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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 40 |
| 1891 | 42 |
| 1892 | 27 |
| 1893 | 104 |
| 1894 | 17 |
| 1895 | 113 |
349 stories
- Champagne for the Lobby, Despair for the Farmers
Washington's Senate kills the Helm-Morgan freight-rate bill after railroad agents work Olympia, and the state's press calls it a corporate victory over the people.
- Washington's Fourth Legislature Adjourns After a Marathon Final Day
Lawmakers pass 53 bills, defeat a school-book trust, kill a Seattle-Tacoma bridewell, and bury woman suffrage for at least two years.
- A Thousand Gather to Move Leschi's Bones Home
On the Nisqually reservation, chiefs and their families rebury the war leaders Leschi and Quiemuth — and Leschi's nephew tells the crowd who really started the war.
- Populists Clash with the Militia
Legislators demand the state militia disband after accounts of drunken revelry at the inaugural ceremonies.
- The Never-Ending Senatorial Deadlock
Legislative chaos in Olympia as power-brokering and petty infighting stall the selection of a U.S. Senator.
- Washington Bans Armed Mercenaries
Legislators override a veto to criminalize the employment of private armed bodies, a move targeting industrial labor conflicts.
- Scandal at the State Capital
A political exposé details how legislators used committee clerkships as patronage bribes to maintain illicit affairs, resulting in a public divorce case.
- Former Official Accused of Child Abuse
A criminal complaint against former Secretary of State Allen Weir sparks local debate over the bounds of corporal punishment.
- A Senate Seat, a 'Boodle' Cry, and Two Rival Caucus Calls
With the legislature barely organized, Republicans war over who should go to Washington—accusations of bribes, a strange 'binding' caucus call, and candidates angling for the prize.
- The U.S. Senate Seat That Stalled Olympia
With Republicans split over Wilson and Ankeny, Pierce County played a double game and the governor's message shoved the Senate election to the back of the room.
- The State Tries to Soften the Panic for Delinquent Taxpayers
The Senate passes a bill remitting penalties and interest on delinquent 1893–94 taxes, citing “great financial stringency” and declaring an emergency.
- Bureaucratic Delay, Bloody Quarrels: The Land Survey That Left Homesteaders in Limbo for 15 Years
Senator Squire demands answers from the General Land Office as settlers on townships 38-40 wait over a decade for their land titles, with boundary disputes turning deadly.
- The Fatal Climb for the Church Bells
A local carpenter attempted to scale a church steeple to settle a debate about height, meeting a tragic end in full view of the town.
- The High-Stakes Senate Betting Scandal
A political showdown over the U.S. Senate seat between Judge Calkins and Senator Watson C. Squire turns into a frantic, high-dollar gambling display in an Olympia hotel lobby.
- The Olympia Hotel Riot
A political caucus to nominate a U.S. Senator erupts into a shouting match and physical brawl as factions clash over the candidate list.
- The Political Battle for the Nicaragua Canal
At the 1892 Republican state convention in Olympia, delegates engaged in a fierce, emotionally charged floor fight over the proposed Nicaragua Canal project.
- The Volga Smuggling Ring Busted
Federal authorities zero in on ship owners and captains accused of running Chinese immigrants ashore near Olympia.
- Capitol Commission Infighting Leads to Firing
Governor McGraw removes John McBeavy from the state capitol commission following a volatile dispute over the selection of architectural plans.
- Civil War Veterans Clash with Custom House Over Flag Display
Grand Army of the Republic members in Olympia vow to hold federal officials accountable after an alleged failure to fly the American flag on Memorial Day.
- The Unmaking of Women’s Suffrage in Washington Territory
A Supreme Court ruling overturns the territory's suffrage law, branding the move an 'unconstitutional' legislative trick.
- The Great Constitutional Gamble: How Washington Will Become a State
With the enabling act signed, the territory prepares for a historic election in May to frame a constitution. The clock is ticking toward July 1st, when delegates will meet in Olympia to decide the fate of the new state.
- The Fight Over Corporate Subsidies in the 1889 State Constitution
Delegates at the Washington Constitutional Convention engage in a heated debate over whether counties should be allowed to use public tax money to subsidize private railroad construction.
- Washington's 1889 Convention Debates Land Ownership, Bribery
Delegates in Olympia debate alien land rights and anti-bribery measures for the new state charter.
- The Constitutional Convention's Partisan Gridlock
Delegates in Olympia debate the structure of the state's future judiciary, clashing over judicial term limits, court size, and political representation.
- The Fight Over Corporate Power
A proposed constitutional provision regarding stockholder liability triggers alarm among Seattle businessmen.