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 |
|---|---|
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 3 |
| 1877 | 5 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 1 |
| 1883 | 3 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1887 | 4 |
| 1888 | 4 |
| 1889 | 18 |
| 1890 | 3 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1892 | 31 |
| 1893 | 32 |
| 1894 | 21 |
| 1895 | 10 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 7 |
| 1900 | 3 |
| 1903 | 8 |
| 1904 | 17 |
| 1909 | 9 |
| 1910 | 1 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1914 | 2 |
| 1915 | 4 |
| 1916 | 5 |
| 1917 | 2 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1923 | 1 |
| 1924 | 1 |
| 1925 | 1 |
223 stories matching trigger
- The Desperate Train Break to Walla Walla
A convicted prisoner attempts to escape his guards while being transported to the state penitentiary, triggering a tense standoff on a moving train.
- The Great Beacon Hill Slide of 1892
Engineers and laborers scramble to contain a massive earth collapse threatening South Fourteenth Street.
- Duo Escapes Ellensburg Jail
Two men, one accused of murder and another of a stabbing, broke out of the local jail, triggering a $200 reward for their capture.
- Seattle Seeks to Regulate Motorists After Fatal Crash
A tragic accident at First and Madison streets triggers a new city proposal to license all automobile drivers.
- Forest Fire Near Port Angeles
A careless picnic party triggers a massive blaze that destroys timber between Port Angeles and Port Crescent.
- A Point-Blank Escape
Ida Witikka wins divorce after husband attempts to kill her with a revolver on the Fourth of July.
- Street Grading Blunder Ruins Home
A Seattle property owner sues for $10,000 after city street work triggers landslides.
- Fire Destroys Home in Loomis
A local family lost their home to fire, triggering a massive show of support from the generous Loomis community.
- Sidewalk Accident Triggers Municipal Lawsuit
A pedestrian seeks $1,800 in damages after a fall on a broken path between two industrial landmarks.
- Smallpox Terror in Newcastle
A traveler arriving from California triggers a panic in the mining town, recalling the painful toll of an outbreak the previous year.
- The Great Ellensburg Prison Break
Three territorial prisoners pull off a daring escape from the Ellensburg jail, triggering a county-wide manhunt.
- A Murder Trial Turns on Who Pulled the Trigger
Fred Stubbs's fate went to a Tacoma jury after a three-day trial for the killing of Thomas Vandiver; the defense argued the gun went off in a struggle.
- Five Killed by a Premature Blast on the Monte Cristo Road
A construction crew building the mountain railroad into the Monte Cristo mining district was caught in a landslide triggered by an untimely explosion — one body recovered, four carried off by the current.
- The Great Log Jam of 1877
Heavy autumn rains trigger a massive flood on the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers, sweeping timber mills and millions of feet of logs downstream.
- County Commissioner Quits Over Business Conflicts
The lone Populist on the Whitman County board steps down, claiming the demands of public office are bad for his bottom line.
- The Great Chinook Flood of 1925
A rapid thaw across the Yakima Valley triggered widespread flooding, inundating low-lying roads and Crab Creek in the highest water event in over a decade.
- Boiler Explosion Leaves Chehalis in the Dark
A mechanical failure at the local mill triggers an city-wide blackout, prompting residents to demand a municipal power plant.
- Armed Robbery in Nearby Pasco Triggers Local Manhunt
Kennewick law enforcement mobilized to patrol rail lines following a violent highway robbery of a tourist in neighboring Pasco.
- A Municipal Debt Crisis
Chehalis County commissioners find themselves over their legal debt limit, triggering a halt on all warrants and a potential bond issuance.
- The Unlucky Suicide
A farmhand attempts to take his own life twice, only to find himself frustrated by his own survival and a change of heart.
- City Orders Halt to Blasting Near West Coast Wagon Factory
A contractor’s use of dynamite to excavate an addition to the West Coast wagon factory triggered alarm and complaints of structural damage from neighbors.
- Gold Fever in the Saloons
Massive, high-value quartz specimens from the Boise mines go on display in Walla Walla, fueling local speculation.
- Tragedy on a Whatcom County Farm
A young boy is killed by his older brother in a tragic, accidental shooting with a farm shotgun.
- The Price of Protection
A local businessman pleads guilty to habitual drunkenness to trigger a legal guardianship, hoping to shield his assets from local gamblers.
- The Tugboat Border War
A British tug is seized by U.S. authorities for towing a ship through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, triggering an international violation of maritime law.