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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1877 | 4 |
| 1878 | 6 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 1 |
13 stories matching cheap
- The Logger’s Dilemma: Why Cheap Labor Is Killing Washington's Future
In a fierce editorial from January 1877, the Puget Sound Dispatch argues that low wages for loggers don't just hurt workers—they stunt the growth of the entire territory, creating a class of 'mental and physical wrecks' instead of future statesmen.
- The Price of Printing: A 19th Century Fight Against 'Cheap John' Contracting
An editorial from the 1873 Seattle Dispatch excoriates the municipal habit of awarding city printing contracts to the lowest bidder, arguing it degrades the press and serves only the interests of 'ward demagogues.'
- The 'Veneer and Sham' of 19th Century Schooling
A historic critique of a curriculum overstuffed with 'smatterings' and fancy subjects, arguing that public schools were failing to provide the basic, useful education required for life.
- The New England Hotel's Ban
A local hotel owner strikes a blow against Chinese labor, signaling a rising tide of xenophobic economic policy in the Pacific Northwest.
- The Primary Teacher’s Plea: Why Seattle’s Schools Are Failing Our Children
Miss C.I.T. Parsons delivers a scathing indictment of the King County Teachers' Institute, arguing that cheap buildings and unqualified instructors are robbing Seattle’s youth of their potential.
- The 'Rat' Printers of Seattle
When an 1877 newspaper attempted to cut costs by firing union compositors, the resulting strike sparked a fierce, public feud between rival publications.
- The Wild West Gold Rush at the Border
When the federal government refused to station customs inspectors at the Skagit gold fields, Seattle merchants feared a massive influx of untaxed British Canadian competition.
- After the Bankruptcy, a Mill Town Bets on a Bonanza: Utsalady's 1877 Rebound
In a single March week, the Camano Island mill town of Utsalady snapped back from bankruptcy: a $30,000 mill sale, workmen arriving by steamer, plans for a new wharf — and a showman who decided to stay.
- The Great Seattle Construction Boom of 1878
Falling material costs spark a building frenzy in the frontier town, signaling a rapid expansion for early property owners.
- The Human Cost of the Seattle Labor Crisis
As unemployment rises in the late 19th century, Chinese laborers in Seattle face severe hardship as employers replace them with white workers during a period of economic depression.
- The Courthouse That Never Was
A desperate plea to build a modest county seat on a 'high ridge' between Seattle and Belltown before the city outgrows its footprint.
- A Frontier Homestead Near the Snohomish River
An 1877 classified advertisement offers 140 acres of cultivated land near a public school, highlighting the rapid expansion of early Washington Territory settlements.
- The Pioneer Variety Store's 'Clearance' Sale
A shopkeeper at Seattle's Pioneer Variety Store announces an urgent clearance sale to avoid 'carrying' his current stock into the coming year.