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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1884 | 7 |
| 1885 | 11 |
| 1886 | 4 |
| 1887 | 9 |
45 stories matching understood
- Chief Moses Demands His Land—and a Hearing
A Columbia chief says the government cannot take back a reservation just because his people refused to move onto it; the cabinet agrees he has grounds.
- The North Yakima Night-Riders
Vigilante arsonists strike at property owners in the growing town of North Yakima.
- An Empty Cage: Sheriff McGraw’s ‘Ghost’ Jail
In a turn of fortune for the Seattle jail, the cells have emptied out, leaving the Sheriff with little to do but manage a single remaining debtor.
- The Roller Rink's Strict Rules
An 1881 Seattle rink owner moves to sanitize the reputation of his roller skating establishment.
- The Northern Pacific Stakes its Claim
Railroad giants bond the Dr. H. A. Smith farm for a new Seattle terminus.
- A Tragic Search for a Missing Brother
A young man rides out on horseback to attend his sister’s funeral in Seattle, only to vanish into the frozen wilderness of the Territory.
- The Trial of Harry Bray
A vagrancy trial before Justice Cann leads to a hung jury and reveals the tense atmosphere of Washington Street.
- The Fight for Tacoma’s Autonomy
Citizens of Old Town successfully revolt against a legislative push to consolidate the region into a single city, fearing the loss of local school and post office funds.
- The Changing Face of Front Street
Seattle's wooden buildings are vanishing, replaced by permanent brick structures as the city matures.
- The Pool-Selling Fugitive of Victoria
After facing legal trouble in Seattle, a local man fled to British Columbia, only to find his gambling scheme unwelcome there as well.
- Olympia's Shifting Rail Line
The Olympia branch railroad plans a major reroute to avoid dangerous trestles and prioritize the lucrative logging trade.
- The Steamer Anderson’s Long Life on the Sound
A legendary vessel finds new ownership in Seattle, signaling a shift in the regional transit market.
- A Grand Wedding at the Episcopal Church
Seattle society turns out in force to witness the union of Nellie Wright and Guy C. Phinney.
- Seattle vs. Tacoma: The Great Railroad Battle
Boosterism was the lifeblood of 1883 Seattle, as the P-I staked its claim on the city's future as the 'terminal city' of the Northwest, despite President Villard's clear favoritism toward Tacoma.
- A Massive Land Grab Stalled: Seattle’s Northern Pacific Victory
A pivotal decision in Washington Territory nullifies a $125,000,000 corporate claim on public land, forcing a reckoning for the Northern Pacific Railroad.
- Federal Troops Arrive to Quell Anti-Chinese Agitation in Seattle
United States soldiers are deployed to maintain order amidst rising tensions, as the newspaper argues the law must be upheld against the ongoing intimidation of Chinese residents.
- The Ghost Hotel on the Old School Lot
A legal dispute over a prime piece of downtown real estate reveals a broken promise to build a hotel, fueling rumors of a makeshift boarding house for Chinese laborers.
- The Fight Over Unpaid Rail Taxes
A new Congressional bill aims to force Pacific railroads to pay taxes on their vast land grants, closing a loophole that left farmers shouldering the civic burden.
- The Inside Story of Seattle's Rail Woes
John Leary reveals why plans for a railroad to the Cedar River coal fields have stalled, exposing the delicate dance between local boosters and coal barons.
- The High-License Gamble: Seattle’s 1886 Liquor War
Business owners threaten to shutter their doors in a high-stakes protest against the city’s new, aggressive liquor licensing ordinances.
- Public Feud at the Bijou Theater
The proprietor of the Bijou Theater hits back after a constable allegedly threatened him and attempted to enter the venue without paying.
- The Struggle to Find Your Way in Early Seattle
Before the city had a standardized grid, navigating its muddy, stump-filled streets was a chaotic task—until one resident proposed a system that still echoes today.
- The Seattle Mill Strike of 1885
When the Yesler Mill announced sudden wage cuts, the workers staged a walkout that paralyzed the waterfront.
- The Great Seattle Oyster War
When Colonel Jim Steel discovered a legal loophole to seize Seattle’s tide flats for private oyster farming, he triggered a chaotic race against a major land company.
- The Surprise Ballot: How Women Upended Seattle Politics in 1887
When Washington women were granted the vote, skeptics assumed they wouldn't use it—until they turned out in such force they shocked the political establishment.