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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 1 |
| 1877 | 5 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1883 | 2 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1886 | 3 |
| 1887 | 2 |
| 1888 | 1 |
| 1889 | 4 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 5 |
| 1892 | 15 |
| 1893 | 15 |
| 1894 | 29 |
| 1895 | 22 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1899 | 1 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1904 | 3 |
| 1909 | 4 |
| 1910 | 4 |
| 1911 | 2 |
| 1916 | 1 |
| 1917 | 1 |
| 1922 | 1 |
130 stories matching incompet
- A Bungled Case of Robbery and Bad Paperwork
A classic instance of municipal incompetence led to suspected robbers walking free after their bail money was returned due to a clerical error in the police department.
- The Asylum Poisoning Scandal
A state mental hospital is rocked by accusations that a patient was murdered, triggering a battle between local officials and an Eastern chemist.
- The Klickitat Sheep Inspector Scandal
After a costly and ineffective attempt to tax Oregon sheepmen, Klickitat County officials fire their inspector, sparking a local debate over governance and border control.
- Thrown Seventy Feet While Loading Coal
A Seattle teamster sued the Seattle, Shore & Eastern railway after a switch train smashed his wagon at Battery and Vine—and sent him flying.
- Aberdeen’s School Board Stalls on New Building
A local newspaper feud spills over into accusations of administrative incompetence and backroom dealing in the selection of an architect.
- The Inspector on Trial
Local steamboat captains revolt against a federal inspector accused of corruption, bullying, and selling life preservers for profit.
- Whistleblower Exposes Shoddy Work on County Almshouse
A veteran bricklayer alleges that the new county building was built with inferior materials and covered up with paint to deceive inspectors.
- The Auditor’s Scathing Reply
A war of words erupts between a Mason County auditor and the Adjutant-General over military duty records.
- The Great Population Bluff of 1887
A scathing editorial exposes how local politicians inflated King County’s census data, revealing the long history of 'boosterism' in Seattle's growth.
- Workers Plan Mass Protest Against Wage Cuts
Trade unionists organize a rally to voice grievances against local corporations and the city of Seattle.
- The Shingle Weavers' Stand
Ballard shingle mill workers refuse a wage reduction, leading to a clash as manufacturers attempt to bring in non-union replacement labor.
- The Short-Lived Reign of the 'Hotel Barber' Scoundrel
After five weeks of marital and managerial incompetence, a Seattle hotel proprietor's husband is sent packing—without the horse he tried to steal.
- Mayor Ronald Targets Health Board for Removal
A power struggle at City Hall pits the mayor against the Board of Sanitation over alleged incompetence, extravagance, and professional disrespect.
- Harbor Inspector Accused of Corruption
Seattle mariners and merchants join forces to oust a federal official accused of kickbacks, incompetence, and intimidation.
- Seattle's Sewer Scandal: A City Council in Disarray
Mayor Ronald’s scathing message exposes massive budget overruns and administrative incompetence in the city's public works department.
- The Anatomy of a Municipal Graft Scandal
Walla Walla looks to Ballard's sewer corruption and the failures of contractor H.E. Worley to warn citizens about municipal incompetence.
- Seattle Builders' Exchange Admits Defeat in Union-Busting Effort
After two years of labor strife and an influx of non-union workers, the contractors' association effectively concedes that union labor is the only reliable choice.
- State Highway Engineering or Political Theater?
A scathing editorial accuses the state highway engineer of prioritizing partisan optics over the crumbling roads of Benton County.
- The Political Reckoning in Spokane
A landslide victory for Republicans in Spokane signals a growing wave of public frustration with Democratic city administrations across Washington state.
- City Officials Accused of Corruption and Incompetence
Former Superintendent of Water Works files scathing charges against the Board of Public Works over pump contracts and political job-trading.
- The Palace Intrigue at Washington’s Agricultural College
A bitter power struggle ends with the firing of President Lilley, amid allegations of ghost-salaries and cronyism at the state's new college in Pullman.
- Labor Journal Launches Campaign Against the State Supreme Court
Everett’s labor organ alleges that five sitting justices conspired with corporations to rig the nomination process and undermine direct democracy.
- The Firing of the Deputy Labor Commissioner
Organized labor in Washington wages a public war of words against Commissioner C.F. Hubbard after he fires his female deputy for actually enforcing labor laws.
- A Family Feud Over a Lost Estate
A brother alleges that his sister's insanity was manufactured to seize her $100,000 fortune.
- The Merchants’ Bank Fails to Save Itself
Stockholders fall short of the Comptroller’s demand, leaving Charles H. Baker to wind up the failed Seattle bank.