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.
Refine2 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 98 |
| 1883 | 511 |
| 1884 | 326 |
| 1885 | 566 |
| 1886 | 361 |
| 1887 | 327 |
2,189 stories
- The Youthful Defendant's Surprise Courtroom Reveal
A man accused of owing wages reveals a hidden burden of family responsibility to sway the court.
- The Pugilist Who Refused to Fight
John L. Sullivan's exhibition match in Seattle ends in humiliation for his opponent, who repeatedly hits the floor to avoid taking a single blow.
- A Local Dream of Justice and Hell
A Seattle man dreams of a corrupt city court system that leads him straight into a satirical version of the afterlife.
- A Cannon Salute for a Locomotive
Prominent railroad men visited Seattle in a private coach, prompting a bizarre public spectacle involving a territorial cannon.
- The Street-Level Cost of Filth
A local observer decries the sanitary conditions of Seattle's waterfront and argues that private enterprise requires public hygiene.
- Wife Stopped at Wharf in Debt Dispute
Constable intercepts a woman fleeing to join her husband, seizing property to cover outstanding debts.
- A Soldier's Solitary End
The tragic discovery of a soldier found hanging at the government wharf.
- A Sharp Rebuttal to the 'Fireside' Creed
A female reader fires back at a young man's unsolicited advice on 'women's place' in society.
- The Perilous Practice of 'Hitching' Rides
A Seattle youth is severely injured after climbing onto a moving load of hay, a dangerous trend that continues to plague city streets.
- The Smallpox Dog
A doctor in a smallpox hospital realizes that a stray cur visiting the wards is the vector for a new patient's infection.
- The Dark Perils of the Tide Flats
A lonely worker from a nearby lumber camp is found drowned after losing his way in the pitch-black darkness near the waterfront.
- The Trial of Harry Bray
A vagrancy trial before Justice Cann leads to a hung jury and reveals the tense atmosphere of Washington Street.
- Clearing the Streets of 'Washington Street Aristocrats'
Local police launch a crackdown on the city's 'vagrants,' forcing them to either work or leave town.
- A Visitor’s View of Seattle in 1884
A traveling correspondent offers a candid take on Seattle’s mud, growth potential, and the recent victory for women’s suffrage.
- A Costly Slip at the City Dock
Thousands of dollars in railroad spikes plunged into the bay after a dock stringer gave way under the massive weight of materials.
- The Con Artist's Tearful Pitch
A traveler uses a tragic tale of fire and loss to test the hospitality of a Seattle resident.
- Winter Skating Perils on Lake Union
A mild thaw turns dangerous for skaters on Lake Union, leading to a series of rescue operations.
- A Violent Collision in Front of the New Opera House
A frightened team of horses pulling a vegetable wagon caused a severe accident, leaving a valuable Percheron horse seriously wounded.
- Runaway Truck Terrifies Downtown Seattle
A team of horses pulling a heavy truck bolted onto the sidewalk, narrowly missing a mother and her child in a crowded downtown street.
- The Jackson Street Bridge Trap
Seattle authorities crack down on fast driving on the Jackson Street bridge, catching nine unsuspecting citizens in a single day.
- The Lakeside House Fire at Hot Springs
A devastating midnight blaze destroys the A. T. & S. F. Railway-owned hotel, marking the second such disaster at the site in less than two years.
- The Day the Nation Stood Still for General Grant
Across the country, business halted and the streets of cities from Seattle to Charleston grew silent as the nation mourned the funeral of Ulysses S. Grant.
- The Tragedy of the Tenement Boy
A heart-wrenching account of a young boy struggling to survive in a Seattle tenement while clinging to his faith despite his father's cruelty.
- The Price of Poaching in the Bering Sea
A federal court cracks down on seal hunters as the United States asserts its authority over Alaskan waters.
- The Unintended Confession
A romantic entanglement at a dairy farm is exposed when a letter is mailed to the wrong recipient, sparking a public scandal of pride and betrayal.