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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 56 |
| 1884 | 25 |
| 1885 | 43 |
| 1886 | 26 |
| 1887 | 70 |
223 stories
- The Hotel Dispute That Stalled Pacific Avenue
A legal tug-of-war over a mortgage on the Mount Nichols Hotel forces a courtroom showdown.
- The Green Pool of Puyallup
A health-hazard stagnant pond in the center of town sparks a call for action.
- The Hotel del Monte of the Northwest
Tacoma Land Company plans a massive, luxury seaside hotel to rival California's best.
- The Unruly Puyallup River Threatens the Northern Pacific Bridge
Contractors scramble to hold the line as melting mountain snows turn the river into a destructive force against railway infrastructure.
- Pushing the Northern Pacific Through the Cascades
Contractors overcome swamp and tangled brush to advance the critical rail link between Puget Sound and the East.
- Four Men Spend the Night in a Boiling Crater: An 1883 Assault on Mount Rainier
A climbing party from Olympia reaches the summit of Mount Rainier and bivouacs inside the crater, where the ground itself is too hot to touch.
- The Failed Heist at Shaw’s Boarding House
An audacious attempt to rob a Tacoma mill worker's boarding house ends in a series of slapstick mishaps and a gunshot.
- Tacoma’s Railroad Thralldom
A neighboring city struggles under the shadow of the Northern Pacific Railroad's monopoly and the local 'aristocracy' that supports it.
- A Near-Fatal Robbery Attempt in Tacoma
Dr. F. C. Miller narrowly escapes a highwayman's bullet while riding near the slaughterhouse.
- A Distraught Mother’s Unfounded Claims
After previously accusing others of harboring her runaway daughters, a woman attempts to involve the Tacoma police in a new delusion.
- A $1,000 Lot Sells for $16,000 as Tacoma Booms
A bank building and lot on Pacific Avenue fetches a record price, a sign of the speculative frenzy sweeping the new city.
- The Great Tacoma Potato Fiasco
When a local farmer tried to break into the Tacoma market with a wagonload of produce, he found that the city’s much-vaunted commercial prosperity was, quite literally, not worth a hill of beans—or potatoes.
- Brutal Bare-Knuckle Prize Fight Ends in Foul
A local pugilist match on Pennsylvania Avenue ends in controversy after a fighter strikes his opponent while he is down.
- The Struggle Over Mount Rainier
A traveler in 1885 recounts a journey from Portland to Seattle, noting the locals' intense and 'desperate' campaign to rename the iconic peak dominating the Tacoma skyline.
- The Northern Pacific Railroad Plans Tacoma's Expansion
Railroad executives visit to strategize the massive redevelopment of Tacoma's waterfront and terminal infrastructure.
- The Maritime Runaways of Puget Sound
A survey of seafaring history where captains would 'elope' with their own ships to evade the law, including recent incidents in Tacoma.
- The Neighborhood Feud that Sparked a Arson Investigation
A bitter territorial dispute between two Tacoma neighbors reveals a pattern of property destruction, spite fences, and suspected arson, highlighting the volatile nature of frontier land conflicts.
- The Ghostly Tenants of the YMCA Hall
A religious schism in Tacoma leads to an unusual standoff when Spiritualists are locked out of their meeting place and the Y.M.C.A. finds its rooms at the center of local ecclesiastical drama.
- The 'Novelty' Harness That Changed Farm Life
A skeptical farmer encounters a bizarre, iron-framed invention that promises to revolutionize how horses work the land.
- Tacoma’s Growing Pains: A New City Government Takes Root
Freshly inaugurated in 1887, Mayor Tawse calls for unity as the growing city navigates a contentious municipal transition and plans a massive Fourth of July celebration.
- Tragedy on Tacoma Avenue
A construction accident on a prominent Tacoma building site leaves a labor organizer critically injured and near death.
- The Political Retirement of M. E. O'Connor
After years of fighting for the workingman, a Seattle figure walks away from political life to find peace in a new business venture.
- The Pioneer Silo Movement in Puyallup
A local farmer fights to modernize dairy production in the Puyallup Valley, navigating wet soil, crop selection, and the skepticism of neighboring dairymen.
- The Steamer Collision That Divided the Waterfront
After two rival steamers collided in the Tacoma harbor, an official inquiry revealed a comedy of errors and stubborn seamanship.
- The Audit Office Face-Off
A taxpayer stands her ground against a city commissioner over property tax hikes, leaving the local government bureaucrats stunned.