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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1903 | 1,264 |
| 1904 | 106 |
1,370 stories
- Andrew Carnegie's $25,000 Gift for Walla Walla
After persistent lobbying by the local Commercial Club, the industrialist agrees to fund a new public library—if the city commits to ongoing maintenance.
- The Murder That Made Washington Decide Who Counted as Tribal
In 1903 the state Supreme Court upheld Tommy Santiago Howard's manslaughter conviction for killing Kate Arquette on the Puyallup Reservation, ruling that because he had no tribal ties, state court—not federal court—had jurisdiction.
- The Great Walla Walla Water War
A fiery public debate erupts over the future of the city's water system, pitting an existing investment against a controversial expansion plan.
- The Shadow of the Railroad King
Walla Walla business leaders face a harsh reality: their local economic destiny is now entirely controlled by E.H. Harriman, the transcontinental rail magnate.
- The Bank Wrecker’s Failed Empire
After swindling depositors to fund a coast-wide banking trust, H. St. John Dix faces ten years in the penitentiary.
- The Fight to Unlock Eastern Washington’s Water
Walla Walla leaders push for state irrigation reform to access millions in federal reclamation funding.
- Walla Walla Commercial Club Protests Fort Abandonment
Military brass eyes closure for the historic post, sparking a civic campaign from the Commercial Club to keep the soldiers in town.
- Walla Walla Committee Asks General Funston to Keep Fort
A committee from the Commercial Club met with General Funston to lobby against the military's plan to abandon the local garrison.
- The Secret Census of Incarcerated Aliens
Federal agents conduct a quiet, month-long sweep of Washington’s state institutions to identify non-citizens for deportation.
- Walla Walla Weighs Water Rights Against Costly Lawsuits
A legal dispute over riparian rights forces the city to weigh the cost of a new gravity system against the risk of massive damages.
- The Seven Titans Controlling the West
A new 'community of interest' among seven massive railroad syndicates threatens to choke competition and consolidate total power over Western freight routes.
- Walla Walla's Year of Fire
The local fire department reports a record-breaking 104 alarms for the year, including three major blazes that leveled local businesses.
- The Touchet River Water Wars
A Waitsburg milling company heads to court to force the railroad to yield ground for a new mill race.
- The End of the Garrison
Despite efforts by the Commercial Club, the Secretary of War confirms the permanent closure of Fort Walla Walla.
- Death Sentence for Charles Clarke
A judge in Olympia denies a new trial for a man convicted of murdering a 'sporting woman,' setting the date for his execution.
- The Marriage Defense
A lawyer attempts to delay a murder trial by arguing that the defendant is still legally married to the state's star witness.
- The Secret Land Deal Exposed
Allegations emerge that Mayor Hunt attempted to bypass a public vote to acquire the Thomas land for municipal use.
- A Tragic End Near Addy
A nineteen-year-old woman dies by suicide years after a forced annulment of her marriage, highlighting the societal pressures of the era.
- The Hunt for the Oakland School Fugitive
Bloodhounds track a murder suspect through the outskirts of Tacoma, leading to a tense, ongoing cat-and-mouse game with local law enforcement.
- The Machine Under Fire
An anonymous letter-writer accuses the local political establishment of corruption, illegal registrations, and voter suppression.
- The Myth of the Great Land Scandal
A federal official dismisses widespread rumors of a $50 million land fraud, even as regional timber speculators continue to exploit loopholes in the law.
- The End of the Cattle Barons' Land Grab
Federal authorities tighten rules on soldiers' homestead claims to stop large cattle companies from using widows as proxies to secure public land.
- A Heartbreaking Scene of Poverty
After a mother dies in North Yakima, authorities discover seven children starving in the family home.
- A Great Migration Toward the Pacific
Rev. J.E. Davidson leads a group of twenty-five Southern families to settle in Puget Sound, the beginning of a larger organized movement to escape racial violence.
- A Deadly Jealousy in South Seattle
After shooting a neighbor in a long-standing dispute, a woman’s husband argues that years of mental illness, not malice, drove her to violence.