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
- 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 Unraveling of the Northwest’s First Conglomerate
A deep dive into the financial maneuvers, coal monopolies, and failed experimental farming schemes of the Oregon Improvement Company.
- The Unmasking of 'Julius the Fugitive'
A small-town swindler’s life of crime finally catches up with him after a string of scams across the Pacific Northwest.
- The Northern Pacific's Iron Grip on the Territory
An scathing editorial decries the railroad monopoly for partitioning Washington into 'trade territories' to serve their own interests.
- A Family Feud Turned Public Spectacle
A woman’s obsessive search for her daughter in Seattle leads to a public assault on her own son and a charge of insanity.
- Settlers Rise Against Railroad Land Grab
Kittitas County citizens demand the federal government forfeit Northern Pacific railroad land grants, accusing the monopoly of stifling settlement and hoarding millions of acres of land.
- The Insanity Trial of Mrs. Meagher
A mother’s public accusation that her daughter was held in a house of prostitution results in a court hearing to determine her sanity.
- The Unfinished Railroad to Nowhere
Construction on the Northern Pacific line stalls as contractors fire workers and shutter mess halls.
- A Woman's Seven-Day Trek Through the Snoqualmie Pass
While critics mocked women’s ability to handle physical labor, one traveler proved the skeptics wrong by hiking the Cascade Range alongside her husband.
- City Council Members Dodge Responsibility on James Street
While private citizens were forced to fulfill their contracts, two city council members allegedly abandoned their own street improvement project without penalty.
- The Ghost Hotel on the Old School Lot
A legal dispute over a prime piece of downtown real estate reveals a broken promise to build a hotel, fueling rumors of a makeshift boarding house for Chinese laborers.
- Diver Dies in Tragic Salvage Attempt
A rescue operation to right the sunken Umatilla ends in a gruesome accident when a diver is found dead after a communication line fails.
- The Unfinished Business of James Street
The City Council is drawing up plans for new street work while a previous project languishes in a half-finished state.
- A Fatal Accident at Belknap
A tragic mishap involving a pistol leaves a prominent local man dead.
- The Decoration of the Fallen in 1884
Thousands gathered in the university grove to honor the Civil War dead and reflect on the changing definition of loyalty in a young, healing nation.
- The Tragic End of William Hill
The body of a Scottish laborer is discovered floating near the Seattle city front, leaving behind a simple will and a recommendation from a Victoria hotel.
- The Newspaper Boycott of 1884
A Seattle newspaper fights back after liquor interests threaten an advertising boycott over municipal election coverage.
- The Business Men's Club Picks Its Candidate
A rowdy, divided convention at the Standard Theater results in John Leary’s nomination for Mayor of Seattle.
- 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.
- The City vs. The Citizens: A Sewer Standoff
Property owners refuse to pay for city improvements they claim were botched, poorly contracted, and overpriced.
- Martial Law Prisoners Released
Following the cessation of martial law in Seattle, three men previously jailed for seditious language are released without bail.
- The Ghost Crime of the Head of the Bay
A man turned himself into the sheriff for a murder that happened only in his own whiskey-soaked mind.
- Knights of Labor Declare War on Monopoly
Assembly 101 releases a manifesto against Jay Gould, framing the labor struggle as a historic battle for the future of the working class.
- A Mutiny of the Seas at Port Blakely
When sailors on the ship 'Carrie E. Davenport' refused to sail, a local legal battle over labor rights and ship contracts ignited in the courts.
- The Clock That Kept Time in the Ruins
When the Oriental Hotel burned, a single clock was found ticking away on a charred wall amidst the wreckage.