A. Reeds, New York: The University Press, First Trade       Edition 1935

Our Medicine, Public Health, Dentistry and Pharmacy
   Introduction
   Frontiers of Medicine, by Dr. Morris Fishbein: Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, June       1933
   Men of Medicine: The March of Time, Issue No. 11, Vol. IV
   Work of the United States Public Health Service, Reprint 1447
   Report of the Surgeon General of the United States, June 30, 1937
   Dentistry: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 7, pp. 222-225 175, 1937 Year Book of       Dentistry
   United States Pharmacopeia 177, X-Ray and Fluoroscopy: catalogues of the    Westinghouse X-Ray Company

Our Industries
   Introduction
   Explanation of Sears, Roebuck catalog
   Sears, Roebuck catalog No. 177—Philadelphia—Fall & Winter 1938-39
   Inventions and Discoveries: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 12, pp. 545-547
   Some basic inventions of modern times: United States Patent Office
   Industrial Revolution: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 12, pp. 303-306
   Industrial Relations: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 12, pp. 293-303
   Management’s Responsibility to the Public: an address by A.W. Robertson,       Chairman of the Board of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing       Company, Sept. 19, 1938 before 7th International Management Congress
   Law and Good Will in Industrial Relations: an address by W.G. Marshall,
       Vice-President of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., before
       the Committee of One Hundred, Miami, Fla., March 8, 1938
   Westinghouse Industrial Relations: a report for 1937
   The Electrical Industry: Introduction
   Electricity: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 8, pp. 182-217
   Electric Generator: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 8, pp. 174-182
   Electric Power: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 8, pp. 144-174
   Electric Motor: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 882-888
   Electrical Engineering, Fiftieth Anniversary A.I.E.E. 1884-1934, May 1934
   A Life of George Westinghouse, by Henry G. Prout: New York: Charles       Scribner’s: 1926
   Portions of Westinghouse 1939 Catalogue
   52nd Annual Report of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company,       Dec. 31, 1937
   Westinghouse Stockholders’ Quarterly for August, 1938
   Photograph of welding the new office building at the Westinghouse Transformer       Works, Sharon, Pa.
   “Putting in the Throw” on a 7500 kv-a. synchronous condenser at the       Westinghouse East Pittsburgh Works
   Photograph of tightening a "steel spider” at the Westinghouse East Pittsburgh       Works
   Photograph of assembling giant mill motors at the Westinghouse East       Pittsburgh Works
   Photograph of ignitron tubes in the Westinghouse Research Laboratories
   Photograph of testing a grid-glow tube in the Westinghouse Research       Laboratories
   Photograph of a lamp machine in the Westinghouse Lamp Works, Bloomfield,       N.J.
   Photograph of bottom one-third of 800-foot vertical antenna of Westinghouse       radio station KDKA, Pittsburgh, Pa.
   Photograph of a 1938 hostess inspecting complete meal cooking in       Westinghouse Automeal Roaster at Merchandise Works, Mansfield, Ohio
   Agriculture: Introduction
   Agriculture: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 1, pp. 391-420
   Agricultural Machinery and Implements: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 1, pp.       370-378
   A Graphic Summary of Physical Features and Land Utilization in the United       States: Dept. of Agri., Misc. Publication No. 260, May 1937
   A Graphic Summary of Farm Tenure: Dept. of Agri., Misc. Pub. No. 261, Dec. 1936
   A Graphic Summary of Farm Taxation: Dept. of Agri., Misc. Pub. No. 262, Feb.       1937
   A Graphic Summary of the Value of Farm property: Dept. of Agri., Misc. Pub. No.       263, July 1937
   A Graphic Summary of Farm Machinery, Facilities, Roads and Expenditures: Dept.       of Agri., Misc. Pub. No. 264, July 1937
   A Graphic Summary of Farm Labor and Population: Dept. of Agri., Misc. Pub. No.       265, Nov. 1937
   A Graphic Summary of the Number, Size, and Type of Farm and Value of       Products: Dept. of Agri., Misc. Pub. No. 266, Oct. 1937
   A Graphic Summary of Farm Crops: Dept. of Agri., Misc. Pub. No. 267, March 1938
   Automobiles: Introduction
   Motor Car: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 880-901
   Automobile Facts and Figures: Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, 1938       edition
   A Chronicle of the Automotive Industry in America 1892-1936, Eaton Mfg. Co.,       Cleveland, Ohio
   Aviation: Introduction
   Aero Engines: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 1, pp. 237-242
   Aeronautics: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 1, pp. 242-250
   Aeroplane: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 1, pp. 250-258
   Civil Aviation: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 2, pp. 801-812
   The Aircraft Yearbook for 1938: Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America,       Inc.
   TWA Timetable, July 1, 1938
   United Airlines Timetable, July 1, 1938
   Eastern Air Lines Timetable, August 15, 1938
   American Airlines Timetable, August 1, 1938
   Northwest Air Lines Timetable, August 1938
   Pan American Timetable, July 1, 1938
   Air France Timetable, Summer 1938, From March 27 to Oct. 1
   Imperial Airways Timetable, July 1938
   Swissair Timetable, Summer 1938
   Swedish Air Lines Timetable, Mar. 27-Oct. 1, 1938
   Canadian Colonial Airways, July 1, 1938
   Ships and Shipping: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 20, pp. 505-563
   Chemical Industry: Introduction
   The Chemical Elements and Their Discoveries, Fisher Scientific Co., Jan. 1936
   Chemistry: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 5, pp. 355-410
   Applied Chemistry: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 5, pp. 410-412
   A World of Change: and address by Dr. Edward R. Weidlein as President of the       American Chemical Society, Rochester meeting, Sept. 9, 1937
   Industrial Chemistry, by William Thornton Read: New York: John Wiley & Sons,       1933
   Coal and Coal Mining: Introduction
   Coal and Coal Mining: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 5, pp. 868-912
   The Formation and Characteristics of Pennsylvania Anthracite: the Anthracite       Institute
   Communications: Introduction
   Telegraph: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 21, pp. 880-893
   Telephone: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 21, pp. 894-904
   Food Industries: Introduction
   Food Preservation, Service and Supply: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 9, pp.       457-460
   Canning: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 4, pp. 748-751
   The Story of Frosted Foods: Birdseye Company, 1938
   Nutritive Aspects of Canned Foods, a pamphlet: American Can Company
   More About Canned Foods, a pamphlet: American Can Company
   Representative menus, 1938. (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer menus furnished       by Childs Restaurants).
   Metals and Mining: Introduction
   Metals: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 323-325
   Metallurgy: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 310-323
   Metallography: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 308-310
   Iron, Iron and Steel, Iron in Art: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 12, pp. 645-682       incl.
   Aluminum: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 1, pp. 713-720
   Copper: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 6, pp. 401-409
   Metalliferous Mining: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 544-551
   Petroleum: Introduction
   Petroleum: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 17, pp. 662-669
   The Rise of American Oil, by Leonard M. Fanning: New York: Harper & Brothers,       1936
   Railroads: Introduction
   Railways: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 18, pp. 916-952
   New York Central Timetable, Form 1001, 1938
   Pennsylvania Railroad Timetable, Aug. 28, 1938
   Baltimore & Ohio Timetable, July 17, 1938 (East       and West)
   Union Pacific Timetable, Revised to June 12, 1938
   Northern Pacific Timetable, Corrected to June 20,       1938, F. 5111
   Southern Pacific Timetable, Aug. 15-Sept. 1938,       Form A
   Santa Fe Timetable, Corrected to August 7, 1938
   Streamlined Pennsylvania train
   Textiles: Introduction
   Textiles and Embroideries: Encyclopedia       Britannica, Vol. 22, pp. 1-6
   Weaving: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 23, pp.       455-466
   Dyeing: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 7, pp.
      789-795
   Synthetic Dyes: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 7, pp. 796-807
   Designing Women, by Margaretta Byers with Consuelo Kamholz: New York:       Simon & Schuster: 1938
   Women’s Wear Style Sheet, 1938
   Women’s Wear for September 1, 1938
   Fall Textures in duPont Rayon (swatches included in Capsule as objects) 1938

