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 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
2,829 stories
- Chehalis Logger Minor Martin Drowns in River Crossing
A logger attempts to cross a swollen, rapid river in a damaged boat and drowns, leaving behind a family.
- Seattle’s Acting Mayor Ousted in Mystery Resignation
Dr. Sweeney resigns after a sudden, suspicious removal by the board of aldermen, sparking rumors of gambling influence.
- The Price of a Blind Eye
A Seattle official rejects a monthly bribe from local gamblers, exposing a deep-seated culture of corruption at City Hall.
- Mystery of the Stolen $3,000
A messenger's package vanishes on the Northern Pacific line, sparking a high-stakes search through Seattle’s elite circles.
- Forced into Marriage in Tacoma
A young woman is reportedly coerced by her father to marry a miner against her prior engagement.
- The Mayor's Attempt to Purge the Board of Public Works
A political power struggle plays out in court as the Mayor attempts to remove Republican board members under the guise of ethical violations.
- The Shingle Men's Secret Combine
Seattle and Ballard mill owners organize to seize control of pricing, threatening to freeze out independent dealers.
- The Great Transcontinental Rail and Steamship Rate War
Seattle merchants scramble to capitalize on a cutthroat battle between the Southern Pacific railroad and the Columbian Steamship Company that threatens the stability of Northern transit lines.
- The Unenforceable Exclusion
The federal government stalls on the Geary Act because it lacks the millions required to mass-deport Chinese residents.
- Tacoma’s Water and Light Bond Issue Struck Down
A Superior Court judge voids a $2,150,000 bond issue, citing municipal debt limits and technical failures in the election process.
- A Father’s Long Journey to Find His Missing Daughter
Thomas Holgate arrives in Seattle from South Dakota, heartbroken and desperate for answers regarding the disappearance of his daughter, Nellie, whose mysterious case remains unsolved.
- Flood Waters Ravage Duwamish Valley Farms
Farmers report $25,000 in damages and plan to petition county commissioners over neglected drainage locks.
- Fatal Quarrel in a Mining Camp
A love triangle between Newcastle miners ends in a shooting death.
- Seattle’s Post-Fire Financial Reckoning
City Comptroller Carson pushes a new bond issue to cover infrastructure costs and fire-related municipal debts.
- The Trial of Ursula Juanita Unfug
A sensational murder trial in Seattle has become a lightning rod for social scandal, with rumors of political corruption and witness tampering swirling around the case.
- Tacoma Breaks the Grip of 'Blood Money'
The city council votes to seize absolute control over saloon licensing to stop property owners from extorting payments.
- Seattle Voters Weigh Debt Bonds and Sewer Tunnel
Seattle voters head to the polls to decide whether to refinance the city's floating debt and complete the critical Lake Union sewer tunnel.
- A Paradise Prairie Tragedy
A young mother poisons her children and herself, leaving a farm family shattered.
- The Logger’s Right to be Paid
A landmark Supreme Court decision upholds the right of loggers to place liens on timber they harvested, shielding laborers from corporate efforts to dodge payroll.
- The Great Western Rate War
A former railroad commissioner warns that a price-cutting war between transcontinental rail lines is hemorrhaging millions in revenue and paralyzing local shipping.
- The Shingle Trust Squeezes Workers
Facing falling profits, the Washington and Oregon Shingle Manufacturers Association mandates wage cuts and production limits.
- The High-Stakes Gamble at City Hall
Local gambling syndicates prepare a desperate political maneuver to force Mayor Ronald to legalize their operations upon his return from the East.
- The Struggle for a Family’s Right to Stay Together
A Chinese merchant battles in federal court after immigration authorities refused his wife entry to the United States.
- Capturing the Wild Great Northern Route
A photographer describes the thrill of documenting the newly opened Great Northern railway path, from the roaring falls of Spokane to the desolate, ghost-haunted ruins of McCartysville.
- The Tragedy at Mrs. Jordan's
A Newcastle man stands trial for the murder of John Downie after a deadly dispute involving a woman.