Research the archive
Narrow 27,002 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine2 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1903 | 19 |
| 1904 | 845 |
| 1907 | 7 |
| 1909 | 747 |
1,618 stories
- City Council Targets Saloon Seclusion
Tacoma legislators pass a resolution forcing saloons to remove partitions and high-backed booths to ensure public view.
- Protecting Young Women at the Train Depots
Fearing a repeat of the 'world's fair' disappearances, the YWCA seeks city funding for station matrons.
- Vast Coal Seams Found Beneath South Tacoma
Drilling for water reveals a significant, potentially commercial coal deposit within city limits.
- Tacoma Takes a Win in the War of the Rails
Tacoma boosters celebrate a victory as the Great Northern Railroad prepares to move its commissary operations from Seattle to Tacoma.
- The Horse Medicine Vendetta
A tense dispute at an American Lake campsite results in a warrant after a man allegedly smears horse medicine over his neighbor's bedclothes.
- Tacoma Heads to the Polls for Infrastructure Bonds
Voters face a dual decision on funding for new bridges, sewers, and a grand boulevard along the city bluff.
- The Truant Officer's Fine
A father in Old Town is jailed over school attendance, highlighting the strict new enforcement of compulsory education laws.
- The City Park Fight: Neighborhoods Clash Over $750,000 Bond Issue
Tacoma's civic groups remain divided as the Round Table Club backs park funding, while the West End Improvement Club resists without a guarantee of local green space.
- The Trail Saloon Shut Down by City Council
In an attempt to standardize local nightlife, the Tacoma City Council has refused to renew the license for a downtown saloon.
- The Great Tacoma Brick Famine
A supply chain crisis at a Renton monopoly grinds Tacoma’s infrastructure projects to a halt.
- Railroad Fight Stalls Property Condemnation
Federal court continues land cases as Northern Pacific faces challenges over proposed track placement near Chambers Creek.
- Is Tacoma Facing a Milk Famine?
Dairy farmers are shuttering their businesses across the city, citing the soaring cost of feed and livestock as the root of a brewing crisis.
- A Waterfront Tug of War
Tacoma’s city council demands a $100,000 fireboat to protect the harbor, sparking a heated debate over whether the Northern Pacific Railway should foot the bill.
- Fire Department Botches North End Blaze
A carpenter shop burns to the ground as equipment fails and engines fail to build pressure.
- The Kaiser’s Radical Solution for Mine Safety
A Tacoma newspaper looks to Germany to argue that recognizing labor unions makes mines safer and more efficient for everyone.
- A Sidewalk Built on Broken Promises
A Tacoma resident claims the city has repeatedly ignored his warnings that a crumbling, elevated sidewalk poses a severe threat to local children.
- City Council Plays Hardball with Rail Magnate
Tacoma officials force James J. Hill to build depots in exchange for a multi-million dollar franchise.
- Who Should Pay for the Fireboat?
The Tacoma City Council debates whether taxpayers should fund fire protection for industrial waterfront property that pays no local taxes.
- The War on the Free Lunch
A Tacoma councilman moves to abolish the staple of the working-class saloon, calling it a magnet for vagrancy.
- The Shadowy Cartel Squeezing Tacoma's Grocers
A former independent grocer testifies before a grand jury, exposing how industry boycotts forced small business owners into insolvency.
- The D Street Market Under Fire
Tacoma city officials face criticism for allegedly targeting a popular public market to appease a 'grocery trust.'
- City Council Clashes Over Polluted Water Reports
A health officer's report alleging city water contamination sparks a heated confrontation with a city commissioner.
- Full-Time Work Returns to Northern Pacific Shops
South Tacoma railway workers see their hours increased as business picks up at the regional repair facility.
- Tacoma’s Growing Pains: A City Parched
Citizens demand answers as reservoir delays and equipment failures leave South End neighborhoods with dwindling water pressure.
- The City Takes a Stand on Waterfront Access
Tacoma’s council committee blocks the vacation of public street ends to preserve waterfront access for the public.