New York World’s Fair 1939
   Introduction
   Message from Grover Whalen, President of the World’s Fair
   New York, the World’s Fair City
   World’s Fair Bulletin A Year from Today
   World’s Fair Bulletin: Participation Issue
   World’s Fair Bulletin for June, 1938
   List of Officers and Department Heads of the World’s Fair

The Objects in the Capsule
   Introduction and List

The Men Who Made the Capsule
   List

How We Appear, Talk and Act; and Scenes of Our Day
   Introduction
   Technology of Amateur and Professional Motion Pictures; Encyclopedia       Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 867-881
   Motion Picture Technology: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, pp. 854-867
   Photoelectricity: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 17, pp. 788-793
   Production and projection of the Motion Picture, by Terry Ramsaye, Editor,       Motion Picture Herald
   How to Build a Projection Machine: (diagrams and photos)
   A projection machine

NEWSREEL

Characteristic or significant scenes in sound film prepared by RKO-Pathe Pictures, Inc. for the Time Capsule. Instructions for making a suitable projection machine to use this film are included in the microfilm Micro-File.
   The newsreel runs about 15 minutes. It comprises the following scenes:
   Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States, speaking at Gettysburg,       Pennsylvania, July 3, 1938, on occasion of the 75th anniversary of the       celebrated battle of the United States Civil War. Veterans of both sides,       attending final reunion, are present.
   Howard Hughes, celebrated aviator, who made “Around-the-World-flight” as “Air       Ambassador” for New York’s World Fair 1939, in three days, 19-1/4 hours, July       1938.
   Jesse Owens, American negro athlete, winning 100 meter dash in 1936 Olympic       games.
   Collegiate football: Harvard-Yale, November 1936 at “Yale Bowl,” New Haven,       Conn. Yale wins 14-13.
   Baseball: Big League—All-Star Game at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio. 28,000       spectators—July 1938. Nationals defeat American 4-1.
   United States Pacific Fleet setting out for six weeks in maneuvers, showing       battleships in formation off Long Beach, California, in March 1938.
   Soviets celebrate International Labor Day, May 1938, in Red Square, Moscow,       Russia. Two shots of soldiers marching.
   Greatest demonstration of military prowess in the United States since the World       War, at Fort Benning, Georgia, April 1938, showing tanks and other war       machines.
   Bombing of Canton, typical episode in the undeclared war between China and       Japan. Canton, China, June 1938.
   Fashion Show at Miami, Florida, April 1938.
   Preview of World’s Fair—1939: May 1938.

So what would you put into a time capsule? Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” music video? The collected works of J. D. Salinger, or George Orwell? A Dianetics book? An HP41C calculator? An iPod? Would any of these provide more insights to future historians than what Westinghouse buried? 

Eric M. Jones is the Contributing Editor of “Perihelion.” He is an engineer, designer, consultant, and entrepreneur. His Internet business PerihelionDesign, builds and sells products, parts and materials to the home-built experimental aircraft community.