John Collins
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- Oct 17, 1872The Editor Who Sold His Paper to a Brothel KeeperA scathing letter in the Puget Sound Dispatch exposes the corrupt alliance between Seattle’s Republican party and its most notorious vice kingpins, asking: 'What of that newspaper publisher... who for a palm share in the wages of prostitution gives his aid and influence?'Seattle, WA
- Feb 24, 1876The Great Seattle Saw-Mill LotteryA frontier town turns to state-sanctioned gambling as a desperate economic strategy to boost local development.Seattle, WA
- Mar 2, 1876The Great Seattle Saw-Mill GambleWhen the city's leading industry, the Yesler Mill, was placed into a grand lottery to boost the local economy and resolve debt, it sparked a frontier frenzy of ticket-buying.Seattle, WA
- Jun 5, 1876The Lottery That Built Seattle: How a $5 Ticket Bought a Sawmill and City BlocksIn 1876, the Washington Territory authorized a massive state lottery to fund a road through the Cascades. The prize? A steam sawmill worth $100,000 and prime real estate in downtown Seattle.Seattle, WA
- Jun 6, 1876The $100,000 Gamble: Yesler’s Great LotteryTo fund a mountain road, Seattle pioneer Henry Yesler turned to a massive, state-sanctioned lottery, putting his own saw mill and downtown lots on the line.Seattle, WA
- Jun 8, 1876The Million-Dollar Ticket: How Seattle Bet Its Future on a LotteryIn 1876, the city’s most prominent businessman launched a massive lottery to fund a mountain road, offering a steam sawmill valued at $100,000 as the grand prize.Seattle, WA
- Jun 9, 1876The $100,000 Mill: Seattle’s Legalized Lottery for a FortuneIn 1876, the Washington Territory authorized a massive public lottery to fund a road across the Cascades. The grand prize? A fully operational steam sawmill and prime real estate in downtown Seattle.Seattle, WA
- Jun 26, 1876The Centennial Lottery GambleIn 1876, the Washington Territorial Legislature authorized a public lottery to fund a wagon road across the Cascade Mountains, marking a desperate and creative approach to frontier infrastructure.Seattle, WA
- Jun 27, 1876Seattle Invites the Whole Territory to Its Centennial FourthAs the United States turned 100 in 1876, Seattle's civic leaders mobilized an elaborate city-wide committee to prove the frontier outpost was a modern, patriotic city.Seattle, WA
- Jun 28, 1876The Centennial Bash of 1876A committee of Seattle’s power brokers prepares for a city-wide celebration of the nation’s 100th birthday.Seattle, WA
- Jun 29, 1876Seattle’s First Independence Day Mega-FestivalAs the United States approached its 1876 Centennial, Seattle organizers launched an ambitious, city-wide effort to host a monumental July 4th celebration that would signal the town's arrival on the map.Seattle, WA
- Jun 30, 1876Seattle’s 1876 Fourth of July ExtravaganzaAs the United States approached its first centennial, Seattle civic leaders mobilized to prove the frontier outpost was a city of substance, dignity, and unity.Seattle, WA
- Jul 3, 1876Seattle Invites the Territory to a Centennial FourthAs the United States turned 100 in 1876, Seattle's civic leaders mobilized an ambitious, city-wide organizing committee to prove the frontier outpost was a proper American town.Seattle, WA
- Jul 25, 1876The Great World's Wonder: Dr. McBride’s Miracle Cures in Pioneer SeattleA charismatic physician from China has opened an office at the Occidental Hotel, promising instantaneous relief for blindness, deafness, and pain with his 'Concentrated Tea.' While locals flock to witness his 'miraculous' operations, the line between medical innovation and snake oil remains dangerously thin.Seattle, WA
- Aug 12, 1876The Battle for Yesler’s Hall: Court vs. ConventionAs Seattle prepares for the Republican Territorial Convention in August 1876, a scheduling conflict with the District Court raises questions about civic priority and power.Seattle, WA
