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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 101 |
| 1883 | 537 |
| 1884 | 336 |
| 1885 | 624 |
| 1886 | 395 |
| 1887 | 350 |
2,343 stories
- Violent Saloon Dispute Leaves Man Wounded
A gambling argument at a Newcastle saloon ended in gunfire, highlighting the lack of law enforcement presence in the mining town.
- Fire, Graft, and Feuding at City Hall
A City Council meeting descends into chaos as member F.W. Wusthoff is grilled for accusing the Mayor of corruption.
- A Refuge for the City's Most Vulnerable
A modest home on Spring Street provides critical care for children whose parents have died or are unable to support them.
- A Mysterious Political Club Leaves Voters Guessing
A newly formed Young Men's Club keeps its platform hidden, sparking fears of a political power grab.
- Seattle Fires Back at 'Rough Town' Slander After a Sandbag Robbery
A Vancouver paper reported a traveler was sandbagged in Seattle and sneered at the city's vigilance committee. Seattle's editor says the whole thing is false.
- An 1854 Storehouse, a Saloon, and a Building on Wheels: Seattle’s Old Blocks Give Way
As Schwabacher Bros. cleared Mill Street for a new brick block, an 1854 storehouse with a saloon past was torn down and another old building was rolled toward the waterfront.
- A Twelve-Ton Locomotive Rolled Down the Street to the Water
Seattle's Washington Iron Works spent months building a geared logging engine. When it was finished it drove itself through town on temporary track to the foot of Washington Street, to be lashed to a scow and floated north to the woods.
- The City Charter of 1886
A legislative blueprint defining the duties of Seattle's mayor, council, and police as the growing territory formalizes its municipal rule.
- Washington Territory's 1886 Statehood Bill
Delegate Voorhees presents the case for Washington Territory's admission into the Union, emphasizing the constitutional safeguards proposed in his latest bill.
- The Boy Who Vanished: Seattle’s Great Search for Little Harry
A two-year-old toddler slipped out of his mother's sight on Commercial Street, sparking a frantic manhunt that drew hundreds of neighbors to the sidewalks.
- An Optimist's View of 1882 Seattle
A visitor from Oregon writes home with a bold prediction: in twenty years, Seattle will be the metropolis of the North.
- The Pastor Who Couldn't Find a Sermon
In a rare moment of self-awareness, a Seattle clergyman confesses to his deacon that the city's news cycle is so dry he can't even find material for Sunday's sermon.
- The Sad End of Seattle's National Symbol
An American eagle, formerly an ornamental storefront display, escaped into the streets of Seattle, only to meet a tragic fate at the hands of those who couldn't handle its fierce independence.
- The 'Pistol-Packin' Girl' of Seattle's Waterfront
A rowdy encounter on the Seattle waterfront leaves a man stunned after a local girl pulls a pistol on him—and fires.
- An Ambassador for the Northwest: Judge Lewis Returns from the East
A Seattle judge’s 1885 journey reveals a Pacific Northwest eager to prove itself to the skeptical East, complete with butter-churning Quakers and coal-scam lawsuits.
- Mining, Military Drills, and a Skunk's Demise in Black Diamond
An 1885 dispatch from the Black Diamond coal fields details civic improvements, the formation of a local militia company, and a comical, if ill-fated, experiment involving a captive skunk.
- The Hop Pickers' Labor Pipeline
Business leaders in 1885 Seattle formalize the recruitment of Chinese labor to fuel Washington's booming hop harvest.
- The High-Fence Strategy Against 'Vagabonds'
In an attempt to deter 'traveling vagabonds' from loitering in Seattle's waterfront district, the city's rail companies have erected a 16-foot-high barricade.
- City Council Denies Chinese Community's Request for Firecrackers
During a meeting regarding city licenses and infrastructure, the Seattle City Council rejects a petition from local Chinese firms to celebrate their new year with traditional fireworks.
- A 'Mantraps' Warning: Building Collapses on South Third
A recently renovated shop collapses into kindling just minutes after workers vacate the premises.
- Spontaneous Combustion Narrowly Misses Seattle Disaster
A late-night fire at a dry goods store was quelled just in time, highlighting the hidden dangers of combustible materials in the wooden city.
- Seattle’s First Chinese-Owned Cigar Factory
Wa Chong Co. launches a manufacturing venture on Third Street, aiming to keep local profits within the community.
- Seattle's Public Ball Grounds Ruined by Grading
Young athletes find their field, cleared and maintained at their own expense, rendered useless by city infrastructure work.
- Seattle's Local Musicians Sidelined for Outside Talent
The Seattle Cornet Band expresses public indignation after being passed over for a local celebration contract in favor of an expensive imported band.
- A Case of Mistaken Identity or Cold-Blooded Theft?
A Chinese merchant is jailed after being accused of robbing a countryman, but claims he is the victim of a vindictive setup.