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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 5 |
| 1860 | 3 |
| 1861 | 2 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 11 |
| 1876 | 68 |
| 1877 | 54 |
| 1878 | 36 |
| 1879 | 5 |
| 1880 | 11 |
| 1882 | 1 |
| 1883 | 68 |
| 1884 | 44 |
| 1885 | 43 |
| 1886 | 20 |
| 1887 | 32 |
| 1888 | 32 |
| 1889 | 98 |
| 1890 | 18 |
| 1891 | 80 |
| 1892 | 146 |
| 1893 | 122 |
| 1894 | 118 |
| 1895 | 212 |
| 1897 | 4 |
| 1898 | 22 |
| 1899 | 30 |
| 1900 | 3 |
| 1902 | 2 |
| 1903 | 46 |
| 1904 | 62 |
| 1905 | 6 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 40 |
| 1909 | 95 |
| 1910 | 21 |
| 1911 | 10 |
| 1912 | 3 |
| 1914 | 12 |
| 1915 | 25 |
| 1916 | 30 |
| 1917 | 12 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1919 | 1 |
| 1922 | 3 |
| 1923 | 8 |
| 1924 | 4 |
| 1925 | 6 |
| 1929 | 1 |
349 stories matching improv
- The Shadow of the Railroad: Tide Lands and Public Trust
As Washington state's constitutional convention drags on, delegates engage in a fierce legislative showdown over the fate of public tide lands, pitted against powerful rail and improvement corporations.
- The City vs. The Depot: Seattle's 1889 Eminent Domain Fight
When the Oregon Improvement Company tried to blockade South Third Street to protect their rail interests, the city council responded that the public interest was not for sale.
- Tragic Death of a Young Miner
A Massachusetts native employed by the Oregon Improvement Company takes his own life near Wilkeson.
- 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.
- Seattle’s First Battle for a Long Weekend
In 1889, Seattle’s hardware merchants pioneered a movement to close shops early on summer evenings to give workers time for leisure and self-improvement.
- The Taxman Cometh: A Seattle Pioneer Defends His Reputation
Prominent settler George Kinnear clarifies his position after appearing on a list of delinquent taxpayers for street improvements.
- Railroad Monopoly Tightens Grip on Lumber
A newly formed 'Improvement Company' linked to the Northern Pacific Railroad establishes a monopoly over regional lumber trade.
- The Battle for Seattle's Coal Wealth
A report on the power struggle between the Oregon Improvement Company and the Northern Pacific, and how it shaped the local economy.
- The Art of Raising Houses
Seattle property owners take pride in extreme, gravity-defying architecture as they elevate buildings to create room for new business ventures.
- When the Law Stops the City
A judicial ruling in Tacoma paralyzes street improvements, sparking a bitter feud between city officials and property owners.
- The Madison Street Assessment Battle
A property owner challenges the legality of street improvement assessments in Seattle, setting the stage for litigation.
- The Unraveling of the Northwest’s First Conglomerate
A deep dive into the financial maneuvers, coal monopolies, and failed experimental farming schemes of the Oregon Improvement Company.
- Tacoma’s Open Letter to the Railroad Monopoly
A scathing council memorial accuses the Northern Pacific Railroad of breaking its promises, stalling city growth, and holding the harbor hostage.
- The Rapid Transformation of 'Bell Town'
Seattle's northern district sheds its frontier skin with new hotels, street improvements, and a burgeoning commercial sector.
- City Wins Right to Levy Special Street Assessments
A landmark court decision by Judge Greene clears the path for city infrastructure funding by upholding the legality of special assessments for street improvements.
- The Seattle-Shore Line Deadlock
A standoff between the Northern Pacific Railroad and the Oregon Improvement Company leaves the vital Shore Line trackage idle.
- The Great Second Street Brawl: A City Hall Conflict Over Progress
When Seattle’s city leaders proposed widening a major downtown street in 1892, they ignited a bitter debate over property rights, public vs. private cost, and the relentless march of urban expansion.
- The Price of Silence: How Big Rail Controlled the Press
When the Northern Pacific Railroad forced a Spokane newspaper to drop its investigation into timber fraud, it exposed the industry's grip on the territory's news.
- The Unpaved Dispute: A Seattle Street Fight
When the City Council attempted to force through street improvements against the wishes of local property owners, the resulting legal struggle highlighted the friction between civic development and individual land rights in 1887.
- The Great Regrade of Commercial Street
A proposal to drop Commercial Street by ten feet to improve drainage and access.
- The Shadowy Campaign for Seattle's Waterfront
Before the city was fully formed, a powerful railroad lobby attempted to secure the lucrative tide-lands of Elliott Bay through backroom deals.
- Main Street Reshaped: Col. Squire’s Development
Col. Watson C. Squire initiates the demolition of aging buildings behind the Brunswick and Arlington hotels, signaling a period of major urban redevelopment in Seattle.
- The City’s Legal Train Wreck
A ruling against Tacoma’s property tax scheme for street improvements threatens to bankrupt local progress, leaving the city in a legislative stalemate.
- The Gift of Block 88
When George Kinnear gifted a plot of land for a city park in 1888, he demanded the city clear the dead trees and build a fence, sparking a long-term vision for Seattle's public spaces.
- The Strategic Expansion of the Oregon Improvement Company
Boosterism and railroad strategy collide as company leadership plans expansion to protect their stake in the Pacific Northwest.