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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 6 |
| 1883 | 30 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1885 | 16 |
| 1886 | 9 |
| 1887 | 14 |
86 stories matching capit
- The Price of a Capitol Seat
When the Territorial Legislature convened in Olympia, residents hiked rent to price gouge the lawmakers, sparking a legislative push to abandon the capital city.
- The Rapid Rise of Ainsworth
A town that was nothing but sagebrush and coyotes four years ago is now a railroad terminus and a contender for the future state capital.
- Olympia Prepares for the Rail Boom
As the territorial legislature pauses, a correspondent observes Olympia shaking off its sleepy, pioneer atmosphere in anticipation of a new railroad to Gray's Harbor.
- An Old Pioneer's Promise to a Dying Friend
A rare trip from Olympia to Seattle reveals the enduring bonds of friendship among the pioneers who built the territory.
- Catholic Order Plans Expansion in Olympia
Religious orders in the territorial capital announce plans for a new academy for boys, the platting of Priest's Point, and the construction of a much-needed hospital.
- The Price of a Roof in 1885 Seattle
A look at the frantic real estate market and rental landscape of early Seattle, where rapid growth and the promise of railroad expansion sent property values soaring.
- A Kerosene Lamp Burns Olympia's Only Good Hotel to the Ground
An exploding lamp gutted the Carleton House on Monday evening, killing the capital city's chief lodging house and leaving the town almost without a place to put up travelers.
- The Struggle for North Second Street
Business owners in 1886 Seattle argued that expanding streets into 'Chinese quarters' was the only way to modernize the city and attract capital.
- The Ironclad Oath of Labor
When the founder of the Ancient Order of United Workmen visited Seattle in 1885, he brought a philosophy of 'paternal' cooperation to reconcile the brewing tensions between labor and capital.
- The Poker Game That Wouldn't End
A cool-headed gambler refused to stop his hand even as the police officer walked in to arrest the house.
- The Battle for Seattle's Soul
On the eve of a contentious city election in 1886, two rival political factions clashed at the Opera House, setting the stage for a fight over the future of labor, law, and the anti-Chinese riots.
- The Unseen War for the Puget Sound Pantry
An 1882 look at how San Francisco's economic grip and 'unfriendly agencies' were stifling the potential of Washington Territory's fishing industry.
- The Rising Voice of the Labor Movement in 1885
As Seattle's local assembly of the Knights of Labor gains traction, General Master Workman T.V. Powderly outlines a vision for the 'complete emancipation of the slaves of the earth' from the tyranny of capital.
- The Panic on Spring Street
When malicious rumors hit a Seattle bank, depositors rushed the doors, forcing the bank president to defend his institution's solvency.
- The Collapse of a Workingman's Dream
A bold attempt at worker-owned enterprise in Tacoma ends in financial failure and legal recriminations.
- Scandal at the Capital
A public altercation between a visiting 'Dean' and Olympia's Mayor leads to calls for her departure.
- The Day the Doors Closed on Commercial Street
A Seattle merchant's overextended dry-goods empire collapses under $23,000 in attachments, and a North Seattle store falls with it.
- The Railroad Map That Erased Seattle
A Northern Pacific map circulating in 1883 omitted Seattle entirely—while granting bold capital letters to towns of fewer than 100 people—and the city's paper took the insult personally.
- The True Cost of the Eight-Hour Day
As 1886 labor strikes roil the nation, local analysis weighs the temporary gains of the eight-hour movement against the looming threat of business closures and a housing market in decline.
- The Struggle for the Mountain Pass
A plea to Congress to finish the Snoqualmie Wagon Road, a vital link intended to connect the farmers of the Cascades to the markets of Seattle.
- The Cross-Cascades Trade War
Seattle and Portland merchants battle for control over inland freight routes to the Yakima Valley.
- The Iron Road Reaches the Pacific
Seattle prepares to welcome Henry Villard, the man behind the Northern Pacific Railroad's completion.
- The Struggle for Statehood and a New Name
Thomas H. Brents advocates for Washington statehood while grappling with the inconvenient identity of the 'Washington' namesake.
- The Struggle for an Inland Connection
Citizens of Olympia gather to fund and build a new rail line toward the Pacific to break the town's isolation.
- The Unlucky Entrepreneur of Seattle
A hopeful man attempts to launch a steamship business in Seattle, only to be outmaneuvered by a rival and left with a rotting boat.