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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 |
484 stories
- A Daring Nighttime Intrusion on Fourth Street
An attempted burglary at a private residence in Seattle is foiled by a sharp-eyed family member, sending a large suspect fleeing into the darkness.
- The Unfinished Potential of Lake Washington
In 1887, U.S. Senator J.N. Dolph toured Seattle to inspect Lake Washington, envisioning a naval base that could reshape the region's infrastructure—long before the ship canal was a reality.
- The Justice Who Made the Complainant Pay
When a man filed an assault charge in the local courts, a sharp-witted justice turned the tables on him—and sent him to the county boarding house.
- The Midnight Disappearance of 'Madame' R
After pleading guilty to operating a house of ill-fame, a notorious Seattle figure known as 'Madame' R vanished from the city, leaving behind only the wrinkled traces of her former life.
- Tragedy Strikes the Kendall & Stearns Carpet Factory
A steam boiler explosion at the Seattle carpet works leaves two workers severely scalded and injured.
- The High Stakes of Tobacco Farming in Snohomish County
A rural columnist weighs in on the local obsession with hop-growing and the high-risk, high-reward prospect of cultivating tobacco in the late 19th-century Pacific Northwest.
- The Thunderstorm That Cleared the Air
When panic gripped 1887 Seattle following a series of rumors, a firm stand by the Governor turned local anxiety into a surprising display of civic unity.
- The Forgotten Wreck of the St. Stephen
For six weeks, the federal revenue cutter Wolcott sat idle while the public clamored for a search for survivors of a shipwreck off the Washington coast.
- The Final Spike: Connecting the Cascade Division
A commemorative ceremony at the west portal of the Stampede Pass tunnel marks a massive milestone for Northern Pacific Railway expansion.
- The Auditor's Ledger Scandal
After an investigation into King County's books, the county auditor is indicted for forgery following a chaotic attempt to clear the ledger before his term expired.
- The Boys of Summer: Seattle’s First Big Baseball Victory
In a 1887 showdown at the local race track, a crowd of 400 gathered to watch the hometown nine clobber the visitors from the Willamette Valley.
- The Mate Who Died Without a Name
A steamer mate is thrown overboard at Utsalady and lost. When reporters ask around the waterfront, everyone knew him—but no one could recall his name.
- A Violent Quarrel in the Woods: The Stabbing of W.W. Powell
A logger is brought to Seattle for emergency surgery after a bloody confrontation in a rural camp.
- The Day Seattle Became the Center of Washington's Public Lands
When the U.S. District Land Office moved from Olympia to the 'Queen City,' it marked a historic shift in the administration of the Washington Territory.
- The Yacht Race That Proved the 'White Wings'
A high-stakes regatta on Elliott Bay ends in triumph for a new vessel, showcasing the rapid development of maritime sporting life in 1887 Seattle.
- A Moonlight Party’s Muddy Misadventure
When a 'jolly party' of Seattle revelers chartered a steamer for a midnight trip to Chautauqua Beach, they learned a hard lesson about the Puget Sound tides—and the limitations of their captain.
- The Blast at the Water Pipe
A reckless explosion near a city water main in Tacoma threatened the reservoir supply, forcing a frantic overnight repair.
- A Sudden Death in the Cedar Woods
A survey team’s routine excursion turns tragic when a member succumbs to a mysterious, sudden illness in the wilderness.
- Fire Shuts Down Hadlock Mill
A boiler room fire on a gravel foundation halts production at the Washington Mill Company, idling 100 men.
- The Midnight Elopement of the Kitsap Valley
A teenage daughter vanishes into the night with a farmhand, sparking a desperate manhunt across the Washington Territory.
- The Price of Harvest: A Walla Walla Farmstead Lost to Fire
A devastating blaze sweeps through the property of a Walla Walla farmer, erasing months of labor in an instant.
- The Speaker’s Gavel Clash
In the Territorial House, a subtle procedural error leads to a public confrontation over how legislation is truly passed.
- A Tangle Over Tacoma Land
A legal dispute emerges in the southern part of Tacoma over the alleged 'unlawful' development and obstruction of property.
- The Deed, the Railroad, and the Piles in North Seattle
A waterfront owner blocks railroad crews from driving piles in front of his North Seattle property while a right-of-way deed sits unsigned in New York.
- The Trial of Neil Sweeney: Sane or Mad?
A Seattle probate court spends an afternoon determining the mental state of a man accused of madness, highlighting the precarious nature of asylum discharges and personal liberty in 1887.