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• 1904 ×

1. Smuggling Silks in His Trousers

   A crew member of the steamship Olympia attempts to bypass customs, revealing the era's aggressive enforcement against Chinese laborers.

   Mar 14, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyExclusion & Resistance · True Crime

2. A Runaway Caboose in Nisqually Canyon

   A train car breaks loose on the Tacoma Eastern line, turning into a runaway vehicle that ends in a wreck.

   Mar 24, 1904The Tacoma TimesEatonville, Pierce CountyDisasters

3. Seattle's Crackdown on 'Wine Rooms'

   City officials move to outlaw private booths and closed 'wine rooms' in saloons to curb illicit activity.

   Apr 2, 1904The Tacoma TimesSeattle, King CountyCity Hall · Nightlife

4. Tacoma’s Import Surge Signals Shift in Pacific Trade

   Harbormaster reports a massive 45 percent jump in imports for the first quarter of 1904, fueled by trade with the Orient.

   Apr 9, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust

5. The Case of the Missing Suitcase

   A boarder takes his landlords to court after his luggage mysteriously disappears from a local lodging house.

   Apr 9, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyHousing & Rent

6. City Leaders Form 'Improvement Society' to Push Paving and Sidewalks

   A new civic organization unites the Chamber of Commerce and local business groups to demand better roads and permanent cement sidewalks throughout Tacoma.

   Apr 9, 1904The Tacoma TimesYakima Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust

7. The Global Price of Local Barley

   Tacoma's grain markets feel the ripple effects of the Russo-Japanese War as international demand drives up local prices.

   Apr 9, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce County

8. Tacoma Outshines Seattle in Customs Race

   Despite a drop in imports, Tacoma's port activity and export volume substantially outpaces its neighbor to the north.

   Apr 11, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust

9. The Political Hustle for Tacoma's Streets

   As the Commissioner of Public Works lobbies for a raise for the Street Superintendent, political maneuvering behind the scenes suggests that Scott Snyder is the favored candidate for the lucrative city post.

   Apr 20, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

10. The Sting at a Puyallup Avenue Saloon

    A trio of men are robbed of cash and a gold watch by a woman acting as a decoy in a local saloon.

    Apr 21, 1904The Tacoma TimesPuyallup Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce CountyTrue Crime

11. Midnight Mugging on South D Street

    A streetcar conductor fights off two assailants after being ambushed on his walk home.

    Apr 27, 1904The Tacoma TimesSouth D Street, Tacoma, Pierce CountyTrue Crime

12. City Hall Shakes Up Police Department

    Tacoma replaces officers as the city prepares for a strict enforcement of municipal ordinances.

    May 2, 1904The Tacoma TimesOld Town, Tacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall · Nightlife

13. The American Danger: A Turn-of-the-Century Manifesto

    A jingoistic editorial from the Tacoma Times defining the nation's sense of self and global superiority in 1904.

    Jun 1, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce County

14. City Hall Threatens to Cancel Paving and Bridge Contracts

    Tacoma’s City Attorney warns that unfinished public works contracts on Pacific Avenue and the Puyallup River bridge may be nullified.

    Jun 2, 1904The Tacoma TimesPacific Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

15. The California Building Changes Hands

    A major real estate transaction hits the Tacoma market, marking the sale of a prominent downtown structure for over $100,000.

    Jun 3, 1904The Tacoma Times1014 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust

16. The Bunco Man’s Cold Feet

    After swindling a local man out of his savings, a group of confidence men returned the stolen cash in fear of the law.

    Jun 7, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyTrue Crime

17. Laundry Workers Take Over Spanaway Park

    1,300 Tacoma laundry workers and their families gathered for an annual picnic despite the rainy weather, competing in races and dancing into the evening.

    Jun 10, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyWork & Pay

18. Tacoma’s Masonic Temple Opens Its Doors

    A landmark for the city’s civic life, the new Masonic temple on St. Helens Avenue was dedicated with elaborate ceremonies today.

    Jun 13, 1904The Tacoma TimesSt. Helens Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce County

19. The Case for Overalls and Mud

    A mother asks for fashion advice for her nine-year-old, prompting a spirited editorial defense of childhood liberty and dirt-stained play.

    Jun 16, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyStrange But True

20. Tragic Choking Death on South G Street

    A local man succumbs to a sudden and peculiar accident in his home.

    Jul 8, 1904The Tacoma Times1105 South G Street, Tacoma, Pierce CountyStrange But True

21. The Christian Athlete: Military Encampment Keeps the Sabbath

    Despite the lure of recreation, soldiers at the local encampment gathered for Sunday services and athletics at the YMCA tent.

    Jul 11, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce County

22. The Great Puyallup Potato Feud

    A minor dispute over five trespassing pigs and a potato patch escalates from a neighborhood grievance to the Pierce County Superior Court.

    Jul 19, 1904The Tacoma TimesPuyallup, Pierce CountyStrange But True

23. Will the Railroad Finally Deliver a Depot?

    Northern Pacific president visits Tacoma with promises of a new train station, repeating a pledge from a previous visit.

    Jul 21, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust

24. Tacoma’s Bid for Global Trade

    Shipping lines pivot to Tacoma as West Coast ports suspend traffic with the Orient.

    Aug 2, 1904The Tacoma TimesPort of Tacoma, Tacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust

25. A Knockout at the Walla Walla Athletic Club

    A boxing match ends in less than a round, leaving the crowd stunned and the challenger dazed.

    Jan 2, 1904The Evening StatesmanWalla Walla, Walla Walla CountyNightlife

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