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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 37 |
| 1884 | 22 |
| 1885 | 30 |
| 1886 | 16 |
| 1887 | 59 |
167 stories
- Northern Pacific Piles Block Commencement Bay Landing
Business owners clash with the Northern Pacific Railroad over the blocking of a vital waterway, forcing a community to fight for their access to the harbor.
- The Struggle for Tacoma Avenue
When the city of Tacoma withheld payment from contractors Cadwell & Vesey, labor tensions boiled over into a stand-off, highlighting the recurring fight to ensure workers get paid for their toil.
- The Great Fourth of July Fireman’s Brawl
A celebratory fire competition in Tacoma turned sour as fire companies from across Washington Territory clashed over disputed rules and near-riotous crowds.
- The Strange Disappearance of Ollie Young’s Reputation
A man from the Puyallup Valley confronts the Chief of Police to clear a young woman's name after scandal-filled letters appear in a Tacoma newspaper.
- The Collapse of a Workingman's Dream
A bold attempt at worker-owned enterprise in Tacoma ends in financial failure and legal recriminations.
- The Betrayal of a 'Friend' in Tacoma
A classic story of a land deal gone wrong, where a trusted drinking buddy pulled the rug out from under an investor’s feet.
- The Lobby Shootout: A Political Brawl in Tacoma
When an ex-mayor and a police chief faced off in a hotel lobby, tensions over local politics and public reputation turned into a chaotic, pistol-waving standoff.
- The Sudden Passing of a Sound Pioneer
A prominent attorney and former Steilacoom citizen collapses and dies aboard a train en route to California.
- A Warning to Job-Seekers in New Tacoma
A desperate laborer cautions newcomers against the hollow promises of the growing rail boom in New Tacoma, where public work is diverted to outsiders while locals starve.
- A Fiery Catastrophe at the Tacoma Mill
A newly installed furnace at the Tacoma Mill overheated with such intensity that its massive iron stack melted and collapsed, narrowly missing the workers nearby.
- The Fight for Tacoma’s Autonomy
Citizens of Old Town successfully revolt against a legislative push to consolidate the region into a single city, fearing the loss of local school and post office funds.
- Stuck Up on the Road to Tacoma
A rider is held at gunpoint just outside of Tacoma in a bold midnight robbery.
- The Lawyer and the Hermit
A prominent attorney faces felony charges for allegedly withholding pension funds from an elderly veteran living in near-total isolation.
- The Tragic End of a Nurseryman
After struggling with delirium tremens, a once-respected Tacoma horticulturalist takes his own life while under the care of the county sheriff.
- A Bitter Business Rivalry Ends in Court
An accusation of boat theft between former business partners in Whatcom reveals a long-standing feud and allegations of 'cinching'.
- The Women’s Crusade Against Vice
Twenty-five prominent Tacoma women demand the city council clear out gambling houses and houses of ill-repute, citing the city charter and moral degradation.
- Tacoma's railroad 'patron saint' gets a cannon salute
New Tacoma serenaded Northern Pacific director C.B. Wright—and the Post-Intelligencer noted that Seattle had not always been his favorite town.
- The Forgotten Fortune in the Chapin Mine
A Tacoma man claims he was cut out of a million-dollar mineral discovery that sparked a heated legal battle in the Washington Territory.
- The Mystery of the Ice-Forming Caves
A scientific inquiry into why midsummer ice forms in the lava tunnels of the Washington wilderness.
- The Sudden Collapse of the Tacoma Savings Bank
A run on a local bank reveals the fragile economy of 1885 Tacoma as depositors rush to pull their funds before the doors shutter for good.
- The Scandinavian Baptist Mission of Tacoma
A clergyman finds his calling, converts his congregation, and establishes a new church after a spiritual crisis leads him away from his former denomination.
- The Midnight Church Feud of Tacoma
A power struggle in a local Baptist church turns into a bizarre, locked-door standoff where the pastor eventually resorted to extinguishing the lights to force dissenters out.
- The Tragedy at the Waterfront
A young Seattle woman's late-night walk leads to a fatal plunge into the bay, leaving behind a grieving husband and a city searching for answers.
- The Price of a Badly Written Charter
Tacoma’s new municipal charter proves to be a legal disaster that costs the town thousands in needless fees and litigation.
- Longshoremen Walk Off Jobs in Tacoma
Workers refuse to handle cargo until wages are raised from $3 to $4 a day.