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 |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 130 |
| 1883 | 799 |
| 1884 | 455 |
| 1885 | 838 |
| 1886 | 492 |
| 1887 | 484 |
3,198 stories
- A Neighborhood Under Siege: The Fatal Feud of Fourth Street
A quiet funeral for Fred M. Hall masks a violent, month-long dispute between neighbors that ended in a fatal shooting and a town paralyzed by fear.
- The Tragic End of the Moncks
A young couple is found dead in a Seattle hotel room, a desperate final act following the husband's unemployment.
- Inside the Tulalip Indian School
A rare 1883 report on the daily operations, hardships, and boarding school labor practices at the Tulalip reservation.
- Lobbyist Admits to Bribing Lawmakers
A longtime lobbyist testifies that he received thousands of dollars from the Northern Pacific Railway to kill legislation in the Washington Territorial House.
- The Northern Pacific Stakes its Claim
Railroad giants bond the Dr. H. A. Smith farm for a new Seattle terminus.
- Sailors Sue the Ship Challenger Over Abuse at Sea
Eight sailors sue for wages and damages after allegedly being beaten with clubs and belaying pins during a voyage from Philadelphia to Tacoma.
- The Green River Coal Land Dispute
A law firm linked to the Northern Pacific Railroad is accused of using armed men to seize coal-rich land from local settlers.
- Marriage at the Center of an Exclusion Crisis
A Seattle couple's travel plans are halted by the Chinese Restriction Act, sparking a legal struggle for their right to move freely.
- Forced Relocation at Puyallup
Government authorities move indigenous students to Oregon to hasten 'the civilizing process.'
- Tragedy at the Barrel Factory
A young worker loses his life in a horrific industrial accident at the Seattle Manufacturing Company.
- The Benevolent Monopoly: Henry Villard Promises a New Railroad
Northern Pacific President Henry Villard visits Seattle to discuss expansion and pledges a new railroad line to the coal fields, cementing the city's future.
- A Damning Verdict on Steamboat Safety
Following the sinking of the steamer Josephine, a King and Kitsap County grand jury finds the vessel's destruction was caused by 'gross negligence' and a failure to enforce maritime safety.
- Seattle Merchants Raise $150,000 to Bypass Monopoly Rails
Prominent citizens meet at the offices of McNaught, Ferry, McNaught & Mitchell to secure a standard-gauge rail link to the Green River coalfields.
- The Fiery End of the Steamship Mississippi
A historic blockade runner turned coal vessel is lost to a massive wharf fire in Seattle.
- The Brutal Reality of the Cigar Factory
The Cigar Makers' Union uncovers the exploitation of children and girl laborers working grueling hours in Seattle.
- The Tragic End of the Steamer Fanny Lake
A boiler explosion leaves the familiar local craft a ruined hulk on the waterfront.
- The Horror at Fort Steilacoom
A former minister exposes systemic abuse and torture at the territorial hospital for the insane.
- The Northern Pacific Bets Everything on the North
A high-level interview reveals the railroad's expansion into British Columbia and their vision of making Portland the gateway to the Pacific.
- A Brutal Shooting Gallery Killing
A Seattle shooting gallery proprietor is found murdered, sparking a swift coroner’s inquest that points to a traveling companion.
- Seattle Citizens Broke Ground on Their Own Railroad
How Seattle’s local investment and grit built a railroad when the Northern Pacific chose Tacoma.
- Seattle Welcomes the Nation's Press
A grand banquet at the Hotel Brunswick celebrates the Northern Pacific Railroad's arrival, marking Seattle as the new commercial capital of the Northwest.
- The City’s Great Reshaping
Massive earth-moving projects on the hills of Seattle are transforming the landscape, burying the old city to make room for the new.
- The Strange Mystery of the Snoqualmie Road
A young laborer is found dead in Lake Washington, but the investigation into his companions reveals a web of confusion and suspicious departures.
- The Mystery of the Buried Box
A construction crew in Lake City unearths a crate containing human remains, but by the time authorities arrive, the evidence has mysteriously vanished.
- The Gospel-Ship Scam on Puget Sound
How a pious Olympia minister raised international funds to build a missionary vessel, only to pivot it into a lucrative towboat business.