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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 4 |
| 1883 | 33 |
| 1884 | 20 |
| 1885 | 27 |
| 1886 | 19 |
| 1887 | 23 |
126 stories matching rate
- Railroad Rates Forced Down
Tacoma citizens win a victory against high railroad excursion rates ahead of the Fourth of July celebration.
- The City’s Fiscal Turnaround
Seattle’s rapid debt reduction and infrastructure growth are hailed as a success story for low-tax policy.
- The Newspaper Monopoly Holding Seattle Hostage
In 1887, the Post-Intelligencer exposed a 'printing ring' between rival newspapers that artificially inflated the cost of public contracts.
- The Iron Road and the Sea
As the federal government prepares to implement the Interstate Commerce Act, Seattle business leaders argue the city is immune to the looming rise in rail freight rates.
- The Price of Rail Dominance
A clash over mileage rates and interest terms strains the relationship between the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company and the Northern Pacific.
- The Railroad That Would Make Seattle
A Northern Pacific agent promises the through line from the East will reach Seattle by September 1, bringing freight, passengers, and a flood of settlers to Puget Sound.
- 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 Great Seattle Land Rush of 1887
When cheap rail tickets from the Canadian Pacific triggered a real estate stampede into Seattle.
- The Coastal Sailors’ Strike
Vessel crews refuse to work at low rates, sparking a confrontation on the Seattle waterfront.
- The Mass Departure of Chinese Laborers
After the completion of the Cedar River extension, the Oregon Improvement Company arranged for the mass transport of 1,700 Chinese workers out of Seattle.
- The War Over the Wires
A newspaper editor battles the Western Union monopoly over telegraph rates and news distribution.
- The Healthiest Spot in the Union
In 1884, a physician made the case that Seattle’s mild, stable climate made it a medical anomaly—a city where typhoid was rare and death rates were the envy of the nation.
- The High Cost of Shipping Produce to the Sound
Yakima farmers complain that exorbitant transport rates are leaving them with nothing to show for their labor.
- Gas prices drop in Seattle
Starting July 1st, 1883, residents and businesses will pay $3 per 1000 feet for gas.
- The Unseen Cost of a Changing Railroad
A 1887 editorial warns that new federal commerce regulations could dismantle local trade networks in Seattle and beyond, favoring big cities at the expense of regional producers.
- The Waterfront Standoff of 1886
Striking workers at the Northern Pacific railroad docks force a showdown over fair pay, halting cargo operations in a city on the rise.
- A Laborer's Grievance Over Skimpy Wages
A worker on the Madison Street grade reports that his contractor is withholding pay, sparking a debate on fairness and city debt.
- Lake Washington Water Flows Into the City
A new engineering milestone as city reservoirs are filled from the lake, promising both hydration and fire protection for a growing Seattle.
- The Steamboat Betrayal
A local captain accuses Ottawa officials of reneging on a mail contract after he already invested in the route.
- The Price of a Drink in 1885 Seattle
A newly passed city ordinance lays out a complex, bureaucratic, and cash-heavy system for anyone hoping to open a saloon or bottle house.
- The predatory business of 'confidential' loans
A Seattle reporter goes undercover to expose local money lenders charging exorbitant interest rates to the desperate.
- The End of the Railroad Monopoly
Seattle shippers finally find relief from Northern Pacific's long-standing grip on local commerce as new transportation lines offer competitive rates.
- Runaway Gravel Train Near Hood Canal
A dozen laborers on a Port Gamble railroad work train are forced to jump for their lives as their cars lose control on a steep grade.
- The Coal King of Snohomish County
Clarence Coulter outlines plans for a massive new coal shipping operation and rail line, eyeing the Northern Pacific market.
- The Unmaking of a Seattle Landmark
As the city rapidly expands, the historic Wyckoff house is vacated, marking a shift in the central business district’s character.