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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 130 |
| 1883 | 799 |
| 1884 | 455 |
| 1885 | 838 |
| 1886 | 492 |
| 1887 | 484 |
3,198 stories
- 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.'
- A Lynching in Dayton: When Neighbors Decided the Law Was Too Slow
After James McPherson, one of the Cummins murderers, won a new trial and a reprieve, a Dayton mob hanged him—prompting the Post-Intelligencer to ask why vigilante justice was reviving in Washington Territory.
- 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 Well That Killed Twice
A promising new homestead a few miles east of Whatcom became a death trap when a pocket of gas swallowed John Kidwell and the neighbor who tried to save him.
- The Tragedy of the Cash Boys
An argument between two teenage workers at a dry goods store turns fatal.
- Major Fire Razes Ellensburgh Business District
A late-night blaze destroys a prominent general store and several neighboring residences in the heart of the growing town.
- Walla Walla Editor Shoots Brewery Owner
A political leader and newspaper man fires on a local businessman after a dispute over a published critique of the brewery's beer.
- 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 Great Land Office Fire at Olympia
A catastrophic fire destroys essential territorial land records and plats, forcing homesteaders and pre-emption claimants to restart their filings from scratch.
- 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 Price of a Shoddy Crossing
A railroad conductor is killed in a derailment caused by an improperly filled track crossing.
- 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.
- The Fight for the Schoolhouse Ballot
When women in Olympia were finally allowed to vote in a school board election, they turned out in force, defying expectations and voting for education against the grain of local political orthodoxy.
- The Struggle of the Nicholson Family
A coal miner in distress highlights the precarity of laborers facing mental health crises while attempting to relocate their families.
- The Fight for Washington’s Soul
Legislators clash over a proposal to split the Washington Territory, revealing deep-seated animosity between the eastern and western regions.
- Fatal Blasting Accident at Blue Mountain
A foreman is killed in a gruesome explosion while attempting to clear a stalled dynamite charge on the railroad grade.
- Tragedy at Sea Claims Four Men
A rough night and a cross sea turn a routine Pacific crossing into a desperate, failed rescue mission.
- The Acquittal of John Williams
A jury exonerates a man accused of killing William Lockenfritz, accepting a plea of self-defense.
- The Hunt for 'Stone'
A vigilante call to action follows the murder of a citizen.
- Northern Pacific Unearned Lands Spark Public Domain Push
Citizens launch a movement to reclaim Northern Pacific land grants for the people.