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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 13 |
| 1884 | 12 |
| 1885 | 15 |
| 1886 | 3 |
| 1887 | 10 |
55 stories matching destruct
- Firefighters, assemble! A Puyallup Valley inferno threatens the bridge
Citizens and volunteers rush to save a critical bridge in the Puyallup valley as wildfires ravage timberlands.
- The Riotous Destruction of a Home
When a house caught fire, neighbors and bystanders didn't just help extinguish the flames—they tore the home apart.
- War on the Teredo Worm
New experimental methods are required to protect wharf pilings from Puget Sound's destructive wood-boring pests.
- A Damning Verdict on Steamboat Safety
Following the sinking of the steamer Josephine, a King and Kitsap County grand jury finds the vessel's destruction was caused by 'gross negligence' and a failure to enforce maritime safety.
- Tragedy at the Star Clothing House
A lonely tradesman takes his own life in a downtown Seattle retail shop, leaving behind a note of despair and a request to reach out to his estranged wife.
- The Great Timber Fires of 1883
Uncontrolled forest fires rage across Washington Territory, destroying logging camps and infrastructure with no end in sight.
- Vandalism at the White River Schoolhouse
Two young boys find themselves behind bars after a destructive incident at a local schoolhouse, sparking anxiety in a respectable city family.
- Trapped by the Mountain’s Fury
A terrifying narrow escape as a winter slide nearly claims a mountain boarding house.
- The Tragedy of a Cattle Stampede
A panicked herd causes a fire and widespread destruction near Seattle, leaving the community reeling from the sudden calamity.
- The 'Crusher' Strikes Again
The steam collier San Pedro continues its destructive streak on Puget Sound.
- Shanties Cleared at University Street
The City Council orders the destruction of precarious housing at the waterfront, forcing residents out to make way for development.
- The Great Seattle Main Street Flood of 1886
Heavy rains turn a bustling thoroughfare into a literal river, driving residents from their homes and stalling city business.
- The Drunken Rampage at the Marshall Block
A rowdy disturbance on Commercial Street lands a man in the custody of the law after a destructive tavern brawl.
- The Great Rabbit Invasion of 1897
Farmers and settlers in the Palouse region faced a desperate agricultural crisis as a massive swarm of rabbits descended upon their fields.
- Railroad Land Grabs Threaten Whitman County Settlers
Homesteaders fight a corporate legal battle to save their farms from a massive Northern Pacific land grant interpretation.
- A Chaotic Runaway Team on Commercial Street
A frightened lumber team sparks a chain-reaction collision, leaving one man nearly killed and his buggy destroyed.
- Mayor Yesler Calls for Calm Amid Rising Anti-Chinese Sentiment
Facing mounting pressure and threats of violence, the Mayor of Seattle summons citizens to address the growing anti-Chinese agitation.
- The Fiery End of the Bark 'Hark Hope'
After failing to extinguish a mystery fire in the cargo hold, the crew of a Honolulu-bound vessel was forced to sink their own ship to save it from complete destruction.
- Mayor Yesler Calls Meeting to Address Anti-Chinese Violence
Following a series of attacks, the Mayor seeks to organize property owners against vigilante methods.
- An Industrial Experiment on the Waterfront
Local entrepreneur James M. Colman introduces a new technology to protect wharf pilings from the destructive 'teredo' wood-boring worm.
- The Baltimore Oyster House Fire
A suspected arson and double tragedy at a Second Street hotel leaves the community in shock as the accused points a finger at his own wife.
- The Push to Replace Chinese Laborers in Seattle
Employers move to fire Chinese workers in favor of white laborers, as the city faces a rise in unemployed white men looking for work.
- The Hypocrisy of Convict Labor
An editorial draws a direct, nativist parallel between New York's stance on prison labor and the push to expel Chinese laborers from the Pacific coast.
- The Power of Education at the University
A local minister delivers a sermon to graduates, arguing that knowledge and moral discipline are the foundations of both the individual and the republic.
- Tacoma’s Railroad Thralldom
A neighboring city struggles under the shadow of the Northern Pacific Railroad's monopoly and the local 'aristocracy' that supports it.