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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 4 |
| 1883 | 38 |
| 1884 | 12 |
| 1885 | 19 |
| 1886 | 11 |
| 1887 | 9 |
93 stories
- The Smoke of the Season
Forest fires burn through Tumwater timber, impeding travel and damaging infrastructure.
- The Struggle for an Inland Connection
Citizens of Olympia gather to fund and build a new rail line toward the Pacific to break the town's isolation.
- Tumwater Secures Its Future With Railroad Deal
Local committee reaches agreement with railroad company for depot, water rights, and machine shops.
- The Fight for a New County: Skagit vs. Whatcom
Legislative debate over splitting Whatcom County highlights the perennial struggle of managing geography and infrastructure in the growing Washington Territory.
- The Ethics of the Free Rail Pass
A territorial representative is caught accepting a railroad pass while charging the government for travel expenses, prompting a sharp rebuke on political corruption.
- The Uninvited Territorial Appointment
Citizens of Washington Territory rail against meddlesome outsiders and the President’s power to appoint their governor.
- Catholic Order Plans Expansion in Olympia
Religious orders in the territorial capital announce plans for a new academy for boys, the platting of Priest's Point, and the construction of a much-needed hospital.
- The Fight to Fund the Territorial University
Legislators debate the future of education in Olympia, questioning the status of the University's land title and its academic standards.
- The Daisy of a Railroad
A skeptical journalist tours the Olympia & Tenino Railroad and finds a 'toy' line run by a one-man crew.
- A High-Stakes Footrace Challenge
Two rivals trade insults and deposit cash wagers for a sprint contest to determine the 'fastest man on the Sound.'
- The Temperance Victory at the Territorial Legislature
Legislators pass a landmark bill allowing local precincts in Washington Territory to vote on the liquor trade, sparking a scene of jubilation and civic debate.
- The Governor-Candidate Who Handed Out His Own Petitions
In a display of political informality that shocked Olympia, a candidate for territorial governor took to the streets to personally solicit signatures, defying the expected decorum of the era.
- Mr. Palmer Urges Senate to Back Women’s Suffrage
Mr. Palmer takes to the floor in Olympia to argue for woman suffrage, dismantling tired objections and demanding a seat at the table for Washington women.
- The Price of a Free Pass
In 1885, Seattle’s press took on the corrupting influence of Northern Pacific Railroad’s 'free' travel gifts to legislators, arguing that such favors were nothing less than bribes intended to command political obedience.
- The Legislative Prank That Backfired
A Washington Territory legislator’s attempt to play a humorous political trick on a colleague turns into a serious row over parliamentary decorum.
- A Torchlight Ovation for Bradshaw
Republican political candidate Bradshaw receives a boisterous welcome in Olympia, signaling a heated campaign season in Thurston County.
- The Shadow of the Railroad Lobby
A scathing editorial from 1885 warns of the corrupt influence of railroad corporations over the Washington Territorial Legislature.
- The Political Bazaar of 1887
Before the Washington State Legislature even convened, the corridors of Olympia hotels turned into a chaotic, horse-trading marketplace for the speakership.
- The Battle for the Council Floor
A legislative standoff in Olympia over petty offices and party control highlights the raw political maneuvering of the late Washington Territory era.
- The Pioneer Who Brought the First Families Over the Mountains
Remembering Mr. Sargent, who led a train of twenty-five families through Naches Pass to the Puget Sound frontier in 1852.
- The Governor’s Message and the Territorial Legislature
As the territorial assembly gathers in Olympia, lawmakers debate office furniture and hear the Governor's address—while a member from Yakima keeps his feet on the table.
- The Price of a Free Ride
Seattle's press praises legislators who refused corporate-funded train passes, calling the practice a form of bribery.
- The Ghost of Olympia Found
After years of speculation, the identity of a mysterious fugitive hiding in Olympia is revealed as a disgraced Kentucky cashier.
- A Call for a New Asylum
Legislative committee finds territorial asylum buildings beyond repair, recommending a new site in Eastern Washington.
- The Failed Dreams of the 'Great Eastern'
A reflection on the 1873 financial collapse and the vanished promises of the Northern Pacific Railroad.