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.
Refine
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 1 |
| 1858 | 1 |
| 1859 | 2 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1872 | 6 |
| 1876 | 46 |
| 1877 | 28 |
| 1878 | 13 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1880 | 10 |
| 1882 | 9 |
| 1883 | 39 |
| 1884 | 16 |
| 1885 | 31 |
| 1886 | 19 |
| 1887 | 17 |
| 1888 | 16 |
| 1889 | 46 |
| 1890 | 12 |
| 1891 | 35 |
| 1892 | 109 |
| 1893 | 93 |
| 1894 | 110 |
| 1895 | 132 |
| 1897 | 3 |
| 1898 | 13 |
| 1899 | 23 |
| 1900 | 10 |
| 1902 | 5 |
| 1903 | 42 |
| 1904 | 41 |
| 1905 | 5 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 14 |
| 1909 | 59 |
| 1910 | 23 |
| 1911 | 7 |
| 1912 | 9 |
| 1914 | 23 |
| 1915 | 13 |
| 1916 | 29 |
| 1917 | 22 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1922 | 2 |
| 1923 | 10 |
| 1924 | 5 |
| 1925 | 1 |
| 1929 | 2 |
1,161 stories matching help
- The Restaurant Labor War
A local restaurant owner’s political ambitions are challenged by the White Cooks and Waiters' Union over allegations of wage-slashing and exploitation.
- Caught in the Cement Pipe Works: A Lonely Cry for Help
A worker’s clothing snagged in the machinery at the Columbia Valley Cement Pipe Works. Alone and unable to cut the power, he called out—and a neighbor ran to save him.
- The Price of Poverty in 1877 Seattle
When the County Commissioners opened a new poor house, they explicitly designed it as a workhouse to deter the 'dissolute class' from seeking public assistance.
- Trapped on the Tide: Two Boys Stranded in a Waterfront Shack
While the city went about its business, two boys were left to drift into danger—and nearly starved in silence.
- Vagrancy Arrests Punished by Public Works
Two men arrested for panhandling after running out of money during the Fourth of July celebration are sentenced to five days of street cleaning.
- The Great Divide: The Fight for a Mountain Rail Link
As the population of Western Washington booms in 1882, Seattle residents grow tired of paying for infrastructure projects while Eastern Washington neighbors demand the work for free.
- The Divorce Consultation That Did Not Go As Planned
A determined woman visits a Seattle attorney seeking help to evict her husband, only to be told that the law does not work quite the way she imagined.
- The Pride of White Bluffs: High School Athletics Sweep the Hanford Rivalry
A banner week for local students as home-court advantage and spirited cheering help White Bluffs high school dominate the hardwood.
- The Salvation Army's Plan to End Urban Poverty
A proposal to move impoverished tenement dwellers from congested cities onto government-allotted public lands in the West.
- An Umbrella Lesson on Pike Street
A mother tracks her son to a saloon to force him home, wielding her umbrella in a public display of motherly discipline.
- The Professional Tailoress Wanted in 1891
A job advertisement from a ladies' intelligence bureau signals a high demand for skilled female labor in early Seattle.
- Vancouver Devastated by Blazing Inferno
A massive fire has razed the entire business district of Vancouver, Washington Territory, leaving the community in shock and rebuilding efforts underway.
- A Sawmill Manager Killed by a Runaway Log
C. F. Jones, manager of the Chehalis Lumber Company mill at Littell, was crushed at the log pond while helping unload a carload.
- The Courtroom Scream
A witness in a railroad injury trial lets out a blood-curdling set of shrieks from a locked room, sending the entire Federal Court into a panic.
- A Prospector's Plea for Support
A former Yukon miner writes to the editor asking for help to fund a prospecting expedition.
- The True Cost of a Hired Hand
A frank critique of the era's labor relations, arguing that farmer complaints about hired help often stem from poor treatment and meager food rather than a decline in worker character.
- The Final Tribute to a Pioneer Missionary
Seattle mourns Rev. Cushing Eells, the missionary and educator who helped secure the Washington Territory for America, as he is laid to rest at Lake View Cemetery.
- Who Should Pay for the Fireboat?
The Tacoma City Council debates whether taxpayers should fund fire protection for industrial waterfront property that pays no local taxes.
- Seattle Baseball Team Issues Call for Support
Local players aim to uphold their record against the Victoria club, but they need the community’s help to make the trip across the border.
- A Public Scrutiny of the Relief Home
A club woman challenges the management and endowment of the Ladies' Relief Society home, questioning its financial transparency and restrictive admissions.
- The Unbuilt Railroad That Was Meant to Change Seattle Forever
In 1882, Seattle business leaders were desperate for a direct rail connection to Walla Walla, believing their city’s future prosperity hinged on punching a line through the Snoqualmie Pass.
- Children Capture Coyote on Horse Heaven Ranch
Two young children on a Horse Heaven ranch showed remarkable courage, roping a full-grown coyote with the help of their dogs.
- The Great Strawberry Labor Scramble
As Kennewick prepares for its largest berry harvest in history, local growers are turning to the Exchange and coastal agencies to import hundreds of workers—specifically Japanese laborers—to handle the crop.
- The Mystery of the Fremont Drowning
A witness reports hearing a desperate cry for help near the old boathouse, but the lake surface holds no answers.
- The Tragedy of a Deserted Mother on the Seattle Waterfront
A young woman, abandoned by an abusive husband, finds herself destitute and desperate for passage back home to Portland.