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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 Governor Died Two Days After Taking to His Room — and Never Said Goodbye
Samuel G. Cosgrove, elected to lead Washington in November, died of Bright's disease at a California sanitarium. Olympia draped the capitol in crape, called out the National Guard, and swore in his lieutenant governor before the funeral was over.
- Political Patronage and the Janitor's Broom
The state legislature navigated a delicate political situation by dismissing a Tacoma man's manual-publishing contract, only to pacify him with a janitorial appointment for his brother.
- The Territory's Legislative Snake
A scathing critique from 1877 exposes the 'headless and tailless' chaos of newly minted Washington tax laws, exposing a system designed to strip residents of their property through administrative incompetence.
- The Tragedy at Tenino: A Mother’s Search for Her Child in the Flames
When a fire destroyed the home of Stephen Hogden and his boarder B.W. Ward on February 15, 1877, most escaped—but nine-year-old Nellie Ward was lost to the inferno.
- Seattle Makes Its Case for Statehood
As the constitutional convention convenes in Olympia, Seattle’s delegates argue for the city’s readiness, its infrastructure, and its claim to statehood.
- The Fight for Seattle’s Infrastructure Debt Limit
A delegation from Seattle appeared before the Washington constitutional convention to lobby for the city's power to borrow money to pay for critical infrastructure, including public water and street improvements.
- The Fight for an Independent Judiciary
A skeptical look at a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the legislature to pack the state supreme court.
- The Fight for Washington’s Capital
The constitutional convention’s attempt to prematurely cement Olympia as the capital sparks outrage.
- Washington Debates Making the Railroad Commission Permanent
Debating the power of the state to regulate railroad monopolies in Washington.
- The Struggle for Rail Regulation
Washington's constitutional convention wrestles with whether to empower a commission to oversee railroad giants.
- The Argument for a Railroad Commission
Advocating for constitutional oversight of rail monopolies to curb corporate influence in Washington politics.
- The Price of Iron Rails: Fighting the Corporate Lobby
A century and a half ago, local taxpayers were urged to reject public subsidies for railroad giants, a struggle that mirrors today’s battles over public infrastructure and private gain.
- The Ghost of the Kneeland Hotel Fire
After three years in jail, a petition for clemency for Angus McClain sparks local debate over reformation, justice, and the costs of a retrial.
- Squire Arrives in Olympia as Senate Fight Heats Up
As Senator Watson Squire arrives to secure his reelection, the halls of the state capital are buzzing with political maneuvering, railroad regulation debates, and the lingering shadow of the Wounded Knee massacre.
- The Fight for Seattle’s School Funds
A legislative battle in Olympia settles whether major Washington cities can maintain control over their own school taxes, thwarting an effort to pull them into a state-wide pool.
- The Eight-Hour Day Crushed in the Senate
After intense debate and a dramatic attempt by organized labor to influence the vote, Washington’s eight-hour labor bill fails by a single vote.
- When Washington Territory Granted Women the Vote
A rare 1884 report reflects on the early, controversial experiment of woman suffrage and the inclusion of women on juries.
- The Indian Council’s Rebellion Against the White Shopkeepers
When an Indian girl was fined by her tribal council for purchasing flour at a white-owned store, a legal crackdown by territorial authorities sparked a tense political standoff.
- Seattle’s Canal Demand Became a Political Trap
At the 1892 Democratic state convention in Olympia, King County’s push for a Lake Washington ship canal collided with a Pierce County-led alliance—and James Hamilton Lewis’s gubernatorial hopes hung in the balance.
- The Canal Plank That Nearly Tore Washington’s Democrats Apart
In Olympia, King County delegates fought Pierce County over whether to endorse the Lake Washington canal. They settled on a vague promise, then spent the night shouting each other down.
- The State's Mounting Red Ink
State Auditor T.M. Reed delivers a scathing biennial report to the legislature, blaming erratic spending and poor revenue laws for a ballooning state debt.
- Olympia Deadlock: Minority Republicans Block US Senate Election
A legislative rebellion in the state capital threatens to leave Washington without a United States senator.
- The Political Deadlock at Olympia
Legislative gridlock over the re-election of U.S. Senator John B. Allen reveals deep factional divides and personal vendettas in Washington state politics.
- The Senate Standoff at Olympia
A legislative deadlock in Olympia pits railroad-backed lobbyists against the people's choice, fueling calls for electoral reform.
- The Senatorial Deadlock Breaks
A Spokane representative abandons his candidate, marking the turning point in a long, gridlocked legislative contest.