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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 |
1,115 stories
- The Bustle Bandit of Front Street
A routine shopping trip in Seattle took a chaotic turn when a startled store rat sought refuge in the most unlikely place imaginable.
- The Butter Bandits of West Street
A bold group of petty thieves used a sophisticated 'sampling' scheme to systematically loot Seattle merchants.
- Seattle Voters Weigh Annexation in 1891 Special Election
Seattle prepares to redraw its boundaries, drafting a massive list of local citizens to man the polls for a city expansion that would fundamentally reshape the region.
- A Sudden Arrest at Seventh and King
A husband called the constable to a downtown lodging-house to arrest his wife for 'improper association,' only to drop the charges once he realized the consequences.
- The Jailer and the Cell: A Brutal Scuffle in 1891
A repeat offender turns the city jail into a ring for a violent, bloody showdown with his longtime adversary, the jailer.
- Seattle’s $15 Million Gamble: Voters Decide the City’s Fate on Jan. 26
Two historic special elections converge on a single day in January 1891: one to annex vast tracts of land including Salmon Bay, and another to authorize massive bond issues for infrastructure and debt relief.
- The Diva’s Relic: When a Sacred Charm Held Up a Seattle Opera
A superstitious cantatrice once refused to perform because she’d lost a piece of the True Cross—forcing her manager to hunt through trunks until the curtain rose.
- Manual Training in Seattle Schools
Seattle High School launches a new carpentry course, emphasizing hand-eye coordination for students while avoiding the ire of labor unions.
- The Bank Clerk's 'Accident' Settled
A shooting at the Washington National Bank, previously rumored to involve a mysterious woman, is dismissed as a careless accident by the victim himself.
- The Ghost-Digger of Terrace Street
A man’s desperate, muddy attempt to save lives that only existed in his own mind.
- The Boomtown Ledger: 43 Property Deals in One Day
A deep dive into Seattle's 1891 real estate frenzy reveals a city rapidly carving itself into existence, from the Lake Washington shoreline to new suburban additions.
- The Hotel Yakima Pocket-Picking
A theft at a temperance lecture leads to an arrest, a suspicious discharge, and a swift sentencing for a second offense.
- The Unfortunate Case of the Boiled Sock Coffee
A culinary disaster on the Columbia River ruins a cook's reputation forever.
- The Bird Eviction at the National Bank
When swallows built their nests in the eaves of the Yakima National Bank, the city’s firemen were called in to wash the feathered families away.
- A Farmer’s Scathing Critique of the Economic Machine
A North Yakima farmer writes a letter to the census bureau expressing his outrage at the plight of the working class versus railroads and trusts.
- The Vagabond Philosopher of Yakima
A traveling drifter offers a bizarre, theological defense of his nomadic lifestyle to a local reporter.
- Charity in the Cold: A Yakima Christmas in 1891
While many in Yakima enjoyed a comfortable holiday, neighbors stepped in to ensure that local families facing financial ruin still found a reason to celebrate.
- The Town's Growing Pains
A wave of petty crime in Aberdeen leads to the arrest of five men, highlighting the social tensions of a city suddenly flooded with transient workers.
- A Thief’s Tall Tale in Court
Charles Stevens offered a creative defense after being caught ransacking a room at a prominent Seattle lodging house.
- Tragedy at the Grand Central Hotel
A stranger is found dead in his room after a suicide note is discovered on a photograph.
- The Great Egg Duel of Vancouver
An offended soldier challenged a local man to a duel, but the combatants opted for a slightly less lethal choice of weapons.
- A Jeffersonian Medal Found in the River
A rare silver 'Peace and Friendship' medal from the Lewis and Clark era is discovered on an island in the Columbia River.
- The Shadow of Violence and Secrecy in Pioneer Seattle
A shocking arrest on charges of incest pulls back the curtain on the private lives of men who posed as 'dudes' in the city's downtown cigar district.
- The Northern Pacific Railroad's PR Pitch
A railroad executive reflects on the 'hard times' and the massive campaign to lure Easterners to the Washington territory.
- A Centennial Fight for Recognition
Local leaders urge the state to honor Captain Robert Gray’s discovery of Grays Harbor, fearing the legislature has sidelined local history in favor of the Chicago World's Fair.