1895 — Wilhelm C. Roentgen discovers the X ray and Sears, Roebuck Co. opened a mail-order business. Along with Montgomery Ward, which had been established in 1872, Sears soon revolutionized the sale of goods to people living in rural areas.

Other events:

• The Supreme Court ruled that income tax was unconstitutional in the case Pollack v. Farmers Loan and Trust Co.
• Cuba fought Spain for its independence. President Grover Cleveland called on U.S. citizens not to give aid to the Cuban rebels.
• Stephan Crane published his best-known work, The Red Badge of Courage.
• The National Medical Association is formed by a group of black doctors who claim that their interests are not adequately represented by the American Medical Association.