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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 7 |
| 1889 | 16 |
| 1891 | 8 |
| 1892 | 30 |
| 1893 | 33 |
| 1894 | 36 |
| 1895 | 30 |
160 stories matching declin
- The Great Potato Bust of 1894
Farmers hold out for higher prices, only to watch the market collapse as California shipments flood in.
- Coal Exports Decline as Industry Shifts
Seattle's coal industry faces a slump, prompting local mine owners to lobby for protectionist tariffs against Australian imports.
- The Tragic End of a Visionary
Captain R. W. De Lion, a prominent figure in regional shipping and a former Port Townsend mayor, takes his own life in Seattle after a period of declining health and financial strain.
- The Boom and Bust of the Australian Lumber Trade
A look at the rise of Puget Sound timber exports to Australia and why the financial collapse in the colonies is hitting Washington mills hard.
- Accidental Shooting of W.I. Price
A prosecutor declines to charge a local constable for a shooting deemed accidental.
- The Tragic End of Seattle’s Second-Born White Son
Austin A. Bell, a wealthy real estate developer and son of one of the city's founders, ends his life in a downtown office, haunted by the specter of his father’s mental decline.
- Railroad Giant Declares Bankruptcy
The Northern Pacific Railroad has been placed into receivership, signaling a major shift in Northwest transit and land development.
- The Tragedy of a Carpenter's Decline
A sick and destitute man finds himself unable to keep up union dues as he battles consumption in Seattle.
- Ballard's Mayor Refused to Pay a Court Judgment. The Judge Wanted Him in Court.
Mayor Matthew Dow declined to issue a warrant for J. F. Thornton's judgment against the city; a superior court ordered him to appear and explain or face punishment.
- A Bribe Offer on the Witness Stand
A Tacoma gambling inquiry turned stranger when the police chief mentioned an attempted payoff—then declined to name names before Friday.
- The Strike of the Tacoma Printers
A morning paper imports out-of-state non-union labor to break a local typesetters' walkout.
- Fire Chief Faces Ouster Over Citizenship Claim
A political feud within the Seattle Fire Department takes a turn as a rejected applicant accuses the Chief of being an alien.
- The Carpenter Who Went to Jail on Principle
A local carpenter faces jail time after refusing to pay a poll tax, equating his plight to the political climate of Tsarist Russia.
- The Postmaster’s Morality Purge
A Port Townsend postmaster suspends a Methodist minister and mail carrier, citing the moral tone of the department—while his own divorce scandal simmers.
- Homeowner Battles City Over Street Ditch
W. H. Gleason sues the City of Seattle for $1,000, claiming a city-sanctioned ditch blocked access to his Washington Street rentals.
- Arson Suspected at the People's Theater
A suspicious fire destroys stage scenery at the People's Theater, causing $700 in damage, with staff claiming the blaze was intentionally set.
- City Declines Responsibility for Injured Man in Saloon Brawl
A man with a broken leg from a tavern brawl was left in limbo after the City Health Officer ruled the city was not responsible for the hospital care of indigent non-prisoners.
- A Local Politician Vouching for Cabinet Nominee Hoke Smith
Seattle figure James Hamilton Lewis intervenes to defend a controversial presidential cabinet appointee from accusations of being a 'railroad underservant'.
- The Flour Price Plunge
Washington millers slash prices as the local wheat market faces blockade-related distribution issues.
- The Battle for Olympia's Waterfront
A local judicial candidate sparks a red-hot municipal contest by claiming public tide lands for his own, setting the stage for a bitter election fight.
- The Slaughterhouse Tragedy
A young worker’s mental health decline is met with the blunt reality of institutionalization.
- The Lumber Trust Strikes: 1,400 Men Cast Adrift in the Pacific Northwest
In a coordinated move across Puget Sound, the 'lumber trust' shuts down mills from Port Gamble to Port Madison, citing Southern California market weakness and throwing over a thousand workers into unemployment.
- The Water Works Cash Scandal
A former water superintendent admits to using bill funds to cover mysterious cash shortages, triggering an explosive office row.
- The Tallest Man in the Charter Committee
A political power struggle at City Hall concludes with the appointment of a local pile driver to the Charter Revision Committee, largely because of his stature.
- The 'Cigarette Fiend' of Port Angeles
A desperate machinist attempts suicide, citing a struggle to overcome a tobacco habit that led to severe insomnia and mental decline.