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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1899 | 20 |
20 stories matching fear
- The False Alarm That Struck Fear in a Seattle Neighborhood
A frame building caught fire at the corner of 31st Avenue and Cherry Street, sparking fears that victims were trapped inside.
- The Doctor Who Vanished: A Seattle Physician’s Fearful Disappearance Sparks Murder Theories
Dr. H.P. Harrington of Oakdale left his patients and his town in mid-April, leaving behind a trail of illness, a warning from a lynching victim, and friends who fear he was silenced.
- The Day the River Rose: Asotin’s Fear of a Washout
As floodwaters threaten to cut off the town from the mainland, residents brace for isolation and potential disaster along the Snake River.
- The End of the Chain Gang in Seattle
City officials move to retire the practice of using prisoners for manual street labor, shifting to rock-breaking in a bid to deter professional tramps.
- The Great Northern Snow Plow: President Hill’s Battle with the Cascades
While Seattle slept, railroad magnate James J. Hill fought a war against the elements, his train delayed by drifts and snowplows in a dramatic struggle that highlights the fragility of early 20th-century transit.
- The Tailor's Revolt: Seattle Shops Defy Union Wages
As the local tailors' strike enters its second week with shops shuttered, merchants import labor from abroad to break the union, sparking fears of violent confrontation.
- The Vanishing of Little Nellie: Seattle’s Gypsy Panic
In June 1903, the disappearance of a toddler in West Seattle sparked a city-wide manhunt and deep-seated prejudice against a traveling circus troupe.
- The Fight for a Living Wage on Seattle's Streetcars
Facing a massive consolidation of rail companies, Seattle transit workers organize to demand a guaranteed minimum wage.
- The Fire Fiend Stalks Seattle's Waterfront
A witness spots a mysterious arsonist fleeing the Western Mill in a rowboat, stoking fears of a serial firebug terrorizing the city's timber industry.
- The 'Servant Girl' Stigma: A Century-Old Labor Crisis
An editorial from 1899 examines why American women shun domestic service in favor of office work, even when domestic positions offer higher stability.
- The Vanishing Steamer: Seattle Waits in Fog for the 'Port Albert'
Passengers and agents grow anxious as the British-American steamer goes missing off the Pacific Northwest coast, sparking fears of a wreck or mechanical failure.
- Death Reared Its Horrid Head: Steam Heater Explosion Kills Two Men in Downtown Seattle
A careless Japanese fireman left a boiler unattended at Second and Washington, causing a catastrophic explosion that killed one man instantly and mortally wounded another.
- The Great Egg Heist: A Drunken Chase Ends in Laughter on Pike Street
When James Quinn grabbed a case of eggs near First Avenue, Officer Cameron gave chase with drawn revolver—only for the 'thief' to surrender with a request for a cigarette.
- The Captain Who Died for His Flag
A Seattle lawyer’s final wish—to be killed in battle while holding the American flag—was tragically fulfilled in Manila, casting a storm over the local community.
- The Moonshiner’s Crusade: A Local Man Offers to Lead a Private Army Against the Spanish
Arthur T. Abernethy, a Seattle resident with deep ties to Southern Appalachia, has proposed an audacious plan to President McKinley: recruit fierce moonshiners from North Carolina and Tennessee to crush the rebellion in the Philippines.
- The Vigilante Committee: Tacoma's Desperate War on Crime
In March 1902, Tacoma’s elite formed a secret society sworn to kill without mercy after police failed to stop a wave of robberies and murders.
- The Outlaw Who Robbed a Colonel: A Seattle Man’s Wild Tale of Army Gold
A former quartermaster recounts how he and fellow officers were held up at gunpoint in Kansas by masked bandits who demanded government funds.
- The Chambermaid’s Lock: A Seattle Hotel Guest’s Brutal Mistake
When a wealthy Chicago businessman accidentally locked himself in his hotel room and then roughed up the maid who tried to help him, he found himself facing a $10,000 lawsuit for assault.
- The Saloon Ordinance and the 'Back Door' Scandal
Seattle City Council members clash over zoning laws for liquor licenses, with accusations of bribery and political maneuvering threatening to shut down saloons in key districts.
- The Seattle Star’s Local Beat: A Robber’s $20, a Funeral, and the Yellow Peril Panic
While New York burns in wire copy, Seattle deals with petty theft, local funerals, and a debunked rumor of an Alaskan battle.