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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1883 | 2 |
| 1885 | 3 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1892 | 2 |
| 1893 | 10 |
| 1894 | 6 |
| 1895 | 12 |
| 1899 | 1 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1904 | 1 |
| 1908 | 2 |
| 1910 | 4 |
52 stories matching pay
- The Burden of Local Debt in Whatcom County
Citizens and municipalities face a staggering $63,000 annual interest bill on bonds used to build schools and infrastructure.
- Supreme Court Judges Refuse to Pay Road Taxes They Helped Build
Two justices owning land along Whatcom roads balk at assessments under the new law, hinting at a constitutional fight.
- A County Treasurer Refuses to Pay a Single Warrant
Whatcom County's Populist commissioners ordered old bills paid out of the new year's taxes. The treasurer said no—and the whole county's finances ground to a halt.
- Vigilante Justice at the Blaine Shingle Mill
Striking workers at a troubled shingle mill take matters into their own hands after the proprietor fails to pay wages.
- The Ghost Wages of the Bellingham Mill
Workers built a dream of industry, only to find the rent-seekers were never serious about paying.
- The Political Tax Revolt of 1885
In a scorched-earth letter to the editor, a Whatcom resident decries the rise of 'Knights of Labor' candidates, claiming their victory at the polls signaled a collapse of property values and fiscal responsibility.
- The Treasurer’s Tab: Taxpayers Pay with Promises
A Whatcom County official faces heat for allowing local elites to pay their taxes with IOUs, sparking a public naming-and-shaming campaign.
- The Price of a Midnight Ejection
After refusing to pay a fare, a passenger was cast into the rain at night, leading to a legal showdown over transit rights and railroad corporate power.
- An Undocumented Arrival in Whatcom
A Chinese man found hiding in a tool box on a rail car bound for Seattle illustrates the brutal reality of the Exclusion era.
- The Salvation Army Jailbreak
When Nooksack officials imprisoned Salvationists for the crime of 'obstructing the highway,' the town rose up to tear down the jail.
- Lynden Mourns a Civil War Veteran
The town pays its final respects to Captain Jarhos O'Neil, a soldier and community leader.
- The Bust After the Boom in Whatcom County
A local assessor grapples with the fallout of a real-estate bubble, lowering property valuations to match actual economic conditions.
- Disgraced Banker Prepares to Face the Music
After the collapse of the Home Securities Bank in Bellingham, the fugitive president returns to answer for the $300,000 loss.
- A Corporate Heist in Whatcom
A shareholder warns Seattle merchants not to purchase illegal drafts from a Whatcom corporation attempting to bleed its own company dry.
- The Doctor’s Great Escape Was Thwarted at the Wharf
A debt-ridden doctor attempts to skip town on a steamer, but his disgruntled creditors have a different plan for his luggage.
- The Stowaways of the Laurada: A $50 Fine for a Trip North
Two men caught sneaking aboard a steamer bound for Alaska were forced to disembark in Bellingham, facing Canadian customs penalties and a hefty fine.
- Whatcom Fights Back Against 'Exorbitant' Insurance
After paying $250,000 in premiums with only $5,800 in losses, Whatcom business leaders threaten to form their own insurance company.
- The Collapse of a Whatcom Banker
Cashier C. M. Atkins faces a laundry list of embezzlement charges following the insolvency of the First National Bank of Whatcom.
- A Secret Passage Through the Cascades
A railway superintendent confirms the discovery of a new, low-elevation pass through the mountains, sparking interest from major rail lines.
- The Banker Who Vanished: A $300,000 Collapse Comes Home to Bellingham
After fleeing two days before his bank failed, H. J. Weltry promises to return, plead guilty, and help untangle the wreckage of the Home Securities Bank.
- Chasing the Mother Lode in the Cascades
A prospector shares his frustrated search for the source of placer gold in the northern Cascades.
- Explosion at the Gas Well
A routine water-drilling operation in Whatcom turns into a hazardous discovery when a match ignites a pocket of natural gas.
- A Denial and a Threat: W. H. Evring Fires Back at Murder Plot Accusations
Accused of plotting to kill a ship captain, Whatcom businessman W. H. Evring writes a fiery letter denying everything—and warning his enemies he'll be back.
- Boodle and Bust in Whatcom
An embattled treasurer and a jailed clerk highlight a city spiraling into scandal as citizens call for a grand jury.
- The Price of Passage on Bellingham Bay
Passengers are protesting predatory fare hikes on local steamers, pitting citizens against boat operators in a fight over transit costs.