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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 101 |
| 1883 | 537 |
| 1884 | 336 |
| 1885 | 624 |
| 1886 | 395 |
| 1887 | 350 |
2,343 stories
- A Bloody Brawl on Commercial Street
A long-standing feud between a bartender and a steamer water tender erupts in public, leaving both men facing legal trouble.
- The Inside Story of Seattle's Rail Woes
John 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.
- Hotel Showdown at the Brunswick
A local hop farmer and a married woman are caught in a tense, armed confrontation in a hotel room.
- The Dream of a Seattle Ship Canal
Proposals to link Lake Washington, Lake Union, and the Puget Sound via canals promised to unlock vast timber and coal riches, but the path forward remains a tangled mess of congressional bills and engineering hurdles.
- The Railroad Stakes a Claim on the Tide Lands
The Columbia and Puget Sound Railroad issues a public warning regarding ownership of Seattle's tide lands.
- Primary Election Fraud Alleged in King County
Citizens of the People's Party accuse local political rings of rigging ward primaries through intimidation and mass-importing voters.
- Surveyors Map a Path for the Lake Washington Ship Canal
A mysterious but well-funded crew begins the long, arduous work of designing a canal to connect the Sound to Lake Washington.
- The Women’s Crusade Meets in Seattle
Temperance activists and leaders, including Miss Willard, gather to discuss the path toward prohibition in Washington Territory.
- The Street Preacher's Final Sermon
A 'monomaniac' street preacher who habitually harassed passersby is apprehended by police and committed to the territorial asylum.
- Gambling in the 'Chicago Dollar Store'
A call for city officials to shutter a fraudulent lottery operating in a Yesler building.
- Terrorized by Construction Crews
A settler near the Cedar River reports harassment and danger from railroad workers blasting through the woods.
- The Mysterious Disappearance of A. I. Cecil
A local wood-cutter vanishes into the dark waters of Puget Sound, leaving only a missing boat and unanswered questions.
- The Scandal at the Post Office News Stand
A Seattle news stand proprietor faces criminal charges after being observed with a young girl, sparking community debate over intent and reputation.
- Calls for Women's Vigilance Against Domestic Violence
A reader writes into the paper suggesting that if the courts won't protect wives from abusive husbands, women should organize their own vigilante groups.
- The Great Seattle Sawmill Fire
A spark from a passing train ignites a massive blaze in the Seattle lumber district, consuming millions of feet of lumber and threatening to incinerate the city's waterfront.
- The City’s Blueprint: Codifying Seattle’s 1886 Charter
A comprehensive look at the new municipal laws defining everything from fire prevention to drainage, setting the legal foundation for a growing city.
- The Political Campaign Against Chinese Labor in 1886
A local representative’s fiery defense of anti-Chinese exclusionary policies, detailing the economic anxieties that gripped Seattle workers during the late 19th century.
- The Case of the Missing Jury
A landmark Washington Territory court ruling challenges the legal status of women as jurors, debating whether 'civil disability' laws were ever intended to grant women the right to serve.
- The Railroad That Would Make Seattle
A Northern Pacific agent promises the through line from the East will reach Seattle by September 1, bringing freight, passengers, and a flood of settlers to Puget Sound.
- A Gilded Vision of the Northwest Frontier
Celebrating the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad, a booster-style manifesto maps out a future for Washington’s 'infant cities.'
- Seattle Welcomes the Iron Road
The completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad sparks a massive civic celebration, promising to end Seattle’s era of isolation.
- Is Puget Sound an Inland Sea?
A landmark federal court ruling determines that Puget Sound is open sea, preventing shipowners from claiming 'inland' liability protections.
- The Path to Statehood: Washington's Bid for the Union
Senator Dolph introduces a sweeping bill to carve a new state from the Territory, setting boundaries from the Pacific to the Bitterroot Range.
- Northern Pacific Railroad Broke Its Puget Sound Promise
A scathing editorial demanding the government reclaim millions of acres from a railroad company that has spent two decades making excuses for not building a track to Puget Sound.
- The Fight for Public Land
Seattle activists organize to challenge the Northern Pacific Railroad's control over vast swaths of Washington Territory.