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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1899 | 370 |
370 stories
- Serial Arson at the Western Mill
A night watchman thwarts an attempt to burn down a Lake Union mill, marking the third suspicious fire in a single week.
- The Industrial Grasp on Public Space
A Seattle business owner petitions to close a city block to make room for his growing lumber factory, sparking a debate on private gain versus public infrastructure.
- The Seattle Shakedown: A Klondiker’s Lost Fortune
Fresh from the gold fields, a miner’s life savings vanish in an instant at a local hotel, exposing a web of downtown con men.
- The Great Dockside Stampede
A pair of range steers escaped their handlers at a Seattle wharf, terrorizing workers and prompting a desperate, armed chase through the northern city streets.
- The Justice vs. The Saloons
When the County Prosecutor refused to enforce Sunday closing laws, a Seattle Justice of the Peace stepped in to seize the gavel and threaten mass arrests.
- The Great Log Jam: A Man Survives a Frozen River Nightmare
W.H. McKern of Boston arrives in Seattle after a harrowing journey through ice-choked waters and frozen rail lines, offering a rare glimpse into the brutal winter conditions gripping the Pacific Northwest.
- The Great Northern Snow Plow: President Hill’s Battle with the Cascades
While Seattle slept, railroad magnate James J. Hill fought a war against the elements, his train delayed by drifts and snowplows in a dramatic struggle that highlights the fragility of early 20th-century transit.
- The Black Cat Hoodoo: How a Rodent and a Number Stopped Seattle’s Streetcars
When a black cat crossed the tracks and a streetcar number matched a fatal prophecy, Seattleites stopped riding—not because of safety, but because of superstition.
- The Gold Rush Tycoon Who Pledged to 'Wear a Silk Hat' in Seattle
Jack Dalton, the legendary Yukon frontiersman and claim-jumper, buys land on Queen Anne Hill with plans to build a mansion and move his family from Alaska.
- The Naked Man of Pike Street
A teamster is arrested for habitual public nudity, sparking neighborly outrage and a demand for municipal court action in the heart of Seattle.
- The University’s $230,000 Gamble: New Dorms Rise Where the Race Track Once Roared
As Seattle prepares for its first university opening in the fall, Regents approve plans for massive brick dormitories on the edge of town, signaling a shift from frontier outpost to academic hub.
- The Tailor Who Vanished: Creditors Left Holding the Bag
H.L. Stanley’s shop has gone dark, leaving behind unpaid bills and bounced checks in a city already wary of financial instability.
- The Burglars Who Rang the Doorbell
In a brazen early morning attempt to rob W. I. Thompson’s Broadway residence, thieves cut telephone wires and rang the front door bell—only to be foiled by Mrs. Thompson’s sharp eyes.
- The Ghost Ship of Schwabacher Dock
A schooner that spent months idling in Seattle’s waterfront suddenly departed on a mysterious voyage, leaving local shipping men baffled and its owner tight-lipped about its destination.
- The City That Couldn't Float: Steamship 'Seattle' Breaks Down on Its Maiden Voyage
A mechanical failure leaves the vessel adrift in the Pacific, forcing a British tug to tow it home while passengers and crew endure a humiliating delay.
- The Porcupine Rush: How an Indian Map Led Seattle Men to Gold
A group of home seekers departed Seattle for the Yukon, armed with a hand-drawn map provided by an Indigenous guide who claimed the region was rich in gold.
- The Uncharted Drift of the Little Lorenson
A schooner, untethered by high winds, nearly wreaks havoc in the Seattle harbor after snapping its lines near the waterfront.
- The University’s War Debt: Professors Demand a Hero’s Welcome for Seattle’s Own
As the First Washington Volunteers prepare to return from the Philippines, faculty and civic leaders unite to plan a massive reception, highlighting the deep ties between the university and the regiment.
- The Salvation Army’s Yellow Band Warning: A Seattle Scam Exposed
Adjutant Nelson of the regular Salvation Army steps into The Seattle Star to warn citizens that 'God's Regular Army' is a fraudulent group soliciting donations under false pretenses.
- The Feathered Truce: How Seattle High School Girls Promised to Save Birds
In a rare moment of progressive activism in 1900, students at Livingston Avenue High School pledged to stop decorating their hats with the plumage of songbirds, responding to a plea from a local ornithology advocate.
- The Day the City Council Abandoned Seattle for Cedar Lake
In a bizarre twist of municipal governance, Mayor Curry, Comptroller Parry, and Engineer Thompson fled downtown to inspect water pollution at Frankson’s Cedar Lake, leaving the city’s daily operations in limbo.
- The Revenue Agent’s Cigar Seizure
Federal agents seize counterfeit cigars in downtown Seattle, forcing shop owners to pay a 'compromise' tax to keep their stock.
- The Queen Anne Streetcar Expansion
A new proposal for an electric street railway promises to connect Queen Anne Hill to the army post and Woodland Park, fueling local transit ambitions.
- The $100,000 Flip: How a Seattle Speculator Made a Fortune on the Corner of Pike and Pioneer
While the city debates housing affordability, a quiet real estate deal reveals how early developers turned modest lots into massive wealth in just one year.
- The Night Watchman’s Leap: A Seattle Police Officer’s Brutal Fall
William Wyatt, the city's night watchman at the Union Station mail depot, suffered broken ribs and internal injuries after falling from a moving train while chasing a thief.