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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 8 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 6 |
21 stories
- The Forgotten Spokane Tribal Council of 1887
A federal commission's frustrated attempt to settle tribal land disputes in Spokane Falls leads to a reluctant agreement brokered by a Catholic missionary.
- The Sheriff vs. The Railroad
When the Northern Pacific Railroad refused to pay taxes in 1882, the local sheriff didn't just file a complaint—he seized their locomotives.
- Vigilante Arsonist Attacks Chinese Gardeners
A Spokane farmer’s livelihood was destroyed and his livestock slaughtered in a brutal, racially-motivated attack.
- A Widow's Justice: The High Cost of the Saloon
After a liquor-fueled murder left a young mother destitute, a Rockford jury issued a landmark verdict holding the saloon keeper financially responsible for the tragedy.
- The Lynching of Aldy Neal: A Mob’s Midnight Justice in Rockford
After escaping custody for horse theft and returning to his hometown under the guise of visiting his sister, a young man named Aldy Neal was intercepted by an armed mob north of Rockford and hanged from a tree limb.
- The Price of Silence: How Big Rail Controlled the Press
When the Northern Pacific Railroad forced a Spokane newspaper to drop its investigation into timber fraud, it exposed the industry's grip on the territory's news.
- Chief Moses and the Stolen Reservation
A Spokane Indian leader bypasses federal agents to protest a land grab in Washington Territory.
- Railroad Monopoly Tightens Grip on Lumber
A newly formed 'Improvement Company' linked to the Northern Pacific Railroad establishes a monopoly over regional lumber trade.
- The Depot Brawl: A Railway Scuffle Over Booze and Conduct
A barkeeper’s attempt to 'work' a drunken traveler off on a train descends into a violent, chaotic melee involving railroad men, heavy boots, and a crowd expecting a murder.
- Tragic Rifle Accident on the Little Spokane
A young man hoping to invest in the region is killed by his own firearm during a hunting outing.
- The great railway washout of 1883
Heavy spring snowmelt triggers dozens of washouts along the railway between Spokane and Ainsworth, leaving passengers stranded in the mud.
- The Mammoth Bones of the Spokane Prairie
An unusual discovery in Eastern Washington yields prehistoric treasures buried in a shallow strip of prairie.
- Tragedy on the Tracks in Spokane Falls
A laborer is found horribly mangled near the depot in what is presumed to be a tragic accident born of intoxication.
- Gold Rush Fever in Spokane
A skeptical visitor reports on the harsh realities and 'fizzled' prospects for miners in the Coeur d'Alene goldfields.
- The Hollow Stump Swindle
A Spokane farmer learns the hard way that promises of quick riches found in a forest stump usually lead to empty pockets.
- The Residency Trap: Spokane’s 1887 Council Election Scandal
A city charter dispute threatens to unseat a newly elected official over residency requirements following a major county seat move.
- The Lumber Monopoly’s Messy Breakup
A multi-million dollar lumber corporation face an attachment suit after failing to pay for timber contracts in Walla Walla.
- Branding Season in the North
A vivid, firsthand account of the dangerous and dust-filled work of a cattle drive and roundup in the Pacific Northwest.
- Charting the Future of the Columbia River
Lieutenant T.W. Symons releases a landmark report on making the Upper Columbia navigable for trade, mining, and agriculture.
- The Town That Grew on Nerve and Water Power
A visitor marvels at Spokane Falls in 1883, where brick blocks, a flouring mill and two colleges were rising on pure booster confidence.
- The Mystery of the Freezing Well
A farmer digging a well in Eastern Washington strikes a bizarre pocket of frozen earth that defies explanation.