Research the archive
Narrow 27,002 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine2 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1903 | 18 |
| 1904 | 788 |
| 1907 | 7 |
| 1909 | 716 |
1,529 stories
- The Unwelcome Guest of Old Town
A Norwegian immigrant facing vagrancy charges finds himself sentenced to the street-sweeping squad.
- The Cost of a Bridge Inspection
A protracted dispute over demurrage fees for the Puyallup River bridge reaches a compromise, leaving the contractor in the red.
- The Battle Over Tacoma’s 'Open Town' Policy
Mayor Wright defends his administration against allegations that the city’s restricted district has spiraled into lawlessness, triggering a heated standoff with the City Council.
- Injured Man Sues City Over Sidewalk Maintenance
A pedestrian seeks damages after a fall on a dangerous city sidewalk.
- Vice and the Waterfront: A Business Scandal on A Street
Promoters of the new city dock claim that illicit resorts and gambling dens are scaring away legitimate shippers and passengers.
- Tacoma’s Crumbling Infrastructure
Public Works Commissioner William Welsh warns that over a dozen city bridges are rotting and unsafe for public travel.
- The City Hall Tug-of-War Over Power
A legal opinion opens the door for a private utility to power a public school, sparking a heated debate over city charter boundaries.
- Tacoma’s Classroom Crisis
Record enrollment leaves the city's school system scrambling for space, with some students relegated to converted woodsheds.
- Neighborhood Mobilizes to Block New Saloon
A massive community petition forces the city to deny a liquor license on Tacoma Avenue.
- The Horseless Carriage Conflict
Tacoma motorists face strict new ordinances that force cars to yield to horse-drawn wagons.
- The Old Town Merry-Go-Round Uproar
A carnival attraction at North 29th and Carr streets is driving neighbors to distraction, leading to a swarm of police calls.
- The Price of Tacoma’s Water
As Tacoma looks toward the Green River gravity system, Mayor Wright tallies the high cost of the existing well-water infrastructure.
- Domestic Violence and a Locked Door
A Tacoma woman files for divorce after an alleged assault and being locked out of her own home by her husband.
- The Case for Political Asylum
Tacoma’s newspaper calls on the federal government to stop extraditing Russian political refugees, citing the nation's own revolutionary roots.
- The Midnight Stand-Off at the Grand Restaurant
A breakfast patron turns into a bandit, but gets more than he bargained for from the night cook's poker.
- The Double Standard of the Law
A commentary on how the courts punish labor organizers while letting corporate titans walk free.
- City Sued After Falling Light Pole Injures Resident
A victim of a city infrastructure failure seeks damages for injuries caused by poorly graded streets.
- The Midnight Stand of a Ruralita Station Agent
A lone telegraph operator mistakes a visiting railroad superintendent for a robber, turning the tables with a toy revolver in a moment of high tension.
- An Earthquake Rumbles Across the Sound
Tacoma residents feel the tremors of a quake that shook the coast from the Skagit River to Victoria, rattling skyscrapers and breaking ice.
- City Hall Scrambles to Power Tacoma
As the power trust exerts pressure, Tacoma’s leadership struggles to staff the Nisqually plant.
- The Ferry Museum’s Fight for Wright Park
Tacoma’s park board debates the ethics of placing a commercial museum inside public green space.
- A Heartbroken Mother Denied Access
After signing away legal rights, a local woman finds herself barred from visiting her adopted child.
- The Racket on Tacoma Avenue
Local business owners demand the streetcar company silence its noisy, 'flat-wheeled' cars.
- The South End's Sewer Crisis
After ignoring warnings for months, the Tacoma City Council scrambles to address severe residential flooding in the South End.
- High-Voltage Hazards on Tacoma’s Lines
Two linemen survive massive electrical shocks during a winter storm and a routine repair job.