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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 2 |
| 1889 | 14 |
| 1891 | 4 |
| 1892 | 4 |
| 1893 | 14 |
| 1894 | 32 |
| 1895 | 54 |
124 stories matching basi
- The Twenty-Dollar Warrant That Put Okanogan County’s Credit on Trial
A Seattle trust company sues over a tiny delinquent warrant, and county scrip buyers freeze purchases as officials try to move onto a cash basis.
- 1889 Plan to Sell Washington’s Tide Lands
A scathing editorial from 1889 warns that the state's proposed policy for selling tide lands is a 'farce' designed to gift public waterfront to private speculators.
- Seattle’s Schools Ask Voters to Make the Ledger Balance
With teachers discounting their own salary warrants, the school board calls a special election to validate a $37,000 floating debt and put the district on a cash basis.
- The Trial of Banker Edmiston
A North Yakima banker faces trial for allegedly accepting deposits while knowing his bank was insolvent, sparking a debate over corporate accountability.
- The Great Navel Orange Price Crash
A sudden, massive drop in orange prices has local dealers outraged and bargain hunters swarming the market.
- Railroad Workers Threaten Strike Over Pay
Employees of the Columbia and Puget Sound railroad challenge management over wage inequality compared to regional standards.
- The Tide Flat Grabbers: Seattle’s Fight for Its Own Shoreline
As the statehood deadline looms, a fierce editorial battle erupts over who owns the valuable mudflats of Elliott Bay—speculators or the public?
- Professional Baseball Threatened in Tacoma
Faced with financial instability, the Tacoma baseball club briefly considers folding, only to be saved by a local fundraising effort.
- The Editor versus the Judge
A clash between the press and the bench over a municipal dance hall ordinance sparks a contempt charge.
- The North Bend Punch-Up
A grudge match between two former partners leads to a brawl and a trip to court.
- Seattle's Schools on the Brink: The 1895 Debt Vote That Could Have Cut the School Year to Six Months
With floating warrants piling up and the tax base shrinking, School District No. 1 asked voters to ratify about $387,000 in debt and refinance it before the school term was cut from ten months to six.
- The Great Railway Debate
Legislators in Olympia grapple with the Farmers' Alliance, railroad monopolies, and the fight for equitable shipping rates as tension mounts between East and West Washington.
- The City Trims Its School Budget
Facing economic pressure, the school board cuts teacher salaries and shortens the school year, sparking a detailed accounting of educator compensation.
- A $20-a-Month Alimony Bill, a Vow to 'Starve Out,' and a Warrant
Frank Heath, a Seventh Avenue line conductor, was wanted on a warrant after his ex-wife said he refused to pay $20 a month and vowed to 'starve out' rather than comply.
- Seattle's Musicians Union Cracks Down on a Band Accused of Cutting Rates
A union fine against Lancer & Lueben's bandleader opens a widening fight over underbidding, jealousy and the union scale.
- Seattle’s Missing $5,500: A Treasurer, a Fire, and a Quiet Committee Settlement
Ex-City Treasurer W. L. Ames’s accounts were short. His bondsmen admitted it and the finance committee looked for a settlement—no prosecution, just a deal.
- The Scandal at the Almshouse
Citizens and legal experts push for a judicial probe into alleged corruption surrounding the construction of a new county almshouse.
- The Fusion Bargain: Democrats and Populists Trade Principles for a Ticket
A Tacoma dispatch describes backroom talks, proxies and newspaper maneuvering as Washington's Democrats and Populists weigh a joint slate.
- The Strange Mystery of Eugene Semple's 'Sack'
As the senatorial deadlock in Olympia stretches on, an ex-governor arrives with rumors of a $1,000 slush fund to buy his way into office.
- The Courthouse Bond Battle
King County commissioners face a high-stakes decision on competing bonds from I.W. Maple and A.P. Mitten, sparking a debate over political influence versus business integrity.
- Defeated King County Clerk Refuses to Step Down
A political standoff ensues at the King County Courthouse after the incumbent clerk refuses to vacate his office for his successor.
- The People's Party Rallies at Columbia Street
In 1894, Seattle's populist coalition gathered to challenge the dominance of corporate interests and demand equal rights at the ballot box.
- The Squatter’s Shack on the Waterfront
A railroad company wins its eviction battle against a man living on a harbor spit.
- The Printing Contract Scandal
The City Council awards a printing contract to a more expensive paper, sparking claims of hypocrisy against the self-proclaimed 'reform' administration.
- The Ghost of the Underground Railroad in the Pacific Northwest
A peculiar rumor spreads through Seattle of a coordinated, clandestine effort to relocate thousands of Black Southerners to Washington and Montana.