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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 1 |
| 1859 | 3 |
| 1860 | 2 |
| 1861 | 14 |
| 1862 | 9 |
| 1863 | 6 |
| 1864 | 3 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 15 |
| 1876 | 79 |
| 1877 | 70 |
| 1878 | 56 |
| 1879 | 5 |
| 1880 | 20 |
| 1882 | 16 |
| 1883 | 97 |
| 1884 | 50 |
| 1885 | 88 |
| 1886 | 47 |
| 1887 | 50 |
| 1888 | 47 |
| 1889 | 100 |
| 1890 | 32 |
| 1891 | 105 |
| 1892 | 250 |
| 1893 | 230 |
| 1894 | 274 |
| 1895 | 321 |
| 1897 | 10 |
| 1898 | 26 |
| 1899 | 42 |
| 1900 | 11 |
| 1902 | 11 |
| 1903 | 139 |
| 1904 | 132 |
| 1905 | 5 |
| 1907 | 4 |
| 1908 | 36 |
| 1909 | 145 |
| 1910 | 40 |
| 1911 | 13 |
| 1912 | 13 |
| 1914 | 32 |
| 1915 | 17 |
| 1916 | 60 |
| 1917 | 21 |
| 1918 | 2 |
| 1920 | 1 |
| 1922 | 3 |
| 1923 | 15 |
| 1924 | 6 |
| 1925 | 2 |
| 1928 | 2 |
2,779 stories matching pay
- The Railway Bribe on the Reservation
A railroad company agent admits to a systematic scheme of paying Puyallup men to secure a right-of-way through their land.
- The Rent Crisis at the Renton Coal Mines
Striking miners face eviction as company-owned housing turns into a weapon against organized labor.
- Great Northern Refuses to Pay the Salary Loan Sharks
The railroad tells a Spokane court that an employee's wage assignment is usury, setting up a test case over predatory lending.
- The Battle Over Bank Taxes
Walla Walla taxpayers clash with the local First National Bank over tax rebates, with the paper calling for a stronger backbone from the city administration.
- The High Cost of Borrowing in Territorial Olympia
An indignant citizen writes to the editor to protest the predatory lending practices bankrupting the territory's early settlers.
- A $20-a-Month Alimony Bill, a Vow to 'Starve Out,' and a Warrant
Frank Heath, a Seventh Avenue line conductor, was wanted on a warrant after his ex-wife said he refused to pay $20 a month and vowed to 'starve out' rather than comply.
- Who Really Raised the Price of Milk?
A White River dairyman writes back: the condensery isn't being generous — feed, hired hands and land rent have all doubled, and the company still pays as little as it can get away with.
- The Sergeant-at-Arms Breaks a Representative's Nose
A legislative debt dispute turns violent on the floor of the Washington House, leading to a physical brawl and a public reprimand.
- A Laborer's Grievance Over Skimpy Wages
A worker on the Madison Street grade reports that his contractor is withholding pay, sparking a debate on fairness and city debt.
- The City’s 17-Year-Old Bad Debt Problem
Tacoma voters will decide at the upcoming spring election whether to honor $48,000 in outlawed street improvement warrants that have accrued triple their value in interest.
- Justice Humphrey Settles a Rental Fraud
A tenant accused of forging receipts to avoid paying rent to her landlord is ordered to pay up after the court rejects her falsified documents.
- The Railway Race for the Inland Northwest
As Seattle and Tacoma expand their rail reach, Yakima boosters urge Portland to stop resting on its past and invest in the future of the territory.
- The Bank Tax Standoff
A citizen letter details how the Walla Walla City Council's compromise with a local bank cost taxpayers thousands, while the courts later sided with the Assessor's original valuation.
- The Struggle for Liquor Licensing in the Municipal Court
Mrs. Graham challenges the court's fines, claiming discrimination in the enforcement of liquor laws.
- The Prosecution's Gamble for a Fine
A legal dispute arises in superior court over whether the state can garnish a cash bond to pay a criminal fine, rather than letting the convicted man serve time.
- The Battle Over the Waterfront Fireboat
City council debates whether the general public or wealthy industrial interests should pay for the city's new fire protection infrastructure.
- The Fight Against Walla Walla’s Bicycle Tax
While the Supreme Court has deemed special vehicle taxes unconstitutional, Walla Walla cyclists continue to pay up for the sake of path maintenance.
- Seattle's Liquor Lobby Calls for a Crackdown
Local saloon owners, tired of paying high license fees, push the Mayor to shut down unlicensed competition in pharmacies and cafes.
- The City Judge Outlaws the 'Good Luck' Machines
A Seattle municipal court ruling draws a firm line between gambling and trade, declaring machines that pay out in 'trade checks' to be illegal.
- The Flour Trade's Pacific Ambitions
A Spokane miller dreams of bypassing San Francisco to ship Washington wheat directly to Central America.
- Seattle Ends the 'Pay-to-Play' Liquor Fines
A local judge breaks with a years-long precedent of allowing restaurant owners to pay a monthly fee in lieu of a full liquor license.
- Be Your Own Landlord: The 1889 Dream of Homeownership
An early Seattle building society promised a path to middle-class stability, urging residents to stop paying rent and start buying into their own homes.
- Tacoma’s Poisoned Water
A local newspaper argues that the city's reliance on the polluted Clover Creek for drinking water is driving typhoid fever and threatening the lives of its residents.
- Seattle's Laundries Form a Combine—and Put the Squeeze on Drivers
Every major laundry in the city unites to end price-cutting, fix a uniform rate schedule, and hold delivery drivers personally liable for the goods they carry.
- The Battle Over Sidewalks: When Seattle's Poor Were Forced to Pay for Progress
In 1885, a divided City Council grappled with whether to tax struggling residents for public infrastructure or use the city's general fund.