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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 1 |
| 1877 | 1 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 1 |
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 5 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1892 | 6 |
| 1893 | 3 |
| 1894 | 8 |
| 1895 | 5 |
| 1899 | 2 |
| 1903 | 5 |
| 1904 | 3 |
| 1909 | 7 |
| 1910 | 1 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1923 | 1 |
63 stories matching refund
- A Fraudulent Promise of Work
Employment agents defend their reputation after sending laborers on a fruitless, costly trip to British Columbia.
- The Great Land Reclaim: The Fight Over Northern Pacific’s Unearned Rails
A legislative push in 1886 aimed to strip the Northern Pacific Railroad of vast swaths of public land it held but failed to build upon, seeking to return it to settlers.
- The Perilous 42-Day Voyage of the SS Shawmut
Passengers recount a chaotic journey from Manila to Tacoma, marked by boiler failures, mutinous crews, and the tragic deaths of three firemen.
- The Vultures of the Job Market
Everett labor organizers expose the predatory practices of private employment agencies that steal from the city's most vulnerable job seekers.
- The Seattle Baseball Management Moves to Evict Hecklers
After players were subjected to racist slurs and verbal abuse from the stands, the Seattle club announces a new 'no-tolerance' policy for fans.
- The Great Seattle Homestead Fraud
A whistleblower exposes how workers were swindled out of their hard-earned money by a predatory land development scheme.
- The Great Seattle Housing Lottery of 1888
Promoters promised a ‘small fortune’ to anyone buying a lot, dangling five fully finished cottages as a randomized bonus in an early, high-stakes real estate marketing scheme.
- The Price of a Day's Pay: Seattle’s 1887 Labor Brokers
A deep dive into the predatory practices of late 19th-century employment agencies that thrived on the desperation of transient laborers.
- The 1888 Seattle Housing Gamble
Developers promised a 'small fortune' to lucky buyers in this early Seattle land scheme.
- The Real Estate Giveaway That Promised a 'Small Fortune'
In 1888, developers sold off 60 lots in Seattle with a high-stakes gambling hook: a chance to win a fully built cottage on your property.
- Vote Dry and Pay 45½ Mills: The Saloon-License Arithmetic of 1909
With $10,000 to $15,000 of street grading already on the books, an anonymous Newport property owner argues that local option on Sept. 7 would hand taxpayers a $3,890 hole in the town budget — and one of the heaviest levies in the county.
- Newport’s Financial Crisis
Local banks refuse to honor city warrants, sparking a standoff between the town council and local saloon owners.
- Hanford Settlers Win Fight for Cheaper Water
After a hard-fought battle, the state Public Service Commission slashes irrigation rates for Hanford farmers, promising a new era of development.
- The Railway Scheme That Failed
A phantom freight tariff, designed to crush independent grocers, is exposed and vetoed by the railroad manager himself.
- The House-Lot Lottery of 1888
In an era of rapid expansion, Seattle developers entice buyers with a high-stakes gimmick: buy a lot, and you might just win a free cottage.
- A Case of Mistaken Identity and the Seattle Jail
A young man finds himself locked up in Victoria after a contract dispute gets messy, leading to a scramble for his release.
- The Price of Political Patronage
A prominent Seattle Democrat finds his wallet on the line after his protégé, a municipal court clerk, vanishes with nearly a thousand dollars in public funds.
- Seattle's Jackson and Rainier Lots Came With Cottages
In 1888, a massive housing development promised buyers a 'small fortune' by raffling off luxury cottages to lucky land purchasers.
- When a Railroad Pass Was a Bribe in a Pocket
A Tacoma editor demands Washington's lawmakers enforce the constitutional ban on free train passes, arguing the 'courtesy' bought influence one legislator at a time.
- The Price of Progress: Aberdeen’s 1890 Infrastructure Bond
Facing a massive backlog of bridge repairs and road construction, Chehalis County commissioners move to tax residents for a sweeping modernization plan.
- School Board Debt Scandal
Walla Walla residents head to the polls to rectify the school board's unauthorized debt, but skeptics wonder who really benefits from the higher interest rates.
- The Tacoma Check-Kite Who Vanished Into Thin Air
A mysterious stranger from San Francisco duped local merchants out of hundreds of dollars with worthless drafts before disappearing, leaving a trail of broken trust in the heart of downtown Tacoma.
- The School Tax Battle in Walla Walla
The Statesman defends its stance on school bonds against accusations of political sabotage by a rival paper.
- The Social Siege of Miss Alioa Burns
A young Seattle resident is expelled from a Tacoma club dance, sparking a standoff and a threat of legal retribution.
- Double License, Double Trouble in Issaquah
When Gilman—now Issaquah—incorporated, its new council demanded a second liquor license from saloonkeepers who had already paid King County. The county prosecutor said he could not protect them or refund their money.