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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 9 |
| 1889 | 24 |
| 1891 | 8 |
| 1892 | 20 |
| 1893 | 24 |
| 1894 | 26 |
| 1895 | 50 |
161 stories matching difficult
- Washington's Thick Coal Seams Promise Industrial Growth
A geological survey of the region's vast coal reserves reveals a rugged, difficult landscape that promises to drive the Pacific Northwest's future industrial independence.
- The Dynamite Murder of Tacoma: A Mob’s Verdict
In the early hours of January 1890, a Tacoma man was dragged from jail and hanged by a vigilante mob for blowing up a house and killing a sleeping family. The Seattle press offers a chilling reflection on whether such 'swift justice' is ever truly justified.
- The Fight Over the River
Washington's Fish Commissioner clashes with Oregon courts over the right to arrest fishermen on the Columbia River.
- The Nickel Strike That Wasn’t a Boom—Yet
A Kittitas County nickel discovery promised one of the largest deposits in the country, but capital and roads had to be convinced before the wealth could move.
- Seattle's 1889 Fight Over Tide Flats and Docks
As Washington prepares for statehood, a contentious battle emerges over who owns—and who profits from—the valuable tide lands bordering Seattle.
- The Battle for How Seattle Votes
In 1892, a fierce debate raged in the Seattle City Council over whether to elect representatives by neighborhood wards or at-large, highlighting a recurring struggle for civic control.
- The Price of a 'Bad Man's' Temper
A Seattle newspaper editorial rails against a lenient verdict for a saloon regular who murdered a bartender over a perceived slight.
- The Struggle to Shore Up the Seattle Waterfront
Engineers face a daunting challenge as they fight back the rising tide in a race to reinforce the city's crumbling wharf foundations.
- The Unlucky Travelers of the Puget Sound
A small steamer encounters the harsh realities of the Sound, leaving passengers stranded in the fog.
- Building the Great Northern Through the Cascades
Tunnel construction for the Great Northern Railroad claims a life as laborers battle mountain mud and unrelenting rain.
- Washington Debates Making the Railroad Commission Permanent
Debating the power of the state to regulate railroad monopolies in Washington.
- Suspicious Blazes in Blackchapel Row
A series of suspicious fires in the building row owned by the Great Northern Railway suggests an active arsonist targeting the property.
- The Northern Pacific Bows to Regulation
After fighting state intervention, the Northern Pacific Railroad decides to comply with the Anderson Rate Bill to appease local farmers.
- The Troubled Life of a 17-Year-Old
A Seattle teenager with a history of employment instability and violent outbursts is committed to the Steilacoom asylum.
- Fighting the Waterfront Trestle
Property owners demand a street crossing, claiming railroad infrastructure is strangling access to the tide flats.
- The Feast of Tabernacles in Early Seattle
Celebrating the ancient Jewish holiday of Sukkot with prayers and a makeshift booth at the local synagogue.
- Laundry Wagon Ambush at Depot Street
A brazen nighttime hold-up near Lake Union serves as a stark reminder of the city's dim streets and growing danger.
- The Great Courthouse Location Battle
Prominent citizens join a protest against building the new county courthouse on a high hill that is inaccessible and inconvenient.
- The Great Encampment Squabble
Washington's citizen-soldiers spar over the location of their permanent training grounds and the pride of hosting a Fourth of July parade.
- The Court House Conflict
King County officials struggle to seize property for the new courthouse as tenants refuse to vacate.
- The Dream of the Lake Union Ship Canal
A new legislative memorial urges the federal government to fund a canal connecting Puget Sound to Lake Union and Lake Washington to expand Seattle's industrial potential.
- The Unlucky Fate of the Steamer City of Ellensburg
Creditors protest a forced sale of a river steamer, claiming the vessel was sold for a pittance in a 'farce' of an auction.
- The Struggle for the Puyallup Hop Market
As global buyers shun local crops, growers grapple with the high cost of quality and a market that refuses to pay.
- Cottage Home Reduced to Ashes
A summer resort property at Lillewaup Falls is destroyed by a mysterious overnight fire, leaving guests and owners scrambling to save what they could.
- The March of the 'Industrial Army'
Impoverished marchers, known as Coxeyites, are forced to continue their trek to Spokane on foot after local resistance and railway crackdowns.