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• 1883 ×

1. The Architect of the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad Steps Down

   J.M. Colman resigns from the railway company to pursue private ventures and a long-deferred trip to Scotland.

   Feb 2, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyBoom & Bust

2. The Great Vegetable Stand-off

   A local farmer fights for payment against a stubborn restaurant owner on Pacific Avenue.

   Feb 4, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPacific Avenue, Seattle, King County

3. The Miracle of Dido the Blind Cat

   A remarkable account of a house cat who, after going blind, mastered his home environment and displayed an uncanny homing instinct.

   Feb 8, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

4. A Sudden Passing on Second Street

   A well-known local physician collapses in the heart of downtown Seattle.

   Feb 13, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King County

5. The Roller-Skating Rink Disaster

   A grocery man's customer describes the catastrophic attempt of his father, a self-proclaimed former skating expert, to navigate the local roller rink.

   Feb 24, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

6. The Northern Pacific's Grand Shake-up

   A major administrative shift sees high-level rail managers moving to St. Paul as the transcontinental route nears completion.

   Feb 27, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyBoom & Bust

7. The Y.M.C.A. Takes Root in Tacoma

   Civic leaders form a new Association to organize literary and social work, echoing the rapid growth of the region.

   Mar 17, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce County

8. The Disappearing Clerk of Commercial Street

   A dry goods clerk accused of larceny abandons his bond and flees to Port Townsend under an assumed name.

   Mar 23, 1883Seattle Daily Post-Intelligencer1st Avenue, Seattle, King CountyTrue Crime

9. Fortifying the Northern Pacific's Coal Bunkers Against Sea Worms

   An engineering miscalculation forces urgent retrofitting of new coal infrastructure against the destructive teredo worm.

   Mar 31, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerElliott Bay waterfront, Seattle, King CountyStrange But True

10. The Unprotected Sound

    An editorial on the vulnerability of Puget Sound's defenses against foreign intervention.

    Apr 6, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson County

11. The High License Debate

    Cities across the Pacific Northwest are raising liquor license fees to curb the influence of 'low dens' and corrupt establishments.

    Apr 8, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall · Nightlife

12. Tiny Performers Wow at Yesler’s Hall

    A kindergarten concert by the Baptist Sunday School brings down the house to fund a new library.

    May 3, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King County

13. An Elopement to Tacoma

    Defying her parents, a young woman boards the Zephyr to marry her suitor in Tacoma.

    May 26, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyScandal

14. A Sudden End in the Woods

    A young immigrant worker killed by a falling limb near Seattle highlights the perils of early logging.

    Jun 14, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyWork & Pay

15. The Price of Urban Ambition

    A farming family leaves their land for the allure of city life, only to find themselves penniless and humbled by tragedy.

    Jun 15, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyHousing & Rent

16. Alki Point Picnic A Rousing Success

    Twelve hundred residents gather for games, dancing, and festivities to support school music programs.

    Jun 17, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerAlki Point, Seattle, King CountyStrange But True

17. The Mosquitoes of Skagit

    A local tale of insect infestation that challenges the visitor to believe the impossible.

    Jul 17, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSnohomish, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

18. The Schoolroom Rebellion

    A student faces expulsion for daring to recite Robert Ingersoll in class.

    Jul 19, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

19. The Deadly Consequences of 'Just for Fun'

    A sobering editorial on how boys' thoughtless pranks—like stretching ropes across sidewalks or lighting dogs on fire—result in lifelong tragedy.

    Jul 20, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King County

20. A Female Clergyman Performs a Marriage

    A rare historical wedding ceremony in Puyallup is conducted by a woman, the Rev. Mrs. Jones.

    Aug 11, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPuyallup, Pierce CountyStrange But True

21. The Perils of the Telegraph

    A look at the chaotic and often hilarious errors produced by local telegraph operators.

    Aug 21, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

22. The Unsung Militia: A Push for National Readiness

    A proposed Congressional bill aims to overhaul the state militia system with federal funding, training, and equipment to ensure national security without maintaining a large standing army.

    Sep 6, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King County

23. The tugboat captain who challenged a federal marshal

    When the captain of the tug Tacoma ignored a U.S. marshal's order to stop a libeled ship, the law caught up with him at the McNeil Island penitentiary.

    Sep 12, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce County

24. The Hidden Wealth of the Mountains

    Prospectors are scouring the headwaters of the Yakima and Wenatchee rivers, unearthing silver and galena as the mining fever reaches an all-time high.

    Sep 19, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerCle Elum, Kittitas CountyFollow the Money

25. Postmaster Cuts Hours Over Low Pay

    Seattle's post office will close earlier as the postmaster struggles with inadequate funding to support his staff.

    Nov 1, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyWork & Pay

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