- Aug 19, 1876The Sheriff’s Hammer: A King County Farm Sold for Debt in the Heart of SeattleIn August 1875, the King County Sheriff stood on the courthouse steps to auction off a stranger's land to satisfy a judgment, turning the nascent town's civic center into a marketplace for foreclosures.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
- Sep 2, 1876The Sheriff’s Gavel: A King County Land Auction in the Shadow of the Gold RushIn August 1876, Seattle’s legal system was already grinding out foreclosures on massive land claims, signaling that the territory’s boom would be built on debt and dispossession.Seattle, WA
- Nov 11, 1876The Battle for the Territory: Judson vs. Jacobs in the 1876 ElectionAs the nation grapples with the disputed presidential election of 1876, Washington Territory voters head to the polls to decide their own future, pitting Republican J.P. Judson against Democrat Judge Jacobs in a fierce contest for territorial supremacy.Seattle, WA
- Dec 16, 1876The Company Town That Built Itself: Inside Port Gamble's Lumber EmpireIn 1876, the Puget Mill Company turned a remote bay into a model industrial community, complete with its own fleet, brass band, and company-owned housing.Port Gamble, WA
- Jan 1, 1877The Boomtown That Almost Wasn't: Seattle in 1876While the rest of the nation struggled through a deep economic depression, a local newspaper reflects on the unprecedented industrial and infrastructure expansion that transformed Seattle from a village into a bustling coal and lumber hub.Front Street, Seattle, WA
- Jul 27, 1878The Rails That Built SeattleCivic leaders convene to expand the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad, the ambitious line designed to link the growing city to the bounty of the east.Renton, Seattle, WA
- May 9, 1882The Pioneer Priest Who Cleared the Forest for a ChurchIn 1883, Father Frefontaine laid the cornerstone of a grand new cathedral in Seattle, reflecting on a journey that began with clearing dense timber by hand to serve a tiny, fractured congregation.Third Street, Seattle, WA
- May 20, 1882The City Hall That Wasn't: Seattle's 1882 Fire Engine ObsessionWhen faced with a choice between a new municipal center and a state-of-the-art steam fire engine, Seattle citizens chose the engine—prioritizing immediate safety over civic expansion.Seattle, WA
- Jan 17, 1883The Chamber of Commerce Backs the Seattle, Walla Walla and Baker City RailroadA new report argues that the construction of a cross-state railroad is essential to securing Seattle's industrial future.Seattle, WA
- May 1, 1884The Inside Story of Seattle's Rail WoesJohn Leary reveals why plans for a railroad to the Cedar River coal fields have stalled, exposing the delicate dance between local boosters and coal barons.Cedar River, Seattle, WA
- Jun 29, 1884The Grand Opening of the Occidental HotelJohn Collins opened the Occidental Hotel to thousands with free food and drink; it now accepts guests.Seattle, WA
- Jul 8, 1888The Boss-Led Machine vs. The Citizen MovementAhead of a critical 1888 municipal election in Seattle, a local editorial exposes how machine politics and saloon back-rooms are attempting to subvert the democratic process.Seattle, WA
- Jun 24, 1889After the Great Fire: Seattle Rebuilds from AshesFollowing the devastating 1889 fire that leveled the city’s business district, residents and business owners scramble to reorganize amidst the ruins of the downtown core.Seattle, WA
- Feb 17, 1892The Seattle Mayoralty Race: A Chronic Candidate ReturnsJohn Collins, a repeat contender for mayor, has entered the race once again, challenging J.T. Ronald and shaking up a city election cycle defined by factional infighting and shifting party alliances.Seattle, WA
- May 28, 1892An Artesian Spring Found Under the Occidental BlockDrilling beneath the heart of Seattle's business district reveals a massive, flowing water source.James Street, Seattle, WA
- Aug 2, 1892Seattle Gas Works Sold for $630,000A syndicate of Seattle and St. Paul investors has purchased the city's primary gas supplier, with plans for expansion and modernization.Jackson Street, Seattle, WA
