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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1889 | 6 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1892 | 4 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1894 | 5 |
| 1895 | 4 |
28 stories matching devolv
- A Judge Takes Aim at Seattle's Charter Reformers
Judge Orange Jacobs mocks the men who promised a new city charter would cure every municipal ill — and doubts any document can make people honest.
- The 1893 Plan to Untangle Seattle’s Government
A powerful city official wanted a stronger mayor, a one-house council, and fewer commissions—arguments Seattle still has today.
- The Bloody Battle of Washington Street
A federal opium sting operation devolved into a chaotic, axe-wielding melee in a dark room in Pioneer Square.
- The Day Washington Was Born: A City Holds Its Breath
As the nation celebrates statehood, Seattle gathers in a packed hall to hear speeches on liberty, land fraud, and the future of the 'Queen City.'
- The Great Seattle Audit: When the Mayor Defended the Ledger
Facing down accusations of corruption and fiscal recklessness, Seattle’s outgoing mayor releases a meticulous—and defensive—account of his administration's massive infrastructure push.
- The Powerhouse Killing in Hamilton
A quarrel over steam, firewood and a dollar a day left an electric-light manager dead, a young night watchman charged with murder, and a town talking of lynching.
- The Political Brawl for Tacoma’s Soul
After 214 ballots, a fractured city council finally elects a president, exposing a bitter web of accusations, bribery allegations, and 'anti-boodler' fervor.
- The Never-Ending Senatorial Deadlock
Legislative chaos in Olympia as power-brokering and petty infighting stall the selection of a U.S. Senator.
- The Political Circus at the Armory
A rowdy King County Republican convention reveals the deep divisions and high-stakes maneuvering behind the scenes of Washington's impending statehood.
- The City That Forgot to Flush: Seattle’s Shameful Sewer Crisis
As the population surges toward 40,000, an editorial warns that neglecting public health infrastructure is a 'crime' waiting for a deadly summer.
- The Battle for the Hall
When two rival labor factions attempted to book the same venue for their organizational meeting, the dispute devolved into a chaotic scramble for possession of the room.
- A Screaming Farce at Pioneer Square
Proponents and opponents of a Seattle bond issue clash in a volatile open-air debate that devolves into name-calling and public disruption.
- Railroad Lobbyists Left Grumbling in Olympia
A legislative meeting with railroad attorneys devolved into a farce when key senators failed to show, leaving the powerful corporation representatives dazed and empty-handed.
- The Baker Who Ran for Mayor
Seattle's Populist Party convention devolves into 12 hours of bickering before selecting a German baker to lead their ticket.
- Wild West Chaos in Black Diamond
A gambling dispute at an unlicensed saloon in Black Diamond spirals into a shootout, narrowly missing local schoolchildren.
- Showdown at the Armory
A National Guard competitive drill in Seattle devolves into chaos as judges change the rules mid-contest, sparking heated protests.
- Washington's Public Lands Were Run by a Patchwork. Reformers Wanted One Powerful Board.
A joint legislative committee concludes that county tide-land boards, roving land cruisers and district attorneys have wasted public money, and recommends a three-member state land board to manage school and tide lands.
- Police Politics in Whatcom
A City Council meeting devolves into bickering as members attempt to oust a police captain through manufactured charges.
- The City Balked at the Price and Walked Away From the Jury
Facing a jury ready to award thousands for a lot Seattle wanted for a street extension, the city's corporation counsel dismissed the condemnation suit rather than pay what he judged too much.
- Seattle Athletic Club's Humiliating Baseball Defeat
The home team suffers a crushing 17-1 loss to Portland, with spectators dwindling as the game devolved into a series of errors.
- Street Brawl Between Attorneys in Tacoma
A heated dispute over a guardianship case devolved into a brutal physical fight on a Tacoma sidewalk.
- Two Dollars a Head: Seattle's Labor Commissioner Takes On the Employment Agencies
Charged with running the city's free employment office as a union errand boy, Commissioner John Lamb answers that the private agencies have been selling men jobs that do not exist.
- The Trial That Wasn't: Tacoma’s Libel Case Collapses Into Farce
A high-profile libel trial in Tacoma devolves into legal sophistry and personal insults, revealing the chaotic state of territorial justice.
- The New Guard: King County Elects a 'Clean Sweep' of Officials to Replace Corrupt Incumbents
As the new Republican administration takes power in Washington, local voters in King County have ousted a slate of officials they deemed unfit, installing a 'splendid set' of men pledged to honesty and efficiency amid rapid growth.
- The Roslyn Wedding Brawl
A double wedding in the Hungarian quarter of Roslyn devolved into a chaotic riot involving knives and heavy drinking.