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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1903 | 19 |
| 1904 | 845 |
| 1907 | 7 |
| 1909 | 747 |
1,618 stories
- City Council Faces Backlash Over Civil Service Repeal
Tacoma’s city council attempts to dismantle the civil service system in favor of the old patronage 'spoils' system, sparking an immediate call for voter registration and reform.
- Nine Votes to Kill Civil Service—Tacoma's Council Tries to Gut the Charter
At a special meeting, nine councilmen back a plan to let the mayor fire city workers at will; reformists need to hold two more votes to stop it.
- The Struggle for a Tacoma Grand Jury
After years of bureaucratic stonewalling, a grand jury is finally set to probe corruption within Tacoma’s county government.
- The Legislative Hangover of the Anti-Saloon League
How the obsession with prohibition paralyzed the Tacoma legislature and derailed actual governance.
- Tacoma's Congressman Betrays the People in D.C.
Francis W. Cushman aligns with political bosses, voting against rules that would have allowed for greater congressional transparency and legislative accountability.
- The Battle to Protect Civil Service Reform
Tacoma’s City Council faces a showdown as political machines push to dismantle merit-based municipal hiring.
- The Iron Horse Makes Tacoma its Home
The Great Northern Railroad shifts its western terminus to Tacoma, promising a population boom and shifting the city's status in the eyes of national rail agents.
- City Council Blocks Charter Reform
Tacoma councilmen stall special election for new commission-style government to protect existing political machines.
- Tacoma Citizens Demand Commission Government
Frustrated by the city council's refusal to act, reformers begin a petition drive to force a charter revision election.
- Supreme Court Rules Against Interurban Line in Fatal Collision
A long-standing legal battle concludes as the court upholds an $18,000 judgment for a 1906 tragedy on the interurban line.
- City Hall Capitulates to Charter Reformers
Facing 1,600 petitioners, Tacoma city councilors vote to place commission government proposal on the ballot rather than face a forced election later.
- The Fight for Tacoma’s Charter
As the city council calls for a special election to rewrite the municipal charter, citizens are warned to watch for corporate interests looking to hijack the reform movement.
- Voters Reject Park Board’s $750,000 Tax Hike
Tacoma citizens shut down a massive bond proposal, citing a lack of transparency and fears of bureaucratic extravagance.
- The City’s Endless Debt Cycle
Tacoma’s casual approach to borrowing is mortgaging the future.
- The Power War on the White River
A citizen writes to the editor warning that corporate legal battles over water rights could stifle industrial growth for all of Tacoma.
- Tacoma's 1904 Election Pits Mayor Against Saloons
As the municipal election approaches, the city finds itself divided between Mayor Campbell’s 'clean' town and George P. Wright’s 'wide open' policy.
- Predatory Lending Against Tribal Land
Legal battle initiates to annul a property deed used as predatory collateral for a small cash loan.
- The Business of City Hall
Mayor-elect George P. Wright promises a new, business-minded administration for a debt-burdened Tacoma.
- Mange Outbreak Hits Spanaway
A dangerous animal disease threatens the local economy, as officials scramble to isolate horses and dogs to prevent further contagion.
- War Games Planned for American Lake
General Funston and the military have finalized plans for a 4,500-man summer encampment, featuring simulated hostilities between brigades near Steilacoom.
- Violence at the South Tacoma Shops
An Italian laborer is taken into custody following a brutal altercation involving a lead pipe at the Northern Pacific facility.
- The $1,000 Bribe for Slot Machine Protection
Owners of 100 slot machines propose a monthly payment to the city for the privilege of operating under police protection.
- Manacled to the Courthouse
Two murder suspects arrive in Judge Snell's court in shackles to face capital charges as the city watches.
- Lecture on the African American Experience
Dr. I. W. B. Bowen of Atlanta addresses the First Methodist Church regarding the progress and social challenges of the Black community.
- The Perilous 42-Day Voyage of the SS Shawmut
Passengers recount a chaotic journey from Manila to Tacoma, marked by boiler failures, mutinous crews, and the tragic deaths of three firemen.