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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 1 |
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| 1878 | 3 |
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38 stories matching function
- The Political War Over the Board of Public Works
In an era of civic growth, Seattle's Board of Public Works finds itself in the crosshairs of city legislators, sparking a debate over the role of expertise versus political patronage.
- The Fight to Irrigate the Desert
Yakima citizens gather to demand legislative action for an irrigation bill to transform the arid landscape.
- The Hard Times Ball
Seattle's elite staged an 'economical' dance party to navigate the financial strain of 1893.
- City Hall's Quarantine Deadlock
As the Board of Health scrambles to map an imaginary quarantine line for cholera, the city's inability to pay for basic sanitation has created a public health crisis.
- City Council Faces Power Struggle over Board of Public Works
As two members are removed and vacancies persist, the Council weighs an unprecedented move to seize control of city infrastructure projects.
- A Populist Critique of Corporate Power
State Senator J. T. Eshelman delivers a scathing rebuke of Republican 'corporate monopolies' before the Democratic Society of Washington.
- Seattle's Struggle for Green Space
A fledgling park commission battles City Hall for funds and autonomy in 1894.
- Solving the 'Ram's Horn' Snarl
A council committee moves to eliminate a crooked railroad right-of-way that has long hindered harbor development on the Seattle waterfront.
- The High Cost of Empty Promises
The Aberdeen Herald argues that a proposed $310,000 road bond will tax local residents into poverty without delivering viable infrastructure.
- The Jury That Usurped the Bench
After a man accused of shooting a superintendent was acquitted, the Post-Intelligencer launches a scathing critique of 'lawless' juries who favor sentiment over evidence.
- The Alki Point Boat War
A bitter turf battle over ferry rights at Alki Point pits residents against an enterprising captain.
- The Ghost Town That Refused to Die
A legal war between Denver, Washington, and the city of Spokane ends in the state supreme court, effectively wiping a town off the map.
- The Detective’s Final Cough
An encounter between a sheriff and a detective ends in a quiet death, sparking a controversy over heart disease and allegations of abuse.
- The Proposed 'Professor of Maternity'
A state legislator introduces a bill to create a 'Chair of Maternity' at the University of Washington, aiming to instruct female students in the 'duties of motherhood.'
- Tacoma Business Leaders Demand City Salary Cuts
A secret meeting of local elites forces the hand of the City Council to slash municipal payrolls amid financial instability.
- The Herald’s Victory Over Libel
After year-long court battles, the newspaper celebrates the dismissal of civil and criminal libel suits brought by a school board member.
- Tacoma’s 'Pig in a Poke' Water Deal
Taxpayers revolt against a dubious multi-million dollar municipal purchase of water and electric assets.
- The Deadly Contagion of Mob Law
An editorial reflection on the rising threat of lynch law in the Pacific Northwest and the necessity of the courts.
- The Great Aberdeen Schoolhouse Schism
A bitter public dispute erupts over where to build the city's new school, pitting local business titans and school board members against one another in a war of open letters.
- The Struggle Over a Mother’s Custody
A local children's bureau official defends the controversial intervention into a family's life in the face of public criticism.
- Seattle's Public Library Gets a Grand Opening
Civic leaders and citizens celebrate the opening of the city’s new library rooms, featuring an elegant ladies' reading room and aspirations for a permanent building.
- The Jailbreak of Port Angeles’ Fake Banker
After fleecing investors and local organizations, Benjamin F. Schwartz slips past his jailer to disappear into the night.
- The Astral Power Struggle
A Philadelphia mystic claims the late Madame Blavatsky’s spirit has hand-picked him as her successor, sparking a bitter schism within the Theosophical Society.
- Seattle’s Growing Pains and the Charter Debate
As the city rapidly transformed, a newly formed committee of business and labor leaders debated whether to rewrite the city's charter to address corruption and municipal growth.
- The Rainy Weather Club’s Practical Revolution
Aberdeen women unite to reject impractical Victorian fashion in favor of functional, mackintosh-based rainy day gear.