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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 12 |
| 1883 | 59 |
| 1884 | 30 |
| 1885 | 58 |
| 1886 | 30 |
| 1887 | 51 |
240 stories matching howev
- The Anarchist’s Pamphleteer
While the nation held its breath over the Haymarket executions in Chicago, a woman faced down Seattle police to distribute radical literature on Government Square.
- The Great Mud Flat Land War
An armed confrontation breaks out over disputed tide lands as settlers use cannon and rifles to defend their property claims.
- A Belligerent Patient at the Steilacoom Asylum
- The Unlucky Bachelor of Seattle
A cautionary tale from the 1880s about the perils of marriage and the high-speed heartbreak of being a widower in a hurry.
- The Political Machine vs. Mr. Humes
A fiery struggle over county boundaries reveals a deep-seated battle between Seattle’s citizenry and the powerful railroad political machine.
- The Town Held Hostage by the Railroad
When the Northern Pacific Railroad bypassed an established town to create a company-owned rival, the residents were left in a fight for their city’s survival.
- The Fight for the Ten-Hour Day on the Puget Sound
A historic, voluntary move by the Puget Mill Company to limit the workday sparks a push for better labor conditions in the mills.
- The Thief Who Tried to Sell Stolen Goods Back to the Chief
A brazen Tacoma burglar was caught red-handed when he attempted to sell his illicit haul directly to the city’s Chief of Police.
- The Phantom Murder of Snohomish
A night of terrifying screams and gunfire leads to a frantic, futile search for a body in the river.
- The Hop Gold Rush of 1886
As hop prices soar in the Puyallup Valley, Washington Territory farmers find themselves in the midst of a speculative frenzy, echoing the volatility of modern commodity markets.
- 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 Delegate Who Stalled the State’s Legal Progress
How a stubborn stand on woman suffrage paralyzed Washington Territory’s legislative agenda in the halls of D.C.
- Domestic Violence at the Gas Works
A husband is sentenced to the county jail after a brutal assault on his wife using a grindstone and a revolver.
- The Lonely Life of the Seattle Bachelor
A local writer laments the lack of respectable social outlets for unmarried men, arguing that the city’s saloons and variety shows offer nothing but 'hardening influences.'
- The Arcade Saloon Melee
A morning brawl involving the 'John Bull Combination' spills out of the Arcade Saloon and into the street.
- Clearing the Beach Squatters
City authorities order the removal of squatters living on the tide lands as the city begins to enforce strict land claims.
- The Fight for the Ballot at the Tacoma Courthouse
In 1887, two suffragists took to the streets to demand the restoration of voting rights for women in Washington Territory.
- The Rescue of the Bark Arabella
After running aground, a stranded vessel is saved by the quick work of local steamers.
- Vigilantism and Intimidation Against Chinese Residents
An attempted assassination of two Chinese men in Seattle is thwarted by police, leading to the arrest of three 'highbinders'.
- The Stolen Name of the Mountain
A rare 1883 editorial lamenting the erasure of Indigenous names and the commodification of the landscape.
- 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.
- The Seattle Fire Chief Election of 1885
A lively local election for the Seattle Fire Department chief seat sees Gardner Kellogg defeat incumbent Daniel McKeon by a narrow margin.
- The Battle for Seattle's Coal Wealth
A report on the power struggle between the Oregon Improvement Company and the Northern Pacific, and how it shaped the local economy.
- The Alhambra Theatre Scandal
A variety theater proprietor vanishes with thousands of dollars, leaving his troupe and local contractors empty-handed.
- Mining Accident Leads to Fatal Infection
A young miner's tragic end in Newcastle highlights the dangers of the industry and the limitations of 1883 medical care.