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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 2 |
| 1876 | 6 |
| 1877 | 4 |
| 1880 | 3 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1885 | 3 |
| 1886 | 3 |
| 1887 | 3 |
| 1888 | 4 |
| 1889 | 16 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1892 | 9 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1894 | 10 |
| 1895 | 14 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1899 | 9 |
| 1904 | 2 |
| 1909 | 1 |
| 1924 | 3 |
114 stories matching util
- City Leaders Halt Expansion of Gas Utilities
Seattle aldermen unanimously reject new gas franchises, arguing the city has no immediate need for further utility expansion.
- The Gas Company vs. The Crossing
A minor civic dispute in 1882 reveals the early friction between private utility companies and public infrastructure maintenance in downtown Seattle.
- Seattle’s Water Gamble: A Public Utility Success Story
While critics argued over bond debt and construction costs in 1891, the city's new water system proved to be an instant and lucrative revenue stream for the young municipality.
- The Waterfront 'Dead Animal' Grift
Seattle's city health authorities discover a morbid, recurring scam involving dead horses and the tides.
- The City vs. The Tenant
A Seattle man is denied water service for his home because a previous tenant left an unpaid bill, forcing a debate on municipal utility policy.
- The Great Seattle Hillside Regrade
While city engineers work to tame the steep streets with plows and rollers, the rapid expansion of Seattle's geography remains a constant, labor-intensive battle against the elements.
- The Unscripted Tragedy at Yesler's Hall
A young child’s refusal to follow the script during a dramatic performance forces the lead actor to lower the curtain on the show.
- The End of the Chain Gang in Seattle
City officials move to retire the practice of using prisoners for manual street labor, shifting to rock-breaking in a bid to deter professional tramps.
- Harnessing Snoqualmie Falls for City Power
A bold proposal emerges to channel the power of Snoqualmie Falls to electrify Seattle's streetcars and lighting systems.
- City Council Denies Police Expansion Amidst Infrastructure Debates
Aldermen reject a bid for fifteen additional officers while debating the undergrounding of electric wires.
- The March on Washington
Seattle’s contingent of the Industrial Army prepares to depart for Washington D.C. by train, complete with yellow paper, drill squads, and a parade.
- The Shame of Seattle's City Jail
A grand jury investigation into Seattle’s penal system reveals a crumbling facility plagued by filth, corruption, and the disappearance of evidence.
- Sander Purchases Washington Electric Light Company
A major consolidation in Seattle's early utility market as entrepreneur Fred E. Sander acquires a key power plant with plans for city-wide expansion.
- Seattle Telegraph Operators Join National Strike
As Western Union operators walk out, the regional superintendent scrambles to keep local communication lines open.
- Yik Wah Battles the City for Water Credits
A resident confronts the Board of Public Works over unpaid water bills and lost receipts, illustrating the chaotic administration of city utilities.
- An Eastern Critique of Seattle’s ‘Young Men’s Party’
A skeptical observer from Brooklyn weighs in on the age-based political movements shaping Washington Territory.
- The Mysterious Poisoning at the Fountain
A peculiar outbreak of illness in Seattle leaves townspeople baffled after drinking from a public water source.
- City Hall Launches New Employment Office
Seattle's municipal government establishes a central bureau to help citizens find work, signaling a shift toward centralized city aid.
- The Battle Over Public Power in Seattle
A new citizens' association forms to oppose Initiative 52, arguing that municipal expansion into private power markets threatens the tax base.
- Turning Slaughterhouse Waste Into Gold
A new industrial plant on the Grant Street bridge aims to convert city scraps into exportable fertilizer for the Hawaiian market.
- The Great Seattle Railroad Blockade
A federal court issues a stinging injunction to halt the construction of rival railroad lines in Washington Territory, sparking a corporate war between the Union Pacific and local interests.
- The Secretary of the Navy Visits a Growing Seattle
Secretary H.A. Herbert tours the future site of the Lake Washington ship canal and examines the burgeoning Port Orchard naval facility.
- The Populist Revolt in King County
King County Populists hold a fiery convention, demanding an end to the poll tax, attacking 'Pinkertonian' strikebreakers, and debating the merits of local newspapers.
- The Struggle to Keep the Lights On
A local electric utility faces receivership as debt and equipment failures threaten to leave the city's businesses in the dark.
- 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.