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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 98 |
| 1883 | 511 |
| 1884 | 326 |
| 1885 | 566 |
| 1886 | 361 |
| 1887 | 327 |
2,189 stories
- The Political Machine vs. Mr. Humes
A fiery struggle over county boundaries reveals a deep-seated battle between Seattle’s citizenry and the powerful railroad political machine.
- The Collapse of a Pioneer Financial Institution
When the Bank of Seattle shuttered its doors, the local economy faced a sharp, sobering moment as depositors and business owners grappled with the fallout.
- The Iron Road Approaches the Sound
Boosterism and optimism as the Northern Pacific Railroad nears completion for through travel to the Pacific.
- The Tragedy of the Steamer Josephine
Survivors of a catastrophic boiler explosion describe the terrifying moments the ship disintegrated and their harrowing wait for rescue.
- The Oriental Hotel Burns to the Ground
A pre-dawn fire claims a downtown landmark, leaving one man severely injured and a widow without her business.
- Vigilante Justice on the Northern Pacific Frontier
As railroad construction pushed through the Northwest, local 'Safety Committees' took the law into their own hands to purge work camps of 'hard characters.'
- The Iron Horse Approaches Seattle
Contractors accelerate the connection between the Puget Sound and the nation, employing hundreds to bridge the gap.
- Crew Files Admiralty Suit Against Ship Challenger
Sailors sue the captain and officers of a vessel arriving in Tacoma for systemic physical abuse, including beatings with clubs and belaying pins.
- The Governess and the Burglar
A governess, left alone to guard a house of silver while the owners attend a wedding, outwits a home invader who posed as a prospective renter.
- The Brutality Aboard the Challenger
A captain escapes conviction, but his mates are sentenced for systematic cruelty against seamen.
- Children Buried Alive in Snow Slide
A faithful dog saves four children after a massive snow slide in Antelope Valley leaves them buried beneath the drifts.
- The Iron Road Over the Cascades
After much doubt and political posturing, Northern Pacific President Henry Villard confirms plans for a major rail connection, sparking a local boom.
- The Seattle Way: How Local Businessmen Built a Railroad
A Walla Walla newspaper praises Seattle’s 'All pull together' motto after local merchants successfully pressured Henry Villard to finance a new coal-hauling railroad.
- The Art of Getting Helped
A clever traveler tricks two impatient men into doing the labor he was too tired to finish.
- The New Jewel of the Seattle Skyline
A descriptive look at the newly completed Yesler-Leary block, a state-of-the-art brick edifice at the corner of Mill and Front streets.
- Commencement Day at the University
Frances E. Willard delivers an address on temperance and suffrage to a packed house at Seattle's Presbyterian Church.
- The Balloon Girl of Seattle
A three-year-old child tethered to toy balloons is carried away by the wind, leading to a frantic maritime rescue six miles out at sea.
- The Canal That Would Make Seattle an Island
In 1883, surveyors proposed locks and canals linking Lake Union and Lake Washington to tidewater—so coal could move by water and Seattle could 'practically stand on an island.'
- Northern Pacific Pushes Rail Construction Across the Cascades
The Northern Pacific Railway moves to bridge the gap between Yakima and Puget Sound, signaling a major boom for regional commerce.
- The Tragedy of the Cash Boys
An argument between two teenage workers at a dry goods store turns fatal.
- The Iron Road Reaches the Pacific
Seattle prepares to welcome Henry Villard, the man behind the Northern Pacific Railroad's completion.
- Seattle Boils Over for the Northern Pacific Rail
A two-mile-long parade and a massive pavilion gathering mark the arrival of the transcontinental railroad, transforming the 'Queen City' into a national terminal.
- The Northern Pacific Railroad Completes Its Transcontinental Link
As the final spike is driven, the editor weighs the economic shift between the Pacific Northwest and the established power of California.
- The Alyssum Mystery
A young man is wrongly accused of the murder of his aunt until a patch of garden flowers reveals the truth.
- The Looming Rivalry Between Seattle and Portland
A visiting correspondent examines the high-stakes battle for Pacific Northwest dominance as the Northern Pacific Railroad nears completion.