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.
Refine1 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 130 |
| 1883 | 799 |
| 1884 | 455 |
| 1885 | 838 |
| 1886 | 492 |
| 1887 | 484 |
3,198 stories
- Senator Van Wyck Challenges Northern Pacific Railroad Land Speculation
Senator Van Wyck challenges the Northern Pacific Railroad’s grip on public land, exposing a pattern of corporate greed and tax evasion that spanned the Territories.
- Democratic Revolt in Washington Territory
Local Democrats are refusing to sign a call for a party convention, citing concerns that the move is secretly bankrolled by railroad interests.
- Federal Directive Protects Indigenous Land Occupancy
A government order instructs land offices to refuse entries by white settlers on land already cultivated by Indigenous people.
- The Railroad That Threatened to Make Serfs of Us All
An 1884 open letter urges Democrats and independents to break the Northern Pacific's grip on land, taxes and the delegate election.
- The Northern Pacific Railroad Consolidates Its Grip on the Northwest
Railroad president Robert Harris confirms plans to lease the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, signaling a massive consolidation of regional transit.
- Whose Land Is It? Seattle Takes On the Northern Pacific Railroad
The president of the Northern Pacific comes to the Chamber of Commerce to argue his company needs the public lands as collateral — and a furious editorial fires back that the city's whole future is on the line.
- Suspects Released in Murder Case
After two weeks of investigation, Sheriff McGraw and the Prosecuting Attorney release three men accused of murder due to a lack of evidence.
- Tragedy at the Black Diamond Sewer Pipe Works
A boiler explosion in the works at Black Diamond Landing resulted in one death and multiple fatal injuries.
- City Hall's Construction Contractor Fails to Pay Up
Creditors are circling the new city building on Third Street as liens are filed against the project.
- The Struggle to Open Snoqualmie Pass
A pioneer successfully demonstrates the feasibility of winter transit, igniting hope for a direct route between Eastern and Western Washington.
- The Deadly Hazards of the Timber Frontier
Tragedy strikes workers in Lewis and Thurston counties as multiple men are killed by falling trees during the logging season.
- A Landmark Ruling for Donation Land Claims
The federal government establishes a precedent for canceling land claims after a Puyallup Valley settler failed to live on his property.
- Tragedy at the Stringham Place
A falling cedar tree claims the life of a shoemaker on a homestead between Seattle and Lake Washington.
- The Landlord Who Stole the Doors
A landlord attempts to evict an 'unwelcome tenant' by physically removing the doors and windows from the residence.
- Diphtheria Grips Lewis County
A tragic account of a local diphtheria outbreak that has claimed multiple children and left families in mourning.
- Railroad Monopoly Tightens Grip on Lumber
A newly formed 'Improvement Company' linked to the Northern Pacific Railroad establishes a monopoly over regional lumber trade.
- Seattle Demands the Northern Pacific Railroad Forfeit Unearned Lands
Local editors take their representative to task, accusing him of prioritizing the interests of a railroad monopoly over the citizens of the territory.
- Addressing the Standing Menace on Washington Street
Seattle City Council contracts for new sewer lines to drain the low-lying lots that have long threatened the city's health.
- A Convict’s Homecoming
A former prisoner returns to Seattle, reflecting on life at the Territorial Penitentiary and the realities of incarceration.
- Clara Colby Urges Seattle to Support Woman Suffrage
A visiting suffrage advocate inspires a local crowd, framing the political franchise as a tool for household and civic management.
- The Railroad 'Boom' That Never Arrived
A scathing editorial accuses the Northern Pacific Railroad of building phantom infrastructure to avoid government forfeiture of their land grants.
- Seattle's $160,000 Gamble on a Railroad
Citizens paid Mr. Villard's corporations to push a line into the Cedar and Green River coal and timber country—and Walla Walla was warned not to be left behind.
- The Tax Collector’s Quiet Heist in Thurston County
Assessments against “unknown owners,” doubled fees and $9,000 in illegal exactions left property titles tangled and taxpayers furious.
- The Ghost in the Slough
The body of an unidentified Chinese man was discovered near Pioneer in a disturbing scene, underscoring the climate of violence against immigrants in the region.
- The Tragedy of Stephen Collins: A Squak Valley Life Lost to Paranoia
A haunting account of a young man whose mounting mental distress led to a fatal end on the edge of the wilderness.