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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 101 |
| 1883 | 537 |
| 1884 | 336 |
| 1885 | 624 |
| 1886 | 395 |
| 1887 | 350 |
2,343 stories
- Proving the Snoqualmie Pass
After successful winter cattle drives, boosters argue that the Snoqualmie route is the best mountain pass for a future transcontinental railroad.
- The Drive for a Snoqualmie Wagon Road
A Yakima cattleman campaigns to bridge the Cascades, aiming to turn Seattle into the primary market for Eastern Washington farmers.
- The Rivalry of the Sound: Seattle vs. Tacoma
A critical report from a German newspaper highlights the starkly different development paths of the two boomtowns.
- The Rogue of Seattle
A serial con artist who targeted the generous, leaving friends to pay his debts.
- The Price of Public Care
King County officials weigh competing bids for the medical and basic care of the county's poor in 1883.
- The Dream of a Mountain Railroad
Proponents argue that a narrow-gage line over the Cascades would spark an economic boom for Seattle and the Yakima Valley.
- The Disappearance of L. L. Clifford
A member of the A.O.D.W. has vanished after traveling to Portland on lodge business, leaving his wife in a state of distress.
- Tragedy at the Seattle Penitentiary
A desperate escape attempt by three prisoners at the Seattle jail ends in a bloody shootout, leaving one dead and others wounded.
- The Struggle for a Mountain Wagon Road
A persistent local pioneer lobbies for a Snoqualmie Pass road to connect Eastern Washington farmers to Puget Sound ports.
- The Battle for Moltke Street
A legal dispute over a public right-of-way reveals early tensions between private property development and public access to Lake Union.
- The Future of Seattle
Prominent local businessman John Leary returns from New York with word that the city is set to become the terminal of two major railroads.
- A Deadly Fight with a Wolf on the Road to Camp
Two men without weapons were forced to battle a belligerent wolf using only an ax and their own strength during a harrowing journey through the snow.
- The Seattle Building Boom
A survey of the rapid industrial expansion, from the doubling of the steamboat fleet to the explosion of sawmills and the soaring price of local real estate.
- The High Cost of Isolation
A local editor argues that the lack of direct transport routes creates an artificial tax on basic goods like beef, coal, and timber.
- A Boy Lost to the Mill Stream
A tragic accident at the dam leaves a family and a community in mourning.
- The Steamship San Pedro’s Wharf-Crushing Accident
A steamship failed to stop at its Seattle wharf, plowing into the structure and causing thousands of dollars in damage.
- Henry Villard’s Hotel Test: Seattle Wins the Coast’s Comfort Race
A railroad magnate’s refusal to overnight in Portland’s bad hotels becomes a Seattle booster’s proof that first-class accommodations were a competitive weapon.
- Undertaker and Brewer Clash Over Maiden's Affection
A romantic rivalry in a Seattle-area suburb descends into a bloody duel with swords.
- The Race to Build the Cedar River Railroad
Seattle property owners are urged to close a $14,000 funding gap to finish a critical standard-gauge rail line.
- The 'Big Little Job' of Connecting the Sound
How engineer Nonneman tackled the treacherous swamps and trestle-heavy terrain of the new rail line.
- A Reunited Family After Decades of Gold Rush Separation
A husband who left for the California gold fields in 1849 finally reunites with his wife and family in Seattle.
- The Struggle to Count Seattle
Boosterism and bureaucracy collide as city leaders argue that the recent census failed to capture Seattle’s true, booming population.
- Mining Accident Leads to Fatal Infection
A young miner's tragic end in Newcastle highlights the dangers of the industry and the limitations of 1883 medical care.
- The Cosmopolitan Hotel's Escaped Bear
A bear cub makes a frantic dash through the streets of Seattle, smashing mirrors and leading his pursuers on a wild chase.
- The Struggle for the Snoqualmie Pass
A new wagon road connecting Seattle to Eastern Washington promises to redirect trade currently flowing to Portland.