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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 56 |
| 1884 | 25 |
| 1885 | 43 |
| 1886 | 26 |
| 1887 | 70 |
223 stories
- The Mailroom Kerfuffle in New Tacoma
A secret telegram, a local feud, and a postmaster who chose 'higher law' over departmental secrecy.
- The Blast at the Water Pipe
A reckless explosion near a city water main in Tacoma threatened the reservoir supply, forcing a frantic overnight repair.
- A Tangle Over Tacoma Land
A legal dispute emerges in the southern part of Tacoma over the alleged 'unlawful' development and obstruction of property.
- The Passing of a Frontier Lawyer
The community mourns the death of Frank Clark, a prominent pioneer lawyer and former legislator, whose legal career helped shape the early days of Pierce County.
- Disaster Strikes the Tacoma Mill
A major industrial fire destroys the machine shop at the Tacoma mill, resulting in $26,000 in damages.
- Deep Harbor, Shallow Anchors
A legal battle breaks out between two ships after a collision in Tacoma harbor reveals the dangers of local seafaring infrastructure.
- The Battle Over the Cascades Rail Route
Local critique of the Northern Pacific Railroad’s route selection, favoring the Tacoma Land Company's influence over the practical needs of the territory.
- Railroad Rates Forced Down
Tacoma citizens win a victory against high railroad excursion rates ahead of the Fourth of July celebration.
- The Thief Who Tried to Sell Stolen Goods Back to the Chief
A brazen Tacoma burglar was caught red-handed when he attempted to sell his illicit haul directly to the city’s Chief of Police.
- The Y.M.C.A. Takes Root in Tacoma
Civic leaders form a new Association to organize literary and social work, echoing the rapid growth of the region.
- A Female Clergyman Performs a Marriage
A rare historical wedding ceremony in Puyallup is conducted by a woman, the Rev. Mrs. Jones.
- The tugboat captain who challenged a federal marshal
When the captain of the tug Tacoma ignored a U.S. marshal's order to stop a libeled ship, the law caught up with him at the McNeil Island penitentiary.
- Crackdown on Illegal Liquor Sales in Puyallup
Deputy U.S. Marshals arrest two men caught selling whiskey to Indigenous workers during the harvest season.
- The Great Chicken Crackdown of Tacoma
A local crime spree left Tacoma poultry-less until an arrest at a YMCA service broke the case.
- A Night to Remember in Old Steilacoom
A dusty invitation to a long-forgotten ball reveals the social life of Washington Territory 25 years prior, documenting the vanishings of a frontier community.
- New Life for the Halstead Hotel
A longtime coal miner purchases a familiar local establishment at a public auction.
- The Unlucky Runaways of Tacoma
Two young men who walked from Kalama to Tacoma seeking work instead find themselves behind bars after a clumsy theft from a local wood hauler.
- The Commuter Who Missed His Boat
A classic Tacoma wharf blunder ends with a man watching his ride to Seattle sail away without him.
- Suspended Sentence for Liquor Sales
A local woman avoids prison for selling alcohol to Indians on the condition of future 'right behavior.'
- Puyallup Team Beats Tacoma
A Fourth of July baseball game sees a resounding victory for the Puyallup team over their white opponents.
- A Warm Welcome in Tacoma for the GAR
Seattle veterans set sail for Tacoma to greet the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic as he tours the Pacific Coast.
- A New Generation Honors the Civil War
The first Pacific Coast lodge of the Sons of Veterans is instituted in Tacoma, marking a shift in how the memory of the 'War of the Rebellion' is passed down.
- The Industrial Bounty of 1884
A wide-ranging survey of Pierce County’s coal mines, timber mills, and the early aspirations of a burgeoning Seattle and Tacoma.