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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 130 |
| 1883 | 799 |
| 1884 | 455 |
| 1885 | 838 |
| 1886 | 492 |
| 1887 | 484 |
3,198 stories
- A Family’s Tragic End in the First Ward
A domestic dispute in Seattle ends with a wife dead, a husband in custody, and a toddler left in the wake of the violence.
- The Myth of the 'Lawless' Frontier
While regional papers fueled rumors of anarchy in Seattle during the anti-Chinese riots of 1885, the local press insisted the city was safer than ever.
- The Shadow of the Anti-Chinese Movement in Puyallup
A local meeting of citizens and the Sheriff turns into a mass swearing-in of deputy sheriffs as anti-Chinese agitation reaches a fever pitch.
- The Deadly Night at Bennett’s Headquarters
A saloon shooting on the Green River turns into a tragic lesson on the dangers of 'doping' whisky and the thin line between murder and manslaughter.
- The Hypocrisy of the Anti-Chinese Movement
An editorial rebuke to Seattle businessmen who exploited anti-Chinese fervor for public clout while quietly retaining their labor, amid rising local tensions.
- The Struggle for Order in 1885 Olympia
As anti-Chinese riots swept through Tacoma and Seattle, the citizens of Olympia gathered to pass a desperate set of resolutions, hoping to avoid the 'lawless expulsion' of their neighbors.
- Tragedy at Franklin Mine: A Fatal Night for Three Workers
A high stump falls through a miners' cabin, taking three lives and leaving families in mourning in South Seattle.
- Vancouver Paper Acknowledges Sympathy for Expelling Chinese Residents
A 1885 dispatch from the Vancouver Independent reveals the chilling, unchecked spread of anti-Chinese sentiment as communities across the Washington Territory debated the forced removal of residents.
- Railroads Drew Pencil Lines to Claim Millions of Acres
A scathing official report exposes how railroad corporations in Washington Territory and beyond used fraudulent land maps and 'pencil-line' routes to displace settlers and hoard public resources.
- The State of the Territory: 1885
Governor Watson C. Squire delivers a wide-ranging address on Washington's rapid growth, the need for a penitentiary, and the rising 'anti-Chinese' labor tensions in Seattle.
- The Young Man Who Gave Port Townsend Water
While town officials debated for years, one enterprising citizen took matters into his own hands and built the city’s first private waterworks system.
- The Tragedy on Long Prairie
A haunting account of a family destroyed by poverty and mental health crises, reminding us of the human cost lurking behind the pioneer narrative.
- The Union Siege of Newcastle
A standoff between organized labor and mine management reveals the growing power of the Knights of Labor in the coal fields near Seattle.
- The Great Cigar-Maker Swindle
A labor organizer lured 200 workers to Seattle with promises of steady jobs in California, only to abandon them penniless after pocketing their displacement costs.
- A Domestic Tragedy in Mount Pleasant
A husband's rage turns fatal when a neighbor intervenes to protect his wife and children.
- The Brutalization of Young David Morrison
A desperate plea for intervention as a young ward is subjected to unrelenting abuse by his guardian in King County.
- A Deadly Current on the Skykomish
A young man, already mourning a family tragedy, meets a fatal end after a rescue attempt turns into a river disaster.
- The Peril of the Newcastle Coal Mine
A coal miner appeals directly to the Territorial Governor after local officials ignore warnings of a persistent, dangerous fire at the Newcastle mines.
- Washington Territory Urges Congress to Reclaim Railroad Lands
A scathing editorial from 1886 demands the forfeiture of unearned railroad lands, accusing the Northern Pacific of holding the territory hostage for profit.
- The Brutal Reality of the 'Sailor's Home' in 1886
A local reporter exposes the predatory labor practices and 'blood money' schemes targeting sailors in Seattle's waterfront boarding houses.
- The Riotous Mock Legislature of 1886
A railroad-backed lobby, frustrated by their political losses at the Olympia legislative session, staged a rowdy mock government to harass and demean King County representatives.
- Miners March Thirty Miles for a Solidarity Strike
A group of Newcastle miners trekked across the territory to convince Franklin workers to shut down the pits in a labor dispute.
- Seattle Laborers Call for Boycott
The Workingmen's Club of Seattle organizes to support local widows by targeting businesses employing Chinese labor.
- The Push to Formalize Anti-Chinese Organizing
Dr. T. T. Minor proposes a territory-wide convention to systematically drive Chinese residents from Washington, mirroring efforts in California.
- Seattle's First Electric Lights
The Seattle Electric Light Company fires up its dynamo, turning darkness into a clear, white glow.