- Aug 14, 1892The Democratic Party's Rowdy King County ConventionA tumultuous, day-long convention in Seattle reveals a fractured party struggling for control over the gubernatorial nomination of James Hamilton Lewis.Seattle, WA
- Aug 23, 1892A Delegate, a Street Scuffle, and a Party at War With ItselfOn Second Street, Lewis men rough up a Walla Walla delegate; at Sunday's caucus, Mayor Ronald and Junius Rochester trade barbs over the Lake Washington canal.Second Avenue, Seattle, WA
- Aug 31, 1892Balloted Until Dawn: How Seattle Democrats Finally Picked a County ChairmanA King County Democratic committee deadlocks past 3 a.m., reconvenes, and crowns John Collins after midnight — then the losers promise the fight is far from over.Seattle, WA
- Oct 16, 1892A Tame Night for the DemocratsA much-hyped torchlight parade for ex-Congressman Voorhees draws a smaller-than-expected crowd, signaling shifting political winds in 1892 Seattle.Armory, Seattle, WA
- Jan 18, 1893Democratic Party Feuds in the Young State of WashingtonGeorge Hazzard offers a biting critique of party politics, arguing that political leaders are 'rushing' the careers of young hopefuls and neglecting the party's true architects.Tacoma, WA
- Feb 20, 1893Seattle Rising: The Blocks Going Up Where the Fire BurnedDexter Horton & Co. reopens on the same corner it held before the great fire, as new brick blocks, houses and excavations push out across the young city.Seattle, WA
- Feb 28, 1893The 83-Ballot Deadlock: 'Either Allen or No One'In Olympia, John B. Allen’s Republican caucus held the line while Judge Humes and Levi Ankeny saw their candidacies frostbitten—and the ballots kept piling up.Olympia, WA
- Apr 13, 1893The Political Gamble of John CollinsA Seattle power broker triggers a local storm by secretly vying for a plum federal consulship in Japan.Seattle, WA
- May 1, 1893The Mayor's Uncertain FutureMayor J. T. Ronald faces a swirl of rumors as political factions battle over his potential resignation and the city's gambling policy.City Hall, Seattle, WA
- Aug 31, 1893The Price of Political PatronageA prominent Seattle Democrat finds his wallet on the line after his protégé, a municipal court clerk, vanishes with nearly a thousand dollars in public funds.Seattle, WA
- Sep 26, 1893The Collapse of a Real Estate EmpireAfter years of boom-time speculation, a prominent firm collapses under the weight of unpaid mortgages and political fallout.Yesler Avenue, Seattle, WA
- Nov 6, 1893Political Turf Wars in BallardA local newspaper changes its Ballard correspondent as two rival Democratic factions battle for neighborhood influence and party patronage.Ballard, Seattle, WA
- Jan 17, 1894The Machine That Wouldn't StartSeattle Democrats outmaneuver an attempt by party insiders to hijack a fake non-partisan movement for their own political gain.Seattle, WA
- Jan 20, 1894City Engineer Fired Amidst Political PressureA storm of public indignation follows the board of public works' decision to remove the city engineer at the behest of shadowy political 'wreckers.'Seattle, WA
- Jan 20, 1894Taxpayers Overcharged for Sewer BricksCity Committee member James F. McElroy claims the city is paying nearly double for sewer bricks compared to private market rates.Seattle, WA
- Feb 25, 1894The 'Bloody First' Ward Primary FraudA rowdy Seattle Democratic primary descends into chaos, ballot-stuffing, and mob rule as the John Collins-Considine faction fights to maintain control.220 Washington Street, Seattle, WA
- Mar 2, 1894Voters Reject Party BossesBoth the Colored Men's League and the German-American Club move to cut ties with the Democratic machine over insults and corruption.Seattle, WA
- Mar 5, 1894Seattle’s 1891 Election-Eve Alarm: ‘Watch Until the Vote Is Counted’On the eve of municipal elections, the Post-Intelligencer accuses the Democratic administration of protected gambling, a looted treasury and stacked election boards—and warns Republicans that the only danger left is the count.Seattle, WA
