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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 53 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 6 |
| 1860 | 12 |
| 1861 | 60 |
| 1862 | 65 |
| 1863 | 44 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 14 |
| 1876 | 10 |
| 1877 | 12 |
| 1878 | 8 |
| 1879 | 4 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 4 |
| 1883 | 39 |
| 1884 | 12 |
| 1885 | 19 |
| 1886 | 11 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 58 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1891 | 218 |
| 1892 | 194 |
| 1893 | 111 |
| 1894 | 19 |
| 1895 | 112 |
| 1897 | 2 |
| 1899 | 1 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 24 |
| 1904 | 6 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 95 |
| 1910 | 7 |
| 1911 | 11 |
| 1912 | 4 |
| 1914 | 11 |
| 1915 | 8 |
| 1916 | 11 |
| 1917 | 3 |
| 1919 | 1 |
| 1922 | 1 |
| 1923 | 13 |
| 1924 | 4 |
| 1925 | 10 |
1,327 stories
- The San Juan Island Forgery: A Soldier’s Scam and a Territorial Cover-Up
In the tense weeks of the Pig War standoff, a U.S. Army sergeant allegedly forged paymaster certificates to steal $1,604 from a local man in Olympia, sparking a legal battle that exposed corruption within the military ranks.
- Olympia’s Blackest Day: A City on the Brink of Ruin
A recent fire in the state capital exposes the desperate need for modern water works and steam engines, as Olympia’s leadership warns that 'any morning may see the balance of the city in ruins.'
- The Contract Prison of the Skookum Chuck
A look inside the privatized territorial penitentiary of 1879, where convict labor was auctioned off to pay for a sheriff's enterprise.
- The Great Olympia Real Estate Boom: 'Only a Question of Time'
As the capital city experiences a frenzy of property sales and predicts its future as a metropolis powered by Turnwater Falls, locals debate whether the boom is sustainable or just hype.
- The People vs. The Senators: Washington’s Bold Demand for Direct Democracy
In a rare moment of unity, the state legislature sends a powerful message to Congress: stop letting politicians pick your senators. It’s time for the people to vote.
- The Shortage Scandal: County Officials Missing Funds
A wave of missing funds across Washington Territory has exposed several deputies and treasurers as they slip away, leaving empty accounts in their wake.
- An Insurance Scandal on the Seattle Waterfront
After his steamer burned to the waterline, a captain takes to the newspapers to publicly shame the insurance companies refusing to pay his claim.
- The Steam-Heated Ice Caves of Mount Rainier
A mountaineering party discovers the natural comfort of volcanic heat at 14,000 feet, sleeping in ice chambers kept warm by the mountain's own breath.
- The Clambake at Olympia: A Congressman’s Final Days
Journalist Charles Prosch recalls the Pacific Northwest visit of Representative James Brooks, whose brilliant career ended in a disgrace that haunts political history.
- The Political Battle for Washington’s Future
As Republicans rally in Olympia, party leaders McGraw and Winston defend their state financial management and launch sharp attacks against the rising Populist movement.
- Fifteen Ballots and a Dark Horse
A deadlocked Washington House turns to Whitman County's J. Arrasmith after Democrats and reform Republicans break the 1893 speakership fight.
- The Senatorial Deadlock at the Statehouse
Lawmakers in Olympia struggle to choose a U.S. Senator amidst party fractures and geographical rivalries.
- The Snohomish Turncoat
A young legislator betrays his constituents to join a chaotic senatorial deadlock in Olympia.
- The Olympia Deadlock and the Ghost of James G. Blaine
While Washington legislators wrestled with a stalled senatorial election, the shock of James G. Blaine's death briefly brought a rare moment of bipartisan unity to the statehouse.
- A Merchant's Defiance in Olympia
A Chinese merchant addresses accusations of smuggling, asserting his identity as a successful, law-abiding American pioneer.
- The Ghost of Olympia
A missing weather official, presumed drowned for months, returns home to find his wife has already collected on his life insurance policy.
- A Militia Camp Kickback Scandal Ends in a Fistfight
Tom Box, the Tacoma concessionaire at Camp McGraw, was reduced to the ranks after admitting he lied about paying for exclusive camp privileges — then he called Gen. Curry a liar and took a punch in O'Brien's office.
- Territorial Legislators Eye Rail Monopoly
A new memorial in the Washington Territorial Assembly seeks to return vast tracts of land to the public domain, citing the Northern Pacific Railroad's failure to build mandated lines.
- Diver Dies in Tragic Salvage Attempt
A rescue operation to right the sunken Umatilla ends in a gruesome accident when a diver is found dead after a communication line fails.
- The Great Capital Land Grab
Boosterism and real estate speculation collide as small towns across Washington Territory compete to host the state capital.
- A Mother's Fight for Her Son
While recovering from surgery in Spokane, a mother discovers her son has been kidnapped; she eventually tracks him down in Olympia.
- The Case of the Resurrected Steer
A cattle theft trial in Olympia falls apart after the alleged victim's 'slaughtered' cow walks home.
- Senate Power Struggle Reshuffles Committees
Surprising committee appointments in the State Senate reveal shifting political alliances in Olympia.
- Olympia Rejects Disunion
While the nation moved toward the brink of Civil War in January 1861, local Olympia leaders declared their firm loyalty to the Union, even as some proposed renaming the capital city.
- An Escape on Scott Mountain
A prospector narrowly survives a harrowing encounter with an armed man while traveling through the rugged wilderness near Tumwater.