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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 41 |
| 1891 | 42 |
| 1892 | 32 |
| 1893 | 108 |
| 1894 | 18 |
| 1895 | 112 |
359 stories
- Tragedy on the Skookum Chuck
A mother and her young daughter drown while attempting to cross a river on a log boom during a berry-picking trip.
- A Drowning at Skookumchuck
A tragic river crossing in Bucoda claims the lives of a mother and daughter.
- A Steamer Sinks in Olympia Harbor
High tides, thick fog, and unmarked obstructions lead to the disaster of the steamer Multnomah.
- The Cascades of Disparity
Federal engineers reveal that Washington state's infrastructure projects receive only a fraction of the funding allocated to Oregon.
- Olympia Cut Salaries and School Terms to Survive the Panic of 1893
Facing depression, Washington’s capital city slashed official pay, shortened the school year to six months, and bet on harbor work and a new capitol to pull itself out.
- The Battle Over Local Option
Legislators in Olympia delay a high-stakes vote on local liquor control as members head out to visit state institutions.
- The Great Dairy Board Debate
A local dairyman challenges the state legislature's plan to create a costly, bureaucratic board to regulate dairy products, arguing for efficiency and direct accountability.
- The Judge Who Kept His Robes
A House committee found Spokane's Judge Jesse Arthur 'grossly improper' for the bench. The legislature then voted 21 to 47 to drop the whole matter.
- The Senate Decapitates the Guard
A move to single out Adjutant General O'Brien backfires in Olympia, wiping out every commissioned officer in Washington's National Guard.
- The Legislative Power Struggle in Olympia
Republicans scramble to organize the House as a looming senatorial battle threatens to stall state business.
- The Political Fight Over Federal Jobs
A brewing rebellion among Democratic legislators in Olympia threatens the leadership of Col. Griggs over the spoils of federal patronage.
- The Failed Elopement of the Postmaster’s Daughter
A small-town romantic drama in Bucoda ends with an attempted escape, a Winchester rifle, and a boxcar departure to California.
- The Oyster Bed Loophole
A Supreme Court ruling on tide lands inadvertently threatens the state's control over valuable oyster beds.
- The $3,000 Offer to Salt a Washington Land Claim
An Olympia land-office hearing turns on a state witness’s account of a bribe to fake a mineral discovery—and an expert’s verdict that the ground was worthless.
- Olympia Turns Off the Streetlights to Save $500 a Month
Facing a budget squeeze, Olympia’s city council voted to darken the streets and save $500 a month. Public-spirited citizens organized a private subscription to keep the lights burning rather than let the city go totally dark.
- McGraw to Olympia: Cut Spending, Fix the Courts
With Washington $1.5 million in debt and revenues falling, the governor calls for retrenchment and warns that court costs shut the poor out of justice.
- Lawmakers Faced a $350,000 Deficit—and Made Officials Pay Personally
A bill by Senator Ide passed both houses making state managers personally liable for spending beyond appropriations, with a misdemeanor charge for creating a deficit.
- The Legislature’s Endgame: Normal Schools Funded, a Central Board Killed
With ten days left, Washington lawmakers passed money for Cheney and Whatcom normal schools, killed a plan to consolidate state institutions, and left Cascade railroad routes in doubt.
- The University Would Pay Its Bills by Bonding Seattle Land
A bill to bond ten acres in Seattle and more than 1,000 acres in Western Washington advances, using the old land grant to pay for university improvements.
- A Judge Too Reversed: Senate Blocks Allyn's Regent Seat
The state Senate refuses to confirm Judge Frank Allyn of Tacoma as university regent, citing incompetence, extravagance and a remarkable reversal record.
- Puyallup's Bid to Steal the State Capitol From Olympia
A Pierce County representative introduced a bill to repeal the $500,000 capitol-building appropriation and cancel the Olympia basement contract—reportedly to keep Puyallup's own hopes alive.
- The Elective Franchise Bill Fails—With Indians Explicitly Barred
A proposed constitutional amendment in Olympia would have fixed voting rules for male citizens while writing 'Indians not taxed' out of the franchise; it died on the floor.
- The Governor Vetoes Debt Relief, and the Paper Cheers
A bill meant to soften deficiency judgments after foreclosure is killed — on the theory that frightened capital would simply stop lending, hurting the very debtors it was meant to save.
- Who Pays When the City's Warrants Go Bad?
A judge says Olympia cannot be forced to cover special improvement warrants with general taxes, leaving the loss to fall on the people holding the paper.
- A Power Grab in Olympia: Electric Companies Win the Right to Condemn Land
A bill allowing electric power companies to seize private property for transmission lines squeaked through the Washington House on a reconsideration vote in 1895.