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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 17 |
| 1884 | 12 |
| 1885 | 46 |
| 1886 | 29 |
| 1887 | 13 |
119 stories matching request
- Federal Request for Protection at Port Townsend
The Marine Hospital Bureau at Port Townsend expresses alarm over recent threats and requests a watchman to secure the facility.
- The Political Price of Honest Dealing
A local land officer loses his position for resisting the 'land-grabbing' Northern Pacific Railroad, triggering a public petition to demand his reinstatement.
- The Men Who Asked to Be Jailed for Shelter
As unemployment rises in the winter of 1886, the city jail becomes the last resort for laborers seeking shelter and a crust of bread.
- The Broken Promise of the Cedar River Extension
Seattle businessmen struggle with Henry Villard over delayed rail construction and the demand for early subsidy payments.
- The Peril of the Newcastle Coal Mine
A coal miner appeals directly to the Territorial Governor after local officials ignore warnings of a persistent, dangerous fire at the Newcastle mines.
- The Crumbling Walls of Steilacoom
A group of builders and taxpayers exposes shoddy construction at the new Territorial Asylum.
- The City Council’s Policing Scandal
Seattle’s city leadership sparked outrage in 1886 by refusing to support the Mayor's dismissal of a police officer accused of gross negligence.
- The Fight for the White River Bridge
A century before modern infrastructure debates, King County residents were struggling with the same basic problem: a river that split a community in two.
- Knights of Labor Force Displacement of Chinese Workers
The Port Blakely Mill Company agrees to terminate its Chinese workforce following organized pressure from local labor groups.
- The Spirit Who Socked the Detective
A seance in Seattle turns into a brawl when a detective catches a ‘spirit’ in the act of fraud.
- The Political Spoils of a Walla Walla Clerk
After relocating his entire life and family for a government job, a deputy clerk is unceremoniously fired—exposing the bitter, transactional nature of territorial patronage.
- The Governess and the Burglar
A governess, left alone to guard a house of silver while the owners attend a wedding, outwits a home invader who posed as a prospective renter.
- The Struggle for Civic Access: The WCTU’s 1885 Fight Against Liquor Licensing
A local chapter of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union pushes for a formal transparency process, demanding public notice and character checks for liquor license applicants in early Seattle.
- The 1885 'Law and Order' Caucus
Seattle political organizers announce a formal gathering at Frye’s Opera House to nominate candidates for the municipal election.
- Stevedores Strike for Higher Wages
Dockworkers loading the 'Benj. F. Packard' walk off the job when their request for higher Sunday pay is denied.
- The Waterfront Labor Squeeze
A standoff at the Seattle docks over shipping contracts and idle labor leaves the local waterfront in turmoil.
- The 1885 'Law and Order' Showdown
Before the city's modern identity took shape, a civic movement rallied for municipal reform, setting the stage for a dramatic political overhaul in Seattle.
- Chief Moses Agrees to Relocate
A landmark settlement in Washington Territory promises to open two million acres to settlement.
- Extradition Granted for 'Lone-haired' Harris Murder Case
A brutal killing in Blaine leads to a cross-border legal battle as the accused is committed to custody in Victoria.
- The Northern Pacific Railroad's Gibberish
The Portland Board of Trade is left baffled by a nonsensical and dismissive letter from Northern Pacific President Robert Harris regarding regional transit.
- Mayor Yesler Calls Meeting to Address Anti-Chinese Violence
Following a series of attacks, the Mayor seeks to organize property owners against vigilante methods.
- The Price of Refusing the Knights of Labor
A Seattle tavern keeper finds his livelihood evaporating after he crosses a powerful labor union, proving the reach of social and economic pressure in 1886.
- The Unflinching Defense of Mrs. Dudley
Facing a court in a high-stakes trial, a woman demands the right to testify in her own defense, challenging the gendered biases of her era.
- Marriage at the Center of an Exclusion Crisis
A Seattle couple's travel plans are halted by the Chinese Restriction Act, sparking a legal struggle for their right to move freely.
- The Dream That Cracked the Theft Case
A jailed boarder's dream led police to a stolen gold watch and chain hidden under foundation blocks.