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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1883 | 4 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1885 | 8 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1887 | 5 |
27 stories matching key
- The Farmer Who Halted the Railroad
When a railway company tried to seize land for a branch line without fair payment, a Whitman County farmer fought back by having the construction crew arrested.
- A Tragic Disappearance at the Occidental Hotel
After arriving in Seattle alone, a young woman known as Nellie McNiel left behind a letter claiming she had been seduced, betrayed, and intended to take her own life.
- The Jailer and the Sheriff’s Keys
A power struggle inside the King County jail ends in a public firing after a suspicious security lapse involving lost keys and unauthorized visitors.
- The Great Baptist Church Lockout
When an internal church feud in 1887 led to gas being turned off, keys being withheld, and a locksmith called to secure the pulpit against the congregation's dissenters.
- Hotel Showdown at the Brunswick
A local hop farmer and a married woman are caught in a tense, armed confrontation in a hotel room.
- The Unlucky Runaways of Tacoma
Two young men who walked from Kalama to Tacoma seeking work instead find themselves behind bars after a clumsy theft from a local wood hauler.
- The Siege of Port Blakely
When mill workers organized for better conditions at the Port Blakely mill, the company responded by calling in the National Guard, turning a labor dispute into a military occupation.
- The Tragic End of the Moncks
A young couple is found dead in a Seattle hotel room, a desperate final act following the husband's unemployment.
- A Deadly Jealousy in Pioneer Seattle
A brutal double murder on a quiet morning reveals the fragility of domestic peace in 1885 Seattle.
- The Blundering Firefighters of Pioneer Square
A satirical look at a day when a local livery stable fire turned into a slapstick comedy of errors for Seattle's volunteer hook and ladder company.
- The Wild West Street Brawl Between Two Police Chiefs
A power struggle in Tacoma turned into a street-side standoff, forcing residents to choose sides as two men claimed the title of Chief of Police.
- The Rivalry That Built the Sound
In 1887, C.B. Wright, a key figure in the development of Tacoma, reflects on the 'nip and go' panic that forced the Northern Pacific terminus to choose between Tacoma and Seattle.
- Tragedy in the Woods Near Lone Prairie
A woman experiencing a mental health crisis locked her home and set it ablaze, killing herself and her four children.
- The Great Land Reclaim: The Fight Over Northern Pacific’s Unearned Rails
A legislative push in 1886 aimed to strip the Northern Pacific Railroad of vast swaths of public land it held but failed to build upon, seeking to return it to settlers.
- The Jailbreak on Commercial Street
A clever prisoner manages to pick the lock of his cell and slip away into the night, leaving the sheriff scrambling for a lead.
- The Birth of the People's Party in King County
Third-party organizers convene in Seattle to challenge the status quo, demanding labor protections, women's suffrage, and the expulsion of Chinese laborers.
- The Unsolved Mystery of the 'Soft-Footed' Burglar
A quiet intruder terrorizes Seattle residents, leaving victims baffled after appearing in their homes in the dead of night—only to flee at the sound of a voice.
- The Clue in the Rubber Boots
A fire in a barn on White River leads to an arrest after a trail of distinct boot prints is discovered.
- A Night at the St. Charles Hotel
A local journalist's late-night attempt to 'clean out' a hotel leads to a public brawl and a courtroom spectacle.
- A Desperate End at a Seattle Boarding House
A young traveler from Nebraska succumbs to despair and alcohol, leaving behind a brief note for his kin.
- The Strange Disappearance of Nellie McNeil
After a frantic police search, a woman reported missing is discovered living in a rooming house above a local saloon.
- The Rivalry for Sound Trade
A Port Townsend newspaper critiques Seattle's aggressive expansionism and 'booster' mentality in an effort to rally its own merchant class.
- A Sunday Journey to Whidbey Island in 1885
A traveler describes the primitive, thriving settlement of Coupeville and the muddy, adventurous trek to Oak Harbor via stage and skiff.
- The Telegraphers Who Spilled Too Much Tea
Two railroad telegraph operators make the mistake of gossiping about a bridal couple over the wire, only to find the groom is a company superintendent.
- The Forgotten Safety Practice of 1885
A century and a half before GPS trackers, a Snohomish County editor offered a simple, low-tech solution for the perennial heartbreak of a lost child: use indelible ink.