Research the archive
Narrow 27,002 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine1 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 2 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1883 | 2 |
| 1884 | 2 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1889 | 4 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 6 |
| 1892 | 8 |
| 1893 | 12 |
| 1894 | 4 |
| 1895 | 7 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1899 | 3 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 3 |
| 1904 | 2 |
| 1909 | 6 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1912 | 1 |
42 stories matching waiter
- Blood on the Rails Near Thorpe
A railroad conductor was nearly killed by an impudent waiter on an eastbound train, leading to a tense standoff and a dramatic shooting.
- The Disappearing Waiter
A boarder at a Washington Street house reports her savings stolen, with a distinctively red-haired waiter named Willie as the prime suspect.
- Tragedy at the Sinnott House
A waiter at a variety theater is arrested and charged with manslaughter following the death of a domestic worker.
- A Desperate Act at the Madrona Hotel
A waiter attempted to end his life by inhaling chloroform; doctors managed to revive him.
- The Short-Lived Elopement of a Seattle Waiter
A 14-year-old girl and a theater employee wed in a rush, only to be torn apart by an incensed mother within the hour.
- The 1892 Campaign Against Japanese Restaurants
Local labor unions organized a targeted investigation into Japanese-owned eateries, fueled by xenophobic rumors and economic anxiety.
- Predatory Behavior and the Messenger Boys
The arrest of a waiter reveals a pattern of abuse targeting A.D.T. messenger boys in the rooms above downtown saloons.
- The Persistent Con-Artist of Jackson Street
A former hack driver and theater waiter uses elaborate stories and forged checks to swindle local merchants, only to be caught by a vigilant detective.
- The Restaurant Labor War
A local restaurant owner’s political ambitions are challenged by the White Cooks and Waiters' Union over allegations of wage-slashing and exploitation.
- Spokane Had Mining Fever, and the Men Selling the Stock Had the Only Sure Thing
A Yakima correspondent visits Spokane and finds a city where hotel clerks, newsboys and waiter girls are all buying mining shares — and where even Ezra Meeker has traded hops for a stock prospectus.
- The Professional Tailoress Wanted in 1891
A job advertisement from a ladies' intelligence bureau signals a high demand for skilled female labor in early Seattle.
- Pullman Car Porters Ready to Strike
A rare labor dispute draws public sympathy as porters seek wages rather than tips.
- An Escape Ends in the Sound
A teenage prisoner, wanted for larceny in Everett, chooses the water over custody and drowns while fleeing transport.
- He Missed the Masquerade Ball. She Filed for Divorce. He Took Morphine.
Paul J. Ravage died at St. Joseph's Hospital after his wife divorced him over a forgotten night out in Spokane.
- The Vulgarity of Legislative Gratuities
An editorial critique argues that tipping public officials during legislative sessions undermines the dignity of the state.
- The Perpetual-Motion Man Came Downtown Armed
Before Dr. Hannibal Mills shot a man in the Occidental saloon, he told a restaurant waiter he would not live until morning and announced, “I'm God, the devil and himself.”
- The Tragic End of the Steamboat Annie Faxon
A boiler explosion on the Snake River kills eight passengers and crew, leaving only wreckage in its wake.
- Fatal Accident on the Commercial Street Trestle
A well-known local character and former steamboat steward is killed by an electric streetcar.
- The Judge, the Marshal, and the Restaurant Rumor
A federal judge denied a Tacoma newspaper's claim that he had plotted with election marshals—and defended the government's right to police the polls.
- A Soup Kitchen Brawl
Two cooks at the Poodle Dog restaurant settle a professional dispute with knives and dinnerware.
- The Dance Hall Regular and the Broken Gun
A failed pawn shop transaction in a Commercial Street shop leads to an arrest and a look into the city's 'suspicious' nightlife figures.
- The Disappearing Daughter of Seattle
After vanishing from Lake Washington, Nellie Holgate's convoluted tale of abduction and cross-country transport leaves her family heartbroken and the public skeptical.
- The Parasol Beatdown on Commercial Dock
A husband’s attempt to slip away from his marriage is thwarted by an irate wife and her umbrella.
- The Unseen Domestic Workforce of 1891 Seattle
A scan of the classifieds reveals a city built on the labor of women seeking work in restaurants, lodging-houses, and private homes.
- The Secret Lunch of the Frugal Merchant
A chance encounter in a 'tough' neighborhood restaurant reveals the hidden economic anxieties of Seattle's business class during a local recession.