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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 62 |
| 1858 | 29 |
| 1859 | 52 |
| 1860 | 27 |
| 1861 | 101 |
| 1862 | 87 |
| 1863 | 69 |
| 1864 | 32 |
| 1865 | 11 |
| 1871 | 11 |
| 1872 | 140 |
| 1876 | 812 |
| 1877 | 678 |
| 1878 | 526 |
| 1879 | 64 |
| 1880 | 180 |
| 1882 | 130 |
| 1883 | 911 |
| 1884 | 499 |
| 1885 | 838 |
| 1886 | 492 |
| 1887 | 484 |
| 1888 | 440 |
| 1889 | 1,324 |
| 1890 | 287 |
| 1891 | 1,115 |
| 1892 | 2,855 |
| 1893 | 2,829 |
| 1894 | 2,116 |
| 1895 | 1,830 |
| 1896 | 2 |
| 1897 | 62 |
| 1898 | 196 |
| 1899 | 446 |
| 1900 | 114 |
| 1902 | 34 |
| 1903 | 1,332 |
| 1904 | 1,126 |
| 1905 | 124 |
| 1907 | 53 |
| 1908 | 351 |
| 1909 | 1,545 |
| 1910 | 413 |
| 1911 | 160 |
| 1912 | 73 |
| 1914 | 261 |
| 1915 | 300 |
| 1916 | 545 |
| 1917 | 332 |
| 1918 | 45 |
| 1919 | 5 |
| 1920 | 1 |
| 1922 | 18 |
| 1923 | 185 |
| 1924 | 151 |
| 1925 | 64 |
| 1928 | 14 |
| 1929 | 19 |
2,231 stories
- The grueling, mountain-carving work of mapping the Puget Sound
A survey crew spends the summer hacking paths through the dense, uncharted forests of the Olympic Peninsula and Straits of Fuca to measure the rugged frontier.
- The New Frontier on the Shores of Lake Washington
While the city worried over mysterious prowlers, settlers were carving out orchards and gardens from the old-growth forests near Lake Washington, marveling at the land's hidden potential.
- The Perennial Struggle of the Local Press
A century and a half ago, Seattle editors were already trading barbs about the 'eternal fitness' of readers who sponge news and merchants who refuse to advertise.
- The Duwamish River Schoolhouse Scandal
A romantic dispute between two suitors erupts into violence at a church service, forcing a local justice to mediate the cost of their bruised egos.
- The City Clerk’s Sharp Rebuke to the Intelligencer
In 1878, Seattle’s local government publicly called out the city’s leading newspaper for 'misrepresentation' regarding the municipal debt.
- The Dignity of the 'Horny Hand'
In 1878, a Seattle editorial warned against the ‘pauperism’ caused by an overabundance of professional graduates who were too proud to labor.
- The Price of a Prank on the Seattle Frontier
A late-night practical joke almost turns fatal when a nervous citizen, conditioned by the rough-and-tumble reality of the city, nearly draws his pistol on a group of teenagers.
- The Struggle for Equitable Taxation in Early Washington
An open letter from 1878 explores the difficulties of managing state revenue and the inherent failures of centralized 'equalization' boards.
- The Centennial Saloon Mystery
After much anticipation, a elusive character has finally been spotted at the local tavern, proving that some things in Seattle never change.
- The Tinderbox Downtown
A small chimney fire at a local tin shop narrowly avoids tragedy, sparking a community call to clear flammable debris from Seattle's rooftops.
- The Boys of Seattle’s Waterfront: A Victorian-Era Public Nuisance
In June 1878, Seattle’s civic leaders were up in arms over a group of boys bathing in the nude near the coal bunkers, marking an early clash between rustic freedom and a modernizing, ‘respectable’ city.
- An Indecent Display at the Coal Bunkers
Seattle residents take offense as sailors from the barkentine Modoc turn the public waterfront into an impromptu swimming hole.
- The Rails That Built Seattle
Civic leaders convene to expand the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad, the ambitious line designed to link the growing city to the bounty of the east.
- The Price of a Glass of Beer
A Seattle man faces legal consequences for a small, unthinking gesture that violated the territory's strict and discriminatory liquor laws.
- The Case of the Misunderstood Brawler
A sensational report of a violent street fight in Seattle turns out to be a classic case of mistaken identity, where a frightened man accidentally assaulted the wrong person.
- The Justice, the Teen Bride, and the Proof of Adulthood
When a young couple arrived in 1876 Seattle seeking to re-validate their wedding, a skeptical judge found himself out-argued by the bride’s most persuasive piece of evidence.
- The Seasonal Slump Hits Seattle’s Commerce
While lumber and coal exports have dipped, city leadership maintains a hopeful stance on the resilience of the local economy.
- The Picky Buyer of Seattle
A skeptical land-seeker turns down a perfect farm because of a church organ, illustrating the absurd lengths of a real estate hunt.
- The Tall Tale of 'Bluffier Ben'
A boastful trapper spins wild, bloody yarns for free drinks in a Seattle saloon, leaving the barkeep to settle the tab.
- The Boy Who Stole a Four-Bit Piece: A Warning to Seattle Parents
An elderly man was surrounded by a gang of youths on Main Street yesterday. While the theft itself was minor, the paper uses the incident to launch a moral panic about juvenile delinquency and the influence of San Francisco.
- The Night Watchman's Dilemma: A Call for Safety on Seattle’s Dark Wharves
In September 1876, the Seattle City Council was urged to intervene after late-night passengers were forced to navigate dangerous docks alone, highlighting the precarious nature of early urban infrastructure.
- The Man Who Wanted to Steal a Horse by Playing 'Bravo'
A young man’s attempt to intimidate a driver into surrendering his horse ends in a standoff with a revolver, revealing the raw, unpolished nature of justice in 1876 Seattle.
- The Blue Sand Beneath Seattle
In September 1876, a crew of Chinese laborers excavating the foundation for a new building at Wellington and Third struck a rare geological treasure: a bed of pure blue sand.
- The Day the Railroad Stopped: How Two Boys Nearly Derailed a Train in Seattle
In October 1876, a group of mischievous youths removed the brake from a freight train at the Northern Pacific terminus. A lucky passerby noticed the danger just in time, averting a potential catastrophe that could have turned Seattle’s early rail history into a tragedy.
- The Great Fire on Washington Street: A Narrow Escape from Ashes
A blaze in the upper story of a building near Pike Street threatened to consume Seattle’s growing commercial district, but the quick arrival of the fire engine saved the day.