America’s most prolific inventor Thomas Alva Edison dies at the age of 84. Edison’s lack of formal education proved no handicap, his inventions include the phonograph, microphone and the kinetoscope – and he designed a complete electrical distribution system for lighting and power.

The 6.9 Mw Loma Prieta earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Coast with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (violent).