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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 2 |
| 1883 | 2 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1887 | 1 |
| 1889 | 6 |
| 1891 | 4 |
| 1892 | 8 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1894 | 6 |
| 1895 | 4 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 2 |
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50 stories matching devolv
- A Judge Takes Aim at Seattle's Charter Reformers
Judge Orange Jacobs mocks the men who promised a new city charter would cure every municipal ill — and doubts any document can make people honest.
- The 1893 Plan to Untangle Seattle’s Government
A powerful city official wanted a stronger mayor, a one-house council, and fewer commissions—arguments Seattle still has today.
- The Captain’s Silence: A Seattle Court Rules on Brutality at Sea
In a landmark Admiralty case heard in Seattle in 1872, Judge Jacobs holds ship owner E.A. Nickels liable for the brutal beating of sailor Frank Griffin, establishing that a captain's failure to stop abuse is an endorsement of it.
- The Bloody Battle of Washington Street
A federal opium sting operation devolved into a chaotic, axe-wielding melee in a dark room in Pioneer Square.
- The Day Washington Was Born: A City Holds Its Breath
As the nation celebrates statehood, Seattle gathers in a packed hall to hear speeches on liberty, land fraud, and the future of the 'Queen City.'
- Steilacoom Empties Its Garrison for a Near-War on San Juan Island
On Aug. 9, 1859, soldiers and two brass cannon left Steilacoom aboard the steamer Julia to reinforce Capt. Pickett’s tiny command, as the U.S. and Britain edged toward war over a boundary and a pig.
- The Great Seattle Audit: When the Mayor Defended the Ledger
Facing down accusations of corruption and fiscal recklessness, Seattle’s outgoing mayor releases a meticulous—and defensive—account of his administration's massive infrastructure push.
- The Powerhouse Killing in Hamilton
A quarrel over steam, firewood and a dollar a day left an electric-light manager dead, a young night watchman charged with murder, and a town talking of lynching.
- The Political Brawl for Tacoma’s Soul
After 214 ballots, a fractured city council finally elects a president, exposing a bitter web of accusations, bribery allegations, and 'anti-boodler' fervor.
- The macabre post-mortem of a sideshow giant
After a circus performer died in Ellensburg, local authorities and doctors went to gruesome lengths to extract profit from his corpse.
- The Never-Ending Senatorial Deadlock
Legislative chaos in Olympia as power-brokering and petty infighting stall the selection of a U.S. Senator.
- The Political Circus at the Armory
A rowdy King County Republican convention reveals the deep divisions and high-stakes maneuvering behind the scenes of Washington's impending statehood.
- The Saloonkeeper and the Broken-Legged Laborer
A Seattle woman sues for the loss of her husband’s wages after a brutal assault at the St. Louis House saloon.
- The Political Pilgrimage to Steilacoom
In 1887, Washington Territorial legislators took a collective trip to inspect the state's asylum, but the solemn mission quickly devolved into a social affair that kept the real results hidden from the public.
- The City That Forgot to Flush: Seattle’s Shameful Sewer Crisis
As the population surges toward 40,000, an editorial warns that neglecting public health infrastructure is a 'crime' waiting for a deadly summer.
- The Battle for the Hall
When two rival labor factions attempted to book the same venue for their organizational meeting, the dispute devolved into a chaotic scramble for possession of the room.
- A Screaming Farce at Pioneer Square
Proponents and opponents of a Seattle bond issue clash in a volatile open-air debate that devolves into name-calling and public disruption.
- The Asylum for Impecunious Politicians
A satirical look at the backroom deals, bribery, and state-level corruption behind the selection of a new government institution site in Yakima.
- The Garrison Creek Brawl
A horse trade gone wrong ended in a violent, multi-generational melee that left an entire family bloodied in court.
- The Great Aberdeen Salary Grab
A contentious city council meeting devolves into public accusations of graft and infighting over municipal salaries.
- The Town's Pest House Dilemma
A Garfield official and a local doctor clash over who should pay for a young man's post-quarantine clothing.
- A Fourth of July Rivalry
A competitive spirit boiled over between Yakima and Ellensburg, culminating in heavy betting and a frantic hose team race.
- Yakima Democrats Nominate Full Slate at 1892 County Convention
Party faithful gathered in North Yakima to pick candidates, adopt a platform, and vow to clean up state government.
- The Brawling Reformers of Snohomish
A satirical account of a local political meeting that devolved from religious indignation into a drunken saloon brawl.
- Railroad Lobbyists Left Grumbling in Olympia
A legislative meeting with railroad attorneys devolved into a farce when key senators failed to show, leaving the powerful corporation representatives dazed and empty-handed.