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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 2 |
| 1877 | 3 |
| 1878 | 2 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1883 | 4 |
| 1884 | 4 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1886 | 2 |
| 1887 | 1 |
| 1888 | 2 |
| 1889 | 9 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1893 | 4 |
| 1894 | 2 |
| 1895 | 3 |
| 1899 | 1 |
| 1903 | 3 |
| 1904 | 1 |
| 1909 | 2 |
| 1910 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 1 |
58 stories matching smart
- The Telegraphers Who Spilled Too Much Tea
Two railroad telegraph operators make the mistake of gossiping about a bridal couple over the wire, only to find the groom is a company superintendent.
- Union Seamen Defeated at Port Townsend
A bitter strike of sailors on the Puget Sound ends in failure after boarding house tactics and non-union labor break the blockade.
- The 'Dead Line' at the San Francisco Store
Before it became a retail hub, the basement of the San Francisco store in Seattle served as a federal jail where prisoners waited for trial while playing cards and bartering for tobacco.
- A Sloop Killing on the Waterfront
After a violent altercation on a boat docked between Pike and Union streets, a coroner's jury investigates the stabbing death of Benedict Sare.
- 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 Insanity Trial of Mrs. Meagher
A mother’s public accusation that her daughter was held in a house of prostitution results in a court hearing to determine her sanity.
- The Palace Coup at the Young Men’s Independent Club
A political faction attempts to seize control of a local club through backroom deals and 'gag rules,' only to be met with a revolt by the membership.
- The President’s Dust Storm: Roosevelt’s Outburst at Whitman College
On a sweltering Monday in May 1903, Teddy Roosevelt nearly derailed his own parade in Walla Walla, demanding the military stop marching through clouds of dust that coated him and his party.
- The Unproven Future of the 'Attractive Townsite'
Northern Pacific President Thomas F. Oakes visits the burgeoning town of Everett in 1892, skeptical of its long-term viability despite the optimism of its East Coast developers.
- The Skagit Stand-off: A Survey Interrupted
When federal surveyors moved onto Skagit lands without a treaty, they were met by 150 armed warriors ready to defend their sovereignty.
- A Local Merchant’s Grand Tour of China
Gee Hee, a prominent local Chinese capitalist, returns to Seattle after three years abroad, bringing tales of Chinese industrialization and failed railway schemes.
- The Editor Who Worked Himself to Death
Seattle Post-Intelligencer editor George H. Heilbron, warned by his doctor to rest, toiled on until his brain gave out — and nearly the whole city turned out to bury him.
- The Herring Oil Boom on Puget Sound
A new industry turns Puget Sound's abundant herring and dogfish into a lucrative oil enterprise, promising a 'little fortune' for those early to the trade.
- The City’s Illicit Sidewalk Assessment
After the Supreme Court declared a sidewalk assessment 'void and contrary to law,' James Stanaford fights City Hall to reclaim his money.
- Tragedy at the Ballard Mill
A routine day of labor on the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railroad turns fatal when a worker is struck by a rolling log.
- The High-Stakes Duel on Jackson Street
Two prominent Seattle businessmen settled a long-standing rivalry with an elaborate, heavily trained, and well-wagered foot race across a city bridge.
- The Tragedy of the Dancing Mouse
A tiny creature with a flair for the dramatic met her end while trying to enjoy a violin performance in the comfort of a private home.
- The Wrestling Match That Ended in a Near-Riot
A high-stakes wrestling bout at Turner Hall descended into chaos when the Japanese contestant collapsed, leaving the crowd baying for answers.
- The Night the Jay Rial Company Insulted Spokane Falls
A packed house at Cannon's Hall got a mangled 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' — and the local critic did not hold back.
- The Coal Mines of Green River
A firsthand account of the booming mining operations at Black Diamond and the growing industry near Seattle.
- The 'Smart' Grift: A Frontier Romance Scammer
A Chinese laborer attempts to use the legal system to recover money lost to a romantic swindler who promised marriage but disappeared with his cash.
- Convicted in Five Days: The 1877 Murder Case That Shocked a Seattle Editor
After Solomon Baxter was killed, John Thompson went from arrest to a first-degree murder conviction in less than a week. The local paper called it a 'summary proceeding' with no parallel in American law.
- Four Shots at a Seattle Policeman—and a Potato in the Revolver
Harry C. Good, a popular young salesman, is held on $10,000 bail after wounding Officer J. W. Glasscock at Third and Marion, while old friends recall the time they replaced his pistol cylinder with a potato.
- A Denial and a Threat: W. H. Evring Fires Back at Murder Plot Accusations
Accused of plotting to kill a ship captain, Whatcom businessman W. H. Evring writes a fiery letter denying everything—and warning his enemies he'll be back.
- The Great Snohomish Church Hunt: Why Our Clergy Keep Fleeing
A local editorial lambasts the community's inability to retain a minister, blaming itinerant preachers for their incompetence and demanding a permanent, educated clergyman who will actually work rather than just preach.