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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 12 |
| 1861 | 92 |
| 1862 | 87 |
| 1863 | 69 |
87 stories
- The Great Vancouver Land War
A government ruling unravels decades of competing claims between the St. James Mission, the U.S. Military, and the heirs of Amos Short over the heart of Vancouver.
- The Seat of Government Stays Put
The Supreme Court of Washington Territory voids legislative attempts to relocate the capital from Olympia to Vancouver.
- Gunboat Diplomacy in Port Townsend
Governor Pickering journeys to investigate a near-bombardment of Port Townsend by a federal revenue steamer.
- Founding the University of Washington
In 1861, commissioners reported on the hard-won construction of the territory's first university, built from scratch with donated land and volunteer labor.
- The Nez Perce Treaty Funds Scandal
A political war in the newspapers exposes missing funds and potential embezzlement in the Indian Superintendency.
- Street Shooting Over a Libel Allegation
A legislative-era street fight in Olympia leaves one man dying after an accusation of arson.
- The Phrenologist's Wedding Scandal
A self-proclaimed doctor and phrenologist attempts to marry a woman without legal authority, leading to a public arrest and a heated courtroom spectacle in Olympia.
- Olympia Official Warns Traders Violating Tribal Trade Laws
Superintendent Calvin H. Hale issues a stern warning that the illicit liquor trade on Indian reservations will be met with force and prosecution.
- Olympia Officials Enforce 1862 Ban on Selling Liquor to Tribes
Superintendent Calvin H. Hale warns that selling alcohol to Native people is a 'grave offence' punishable by law and military enforcement.
- The Shadow of Treason in the Territorial Legislature
Local pro-Union editors call out their colleagues and legislators for harboring sympathy for the Confederacy.
- The Bureaucracy of Abandonment
Olympia’s land office is paralyzed by backlogs, leaving settlers and their titles in legal limbo while officials in Washington, D.C. ignore local pleas for help.
- The Town Takes a Stand Against Domestic Abuse
Forty-three women in Olympia sign a resolution formally denouncing a local man for his history of violence against his wife and children.
- The Brutality of T. W. Glasgow
After Olympia women organized against his domestic violence, a local man attempts a public defense, calling his wife 'deranged' and denying the physical abuse that witnesses reported.
- The Scandal of Surveyor General Henry
Dr. Anson G. Henry fights back against accusations of swindling the government and bribery in a blistering public defense.
- The Fourth of July in Olympia at the Height of the Civil War
A fervent address by Elwood Evans calls for absolute loyalty to the Union as the Territory celebrates the nation’s independence during its 'most tearful trial.'
- The Editor’s Defense of a Federal Appointee
After losing his status as Public Printer, the newspaper editor takes up the cause of the embattled Port Townsend Collector of Customs, Victor Smith.
- The Midnight Vandal at the Standard Office
An editorial office in Olympia faces a late-night visit from an assailant armed with an effigy and firearms.
- The Town That Lost Its Custom House
An observant traveler visits Port Townsend and finds a community reeling from political retaliation and questionable pulpit interpretations.
- The Great Parliamentary Stall of 1862
After ninety-seven ballots, the Council remains deadlocked, delaying the people’s business for a debate over regional representation.
- Federal Notice Warns Traders Against Liquor Sales to Indigenous Tribes
The Superintendent of Indian Affairs warns traders that supplying alcohol to Indigenous people in the Territory is a serious federal crime.
- The U.S. Government Pushes for Tribal Land Relinquishment
Federal legislators secure funding for moving California tribes and pushing the Nez Perce off their reservation in Washington Territory.
- The Disappearing Superintendent
A scathing editorial accuses B.F. Kendall of mishandling over $35,000 in public funds and ignoring his successor's demands for an accounting.
- The Relocation of the Customs House
Citizens of Port Townsend are reeling after reports that the Custom-House is being moved to satisfy political land speculators.
- The Perilous Journey to the Salmon Mines
Recent reports from the Columbia River confirm a trail of tragedy, as miners traveling in makeshift bateaux fall victim to capsizing boats and drowning in the treacherous rapids.
- Accusations of Corruption in the Indian Department
Local outrage flares over alleged embezzlement of government funds intended for the Indian Department.