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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1914 | 165 |
| 1915 | 193 |
| 1916 | 208 |
| 1917 | 184 |
| 1918 | 28 |
778 stories
- The Fruit Market Meltdown
Kennewick's fruit growers faced a financial disaster as over-ripe shipments caused market prices to collapse in the Midwest.
- Fatal Ambush on the Northern Pacific
A railroader and a brakeman are gunned down in a mid-transit robbery that leaves investigators baffled.
- The Battle for Kennewick’s Waterfront
A bitter civic argument erupts over a harbor expansion plan, pitting proponents of organized public infrastructure against critics who fear taxpayer-funded overreach.
- The Midnight Rail Raid in Kennewick
Law enforcement turns a routine freight train inspection into a high-speed chase, leaving hoboes running for their lives.
- The County Agent, the Sugar Beet, and the Strawberry Harvest That Finally Went Right
In his 1916 annual report, county agriculturalist Lee M. Lampson chronicled a quiet revolution in Benton County — homegrown seed, revived sugar beets, cooperative buying, and the federal employment office that finally matched a thousand strawberry pickers to the ripening crop.
- The State's Rabies Crackdown
Facing an outbreak of rabies, Washington state officials grant peace officers and citizens the power to destroy unmuzzled dogs on sight.
- The River Overflows Its Banks
A winter deluge causes catastrophic damage to Kennewick’s infrastructure, livestock, and irrigation systems.
- The Price of Loyalty in Kennewick
Mayor Sherk forms a Vigilance Corps to monitor local residents for signs of 'disloyalty' toward the U.S. war effort.
- Lutheran Church Defies Vigilance Corps Over German Schooling
Citing constitutional religious liberty, the Bethlehem Lutheran congregation refuses to shutter their school during World War I nationalist fervor.
- A Four-Vote Swing Turns an Election
An official canvass overturns a preliminary count, leaving County Commissioner J.B. Clements as the Democratic nominee by the thinnest of margins.
- The Columbia River Finally Opens to Navigation
Steamers Teal and Empire meet in the new waterway basin, signaling a new era for Kennewick trade.
- Tribal Fishing Rights Upheld in Court
Federal officials successfully defend Indian fishing rights in a legal skirmish against the state game warden.
- The Taxing of the Gypsies
A local attorney critiques the county assessor's aggressive collection of taxes from an encampment of travelers.
- The Indignation at the Oiled Road
Citizens hold an 'indignation meeting' to condemn the poor state of the road between Finley and Kennewick and the officials responsible for its maintenance.
- The Stockyards That Were Really About Raising the Value of Sand and Sagebrush
When Pasco promoters pushed stockyards at Ainsworth, Kennewick’s editor saw a railroad, a packer and owners of “practically worthless” land getting a public subsidy. He wanted no part of it.
- A Gasser, a Picnic, and a Promise: Kennewick Bets on Oil and Gas
Drillers pause to case off 400 feet of water, 85 people picnic at the well, and a Yakima promoter promises a franchise — and maybe oil — by summer.
- The World at War, Felt in Kennewick
As Europe descends into the First World War, Kennewick residents with roots in Germany, Belgium, and Britain watch the news with growing anxiety and divided loyalties.
- A Close Call in the Cleaning Room
A gasoline explosion at a Kennewick dry-cleaning shop reminds residents of the dangers lurking in their businesses.
- Reckless Cowboys Cause Carriage Wreck
A family carriage is overturned near the Columbia River after being set upon by a group of rowdy horsemen.
- The Blight That Swept the Highlands
As pear trees wither overnight, local orchardists warn that only immediate, coordinated action can save the region's agricultural heart.
- Kennewick’s Saloon Keepers Pivot to Soft Drinks
As Washington State approaches prohibition in 1916, local bar owners prepare to trade spirits for sodas, card tables, and light lunches.
- Strawberry Growers Demand Outside Leadership
Kennewick berry farmers reject local management, insisting on professional oversight from outside the region to stabilize the market.
- The Battle for the Strawberry Market
Kennewick strawberry growers attempt to end internal price-cutting by forming a unified marketing union.
- The Town That Forgot to Define Its Borders
A paperwork blunder in Kennewick’s precinct boundaries leaves residents of three major additions accidentally disenfranchised, forcing a two-month delay for harbor elections.
- A Near-Fatal Jolt at the Haystack
A routine day of farm repairs turned into a brush with death when a derrick cable made contact with a power line near Finley.