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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 2 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 2 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 7 |
| 1876 | 15 |
| 1877 | 37 |
| 1878 | 25 |
| 1879 | 2 |
| 1880 | 14 |
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 19 |
| 1884 | 15 |
| 1885 | 34 |
| 1886 | 11 |
| 1887 | 18 |
| 1888 | 35 |
| 1889 | 39 |
| 1890 | 11 |
| 1891 | 58 |
| 1892 | 135 |
| 1893 | 152 |
| 1894 | 163 |
| 1895 | 234 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 7 |
| 1899 | 18 |
| 1900 | 7 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 91 |
| 1904 | 46 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1907 | 6 |
| 1908 | 16 |
| 1909 | 67 |
| 1910 | 17 |
| 1911 | 2 |
| 1912 | 2 |
| 1914 | 9 |
| 1915 | 4 |
| 1916 | 19 |
| 1917 | 14 |
| 1923 | 4 |
| 1924 | 11 |
| 1925 | 5 |
135 stories matching file
- The Morning the Land Office Doors Nearly Came Off Their Hinges
Dozens of men stormed the Olympia land office at 9 a.m. to file on a timber township worth a fortune — but the filings were a railroad's opening move in a legal war over the public domain.
- Loggers Win Right to Collective Lien
A landmark state supreme court decision empowers loggers to file collective liens against companies for unpaid wages.
- The High-Stakes Fight for Sunnyside Land
A legal battle over valuable desert land reveals a history of failed filings, rejected appeals, and government corruption in the Sunnyside district.
- Mount Vernon and Anacortes Vie for County Seat
Skagit County faces a power struggle as petitioners move to shift the county seat from Mount Vernon to Anacortes.
- A 42-Acre Land Fight Near Zillah Ends—For Now
Federal commissioners uphold local land officers in a long-running contest over 42 acres near Zillah, where the Bartholet family filed three times and paid $1.25 an acre trying to prove up desert land.
- A Newspaper Feud in Tacoma
Tacoma Tidende editor Dick Blaauw filed an affidavit denying the Ledger's claim he was bought by McGraw's campaign.
- The 'Indolent' Husband Who Fired His Lawyer
When William Allen was sued for divorce by a wife who claimed he was too lazy to support her, he decided to represent himself—and his court filing for 'rheumatic pain' is a masterclass in 19th-century legal DIY.
- The Corpse, the Fire, and the Vanishing Policy
William Radloff disappeared after putting a corpse in his house and torching the structure. With his life-insurance policy now lapsed, his wife has filed no claim—leaving Seattle to wonder what really happened.
- She Asked the Court for Her Maiden Name Back
Alma C. Van Epps filed for divorce and alimony in Olympia, alleging assault and cruelty and asking the court to restore her name and divide the property.
- A Foggy Night on the Sound
A collision between two steamships leads to a libel lawsuit and the suspension of a captain.
- Great Northern Moves to Seize Downtown Blocks
The expanding railway network files suit to condemn an entire city block, displacing residents and businesses in the Whitechapel district.
- Mill Owners Battle State Over Waterfront Rights
A major lumber company files an injunction to stop the State Harbor Line Commission from seizing mill property and wharves under new, secret harbor mapping.
- A New Rail Link for Aberdeen
Investors file articles for the Puget Sound & Pacific Ocean Railroad to connect the timber-rich lands of Mason County directly to the coast.
- The Elma Iron Rush
Local prospectors are convinced they have struck it rich in the hills east of Elma, filing claims for iron deposits by the wholesale.
- The Divorce Case of the Pipe-Smoking Bride
A suburban Tacoma man files for divorce, citing his wife’s preference for tobacco over domestic obedience and her alleged indiscretions with neighbors.
- The Mayor's Selective Hatchet
A critical look at Mayor Ronald’s inconsistent logic in his attempt to fire board members over the city's tunnel sewer project.
- The Bitter Grocery Store Feud
A partner’s dramatic claim of intimidation and forced stock surrender rocks the Haley Grocery Company.
- A Life-Altering Elevator Accident at the Bank
A young student files a $25,000 lawsuit against the Seattle National Bank Building Company after a gruesome elevator accident leaves her permanently disfigured.
- Crew of Steamer Idaho Sues for Unpaid Wages
Fourteen mariners file a federal libel suit against their own vessel, alleging the ship's owners failed to pay their wages.
- The Tacoma Scandal That Turned Domestic
After filing for divorce and suing for damages, a wife launches a criminal adultery prosecution against her husband and his new business partner.
- The Fight for a Son’s Birthright in Pioneer Seattle
A prominent Chinese merchant takes the extraordinary step of filing court petitions to prove his son is an American citizen and thus eligible to own property.
- The Mock Wedding Scandal
A Seattle bride files for divorce, revealing her husband tricked her into a sham ceremony before marrying her for real under the watch of a constable.
- Settlers Beat the State to the Best School Lands
Washington's land commissioners say squatters are claiming the best parcels before the state can select them for schools, putting millions at risk.
- Ballot Box Battle in Goldendale
A tight election leads to accusations of fraud, lost ballots, and an appeal for funds in a county split by Populist politics.
- A Mystery in the School District Archives
A search through district records reveals suspicious 'straw bonds' and contract irregularities in the building of a new school.