- Mar 5, 1894The Political 'Sucker' and the Price of a PintAfter insulting local German-Americans, a desperate campaigner tried to buy forgiveness with free beer at Turner Hall—and failed miserably.Seattle, WA
- Mar 6, 1894The High Stakes of the 1894 City ElectionAs Seattle prepares for a municipal election under the Australian ballot system, the city is gripped by political rallies, accusations of forgery, and debates over the future of infrastructure funding.Seattle, WA
- Mar 7, 1894The Republican Machine Sweeps SeattleByron Phelps wins the mayoral race in a landslide as the city undergoes a political shift.Seattle, WA
- Mar 7, 1894Seattle Voters Topple the 'Tammany' Machine in a Republican LandslideA sweeping 1894 municipal election repudiates a corrupt city government, a boss named John Collins, and a looted treasury — with Democrats joining the revolt.Seattle, WA
- Aug 10, 1894A Newspaper Editor's Silence in Court: The Lugrin Libel TrialC. H. Lugrin, managing editor of the Seattle Telegraph, rested his defense without calling witnesses in a libel trial brought by Police Chief Rogers. The case now goes to the jury.Seattle, WA
- Aug 12, 1894A Seattle Editor's Jail Sentence—and His Gallows JokeC. H. Lugrin of the Telegram got three months and a $500 fine for criminal libel against Police Chief Bolton Rogers. He appealed—and joked that the judge couldn't hang him.Seattle, WA
- Aug 20, 1894The Beer-Fueled Plot to Steal a Populist ClubSeattle's First Ward Populists packed a hall over John Considine's theater to stop Democrats from capturing their club—and the meeting turned into a brawl of speeches, resignations and accusations.Seattle, WA
- Aug 22, 1894Seattle Hires a Contractor to Keep South School From Sliding Into the StreetThe school board awards an emergency bulkhead job after nine bids and a bonding standoff, with work required before the autumn rains.Seattle, WA
- Aug 26, 1894One Customs Job, Two Promises, and a Party on the BrinkA federal patronage fight between John Collins and Hugh Wallace, layered atop a King County apportionment grab, had Republicans threatening an open row in Tacoma.Port Townsend, WA
- Sep 9, 1894The Dolly Varden Ticket: Seattle's 1894 Scheme to Stitch Together a Political FrankensteinDisgruntled Republicans and Democrats met in downtown Seattle to plan a hybrid 'taxpayers' ticket aimed at beating the regular Republican slate—if they could keep the seams from splitting.Seattle, WA
- Sep 17, 1894The Democrats Drum Up Candidates—and One Staged His Own Surprise PartySeattle Democrats organize ward clubs, weigh fusion with Populists and independents, and trade rumors over sheriff, treasurer and prosecutor—including a would-be senator who bought his own gold-headed cane.Seattle, WA
- Aug 23, 1899The Open Secret: Seattle's Booming Gambling DistrictWhile city authorities collected monthly fines, three major gambling houses operated in plain sight on the Seattle waterfront, catering to thousands of working men and sailors.Washington Street, Seattle, WA
- Jan 19, 1900The Political Pot Boils Over in SeattleAs the municipal election approaches, local factions scramble to assemble winning coalitions and candidates.Seattle, WA
- Nov 21, 1903A Missing Section 25: How a Clerk's Slip Could Cost the Collins Heirs $500,000Grandchildren of John Collins's first wife want a one-sixth share of the Seattle hotel property. The whole case turns on whether a territorial statute took effect on December 2, 1869 — or 42 days too late.Seattle Hotel, Seattle, WA
- Nov 27, 1903The Prisoner Who Promised to Come Back and Kill the SheriffCaught sawing their way out of the Colfax jail, three depot burglars were hauled to the penitentiary — one of them vowing to return for Sheriff Canut and his deputy before he would consent to hang.Colfax, WA
- Jan 22, 1909The Suitcase Man's ManiaA repeat offender known as the 'suitcase man' faces a stiff prison sentence for a compulsive habit of theft.Tacoma, WA