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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 1 |
| 1889 | 2 |
| 1891 | 2 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1894 | 4 |
| 1895 | 6 |
30 stories matching ceil
- The Great Escape Attempt at the King County Jail
A desperate dig through the ceiling of a Seattle jail cell ends with the sheriff turning fire hoses on the inmates to quell the chaos.
- A Bullet Between Brothers
A shot fired from the darkness of a Yesler Avenue street at night narrowly missed two brothers standing in their upstairs home.
- Breaking the Shingle-Packing Ceiling
In an era where shingle packing is strictly men's work, a young woman in Gate City proves she can do the job just as well.
- A Massive New Iron Works to Rise at Elliott Bay
The Seattle Iron and Steel Manufacturing Company unveils ambitious plans for a large-scale foundry and manufacturing plant.
- New Cedar Mill Set for Waterfront
A sawmill at the Seattle Dock Company site is being converted to handle shingle production, with new rail access planned along Charles Street.
- The Calkins Hotel Despoiled
A real estate trust claims tenants of an East Seattle hotel are gutting the building and flooding its rooms in a scorched-earth dispute over a lease.
- A Fireproof Infirmary for the Poor
After city officials refused to participate in a joint facility, the county moves forward with plans for a specialized, fireproof hospital at the poor farm.
- The Grand Opening of the Seattle Theater
A glittering, capacity crowd inaugurates the city's premier venue, setting a new standard for Pacific Coast entertainment.
- An Ellensburg Merchant's Stock Goes Up in Smoke
A mysterious blaze gutted E. K. Fugarty's mercantile store, destroying one of Central Washington's finest stocks and leaving a heavy, still-uncalculated loss.
- Arson Attempt at Bellingham Bay Sun
A suspicious candle-in-oil setup is discovered in a Fairhaven newspaper office, raising questions about insurance fraud.
- The $40 Prize Burglary That Came Up Through the Floor
Someone broke into the basement of the Famous Clothing Co., bored a clean hole through the floor beneath a display window and pulled out the cash box without disturbing the storefront.
- The Seattle Athletic Club Moves Into Grand New Quarters
Members christen a four-story facility on Front Street featuring a massive swimming tank, a gym with a two-story ceiling, and a new official 'Seattle' yell.
- The Struggle for a Proper Stage
A popular movement takes off to build Seattle its first dedicated grand opera house as performers complain about the city’s cramped, inadequate venues.
- The Art of the 'Living Picture'
Behind the scenes at the Calhoun Opera Company, where stagecraft and quick-change artistry bring classical paintings to life.
- The Northwest Lumber Cartel Forms in Tacoma
Major mill owners from across the Puget Sound region organize to stabilize prices and set standard grades for timber.
- The Great Telephone Switchboard Fire
A tangled mess of high-voltage arc light wires sends fireworks cascading through the central telephone exchange, nearly incinerating the entire plant.
- The City’s Debt Ceiling Crisis of 1892
Facing a massive backlog of unpaid warrants and legal judgments, Seattle's city council puts a multi-million dollar bond package to a city-wide vote to stave off municipal insolvency.
- A Night of Exchange at the Baptist Chinese Mission
A rare 1891 cultural exchange took place at the Baptist mission, featuring speeches and a feast that aimed to bridge racial divides through education.
- The Jailbreak That Never Was: A Seattle Jail Security Crisis
When guards discovered tunneling and hidden tools in the city jail, the potential for a mass breakout triggered a city-wide security lockdown.
- Ellensburg's New Normal School Opens on the Hill
Ellensburg's new State Normal School opened to students, a brick-and-stone landmark with a gymnasium, auditorium, electric lights, and a rare surplus left in the building fund.
- John L. Sullivan's Seattle Takeover
When the world’s heavyweight champion brought his traveling theatrical troupe to town, the city went into a frenzy of gawking, impersonations, and mass hysteria.
- The Night a Gilded Age Mansion Lit the Road to Its Own Party
In 1894, Horace and Susan Henry welcomed nearly 200 guests to their new showpiece house above Lake Union—then sent them home by special streetcar under a private line of electric lights.
- Gambler shot in Snohomish street row
A night patrolman fired on a man who attacked him with a rolling pin after a rowdy disturbance near the local saloon.
- A touring tragedian tells Seattle's schoolgirls to put down 'Trilby' and read Shakespeare
Frederick Warde, in town to play Julius Caesar at the Seattle Theater, spends a Friday afternoon lecturing a packed house for the high school library — and is sent off with flowers and a standing ovation from the pupils.
- A House of Prayer for All the Nations
In 1892, Seattle's Congregation Ohaveth Sholom dedicated the first Jewish synagogue in Washington, filling the new sanctuary at Seventh and Seneca with Jews and Gentiles and with sermons that insisted the building must be more than stone and gold.