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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 8 |
| 1883 | 37 |
| 1884 | 22 |
| 1885 | 53 |
| 1886 | 27 |
| 1887 | 32 |
179 stories matching district
- The Day Seattle Became the Center of Washington's Public Lands
When the U.S. District Land Office moved from Olympia to the 'Queen City,' it marked a historic shift in the administration of the Washington Territory.
- The Year of Anti-Chinese Agitation in King County
An 1885 review looks back on a year marked by intense, organized efforts to drive Chinese laborers out of Seattle and the surrounding coal mining districts.
- The Great Land Office Migration
When the federal government moved the regional land office from Olympia to Seattle, the move signaled a pivotal shift in the economic gravity of the Puget Sound.
- The Knights of Labor Forbidden to Go Political
A national labor board issues a stern rebuke to Seattle assembly members, setting a precedent against using union dues for party politics.
- The Great Seattle Sawmill Fire
A spark from a passing train ignites a massive blaze in the Seattle lumber district, consuming millions of feet of lumber and threatening to incinerate the city's waterfront.
- The Price of Building a City
A routine legal notice from 1888 reveals the harsh reality of foreclosure during Seattle's early territorial boom.
- Streetcar Strike Paralyzes Seattle Transit
Conductors and drivers halt operations across the city, leaving only two lines running as labor disputes escalate.
- The Great Representation Scandal of 1886
A look back at how political gerrymandering in Washington Territory left voters with wildly unequal voices in their own government.
- Crew Files Admiralty Suit Against Ship Challenger
Sailors sue the captain and officers of a vessel arriving in Tacoma for systemic physical abuse, including beatings with clubs and belaying pins.
- A Fiery Protest Over Local Schooling
A schoolhouse in Lakenew was destroyed by an act of suspected arson, following heated community disputes over moving the building into town.
- Federal Land Decisions in Kittitas County
The Interior Department rejects land claims in the Yakima and Walla Walla districts.
- The U.S. Seizes Fifty Pounds of Opium
Federal authorities move to forfeit a large cache of prepared opium found concealed in a Seattle residence.
- The Unpaid Labor of the 'Lone Fisherman'
When the owner of a small steamer failed to pay his shipwrights, they took to the courts to reclaim their wages.
- The Stevedore’s Claim: A Waterfront Legal Battle
After loading a massive cargo of spars, timber, and planks, a Seattle laborer took the ship owners to federal court to recover his unpaid wages.
- The Ashes of Affluence: How Seattle’s Burnt District Became a Goldmine
While the city mourns the destruction of its commercial heart, savvy investors are turning charred lots into fortunes, with property values tripling in just years.
- The Struggle for Smith's Bay: A Foreclosure on Progress
A landmark Seattle building faces the auction block as labor claims and land disputes entangle a growing city.
- Seattle's New Railroad Depot to Anchor Future Prosperity
City leaders anticipate that the construction of a grand new depot at the foot of Second Street will permanently shift the city's wholesale trade district.
- Deep Harbor, Shallow Anchors
A legal battle breaks out between two ships after a collision in Tacoma harbor reveals the dangers of local seafaring infrastructure.
- The Fight for a Port Townsend Customs House
A Congressman makes a spirited plea to Washington D.C. for funds to house the booming commerce of the Puget Sound district.
- The Railroad’s Timber Heist
A federal investigation reveals that the Northern Pacific Railroad conspired with contractors to clear-cut and steal timber from public lands, triggering a major legal showdown in Yakima.
- Sailors Sue the Ship Challenger Over Abuse at Sea
Eight sailors sue for wages and damages after allegedly being beaten with clubs and belaying pins during a voyage from Philadelphia to Tacoma.
- Introducing Game Birds to the Sound
The Seattle Rod and Gun Club aims to make the Puget Sound district a premier sporting destination by importing Ohio clay birds and game.
- The Price of a Petty Grudge
A Seattle legal dispute drags on for four years over ten dollars, costing hundreds in court fees while a jury of citizens yawns through the spectacle.
- The First Grand Jury with Women Jurors
A landmark challenge to women's right to serve on a jury in Washington Territory sets the stage for the April District Court session.
- The Colonel, The Schoolmaster, and the Writ of Mandamus
When a Seattle teacher enforced a strict attendance policy, a local parent sued to force the school to readmit his son. The Chief Justice’s ruling settled a tug-of-war over authority that echoes in modern classrooms.