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 | 1 |
| 1883 | 5 |
| 1885 | 4 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 4 |
15 stories matching burst
- The Tragic Cost of the Shingle Boom
A horrific workplace accident in a local mill underscores the lethal danger facing Washington’s labor force at the height of the timber expansion.
- The Fire That Starved a City: How a Burning Lime Ship Stalled Seattle’s Building Boom
When the steamer *Yquina* exploded in flames at Pacific Dock, it didn't just destroy $35,000 worth of cargo—it left 600 mechanics without work and halted the construction of a growing metropolis.
- Narrow Escape in the Business District
A late-night fire is extinguished in a downtown shoe shop just before it could engulf the surrounding blocks.
- Gas Poisoning at the Hotel Brunswick
A young woman nearly dies after an accidental gas asphyxiation in her hotel room.
- The Galley Explosion on the Steamer Glide
A cook's dangerous attempt to spark a galley fire with coal oil leads to an explosion and a narrow escape from disaster on the Puget Sound.
- They Killed Poor Mac
A widow steps off the stage at Pomeroy's St. George Hotel with news of her husband's death in Dayton — and the town's sympathy stops short of the dead man.
- The Tragedy of the Steamer Josephine
Survivors of a catastrophic boiler explosion describe the terrifying moments the ship disintegrated and their harrowing wait for rescue.
- Seattle’s Early Infrastructure Struggles: A City Thirsty for Reliability
A pipe burst in the heart of Seattle left residents without water, forcing them to queue at public wells as the growing city learned the hard way about the vulnerabilities of its infrastructure.
- The Temperance Debate That Rocked Seattle
A fiery, hours-long confrontation at the Woman's Christian Temperance Union convention reveals a deep divide between pragmatists and extremists.
- The Steamship Anderson Limps Home
A Puget Sound workhorse suffers a catastrophic machinery failure at the mouth of the Sound, sparking a scramble for repairs and questions about the vessel's future.
- The Struggle for a Mountain Wagon Road
A persistent local pioneer lobbies for a Snoqualmie Pass road to connect Eastern Washington farmers to Puget Sound ports.
- The Miracle of the Giant Powder Blast
A laborer describes his harrowing journey through the air after a catastrophic industrial explosion near Puyallup.
- A Grand Welcome for Seattle's Visitors
When an excursion party arrived in Seattle in 1885, they were treated to a citywide illumination and a clam bake at Port Blakely, sparking a fierce local rivalry over the naming of Mount Rainier.
- The Temperance Parade of 1885
When the youth of a small Washington settlement marched with flags and banners to take a stand against tobacco and rum.
- The Divine Sarah Bernhardt’s Theatrical Meltdown in Seattle
When the legendary French actress discovered her grand stage at the Columbia Theater had been booked for a minstrel show, she didn't just walk off—she unleashed a legendary, multi-lingual tantrum.