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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 2 |
| 1889 | 9 |
| 1891 | 6 |
| 1892 | 13 |
| 1893 | 24 |
| 1894 | 23 |
| 1895 | 33 |
110 stories matching enabl
- The Supreme Court Defies Its Own Constitution
A legal dispute over Walla Walla land reveals how Washington State wrestled with the transition from federal territory to sovereign statehood.
- A South Seattle Murder Case Becomes a Constitutional Test
Henry Craemer’s court-appointed lawyer argued that Washington could not try a capital case on a prosecutor’s information. Judge Humes said it could; Craemer pleaded not guilty and began hunting for an alibi witness lost in the Cascades.
- The Great Constitutional Gamble: How Washington Will Become a State
With the enabling act signed, the territory prepares for a historic election in May to frame a constitution. The clock is ticking toward July 1st, when delegates will meet in Olympia to decide the fate of the new state.
- The Fight Over Washington’s Missing School Sections
A Port Townsend case over “lieu lands” reaches a federal courtroom—and the title to hundreds of thousands of acres of school land.
- The Newspaper Called Tacoma’s Council Corrupt. Then It Refused to Show Up.
When the Tacoma Ledger accused city officials of incompetence and dishonesty, the council demanded proof. The paper stayed home; the council denounced it and asked for a grand jury anyway.
- Rising from the Ashes: How Seattle Met Its Great Fire
A look back at the resilience of the local business class in the immediate, charred aftermath of the 1889 Great Seattle Fire.
- The 'Charitable' Boycott of Seattle's Chinese Laundries
A Seattle letter writer wants customers to register with charity officials so their washing can be steered to white women—an economic boycott wrapped in the language of neighborly aid.
- Seattle’s Half-Million Dollar Federal Windfall
Senator Squire secures a unanimous committee recommendation for a $500,000 federal building in Seattle, citing the city's explosive growth and soaring customs receipts.
- The Stranglehold at Turner Hall
A local wrestling match turns into a scene of chaotic challenges and bravado in Seattle.
- Seattle's Three Breweries Merge Into a Trust
Local brewers consolidate to cut costs and end competition, sparking fears of monopoly power.
- The Peril of Seattle's Congested Harbor
As shipping traffic surges at the turn of the century, captains warn that a lack of secure mooring buoys is leaving vessels to the mercy of the wind and tides.
- The Hard Times Ball
Seattle's elite staged an 'economical' dance party to navigate the financial strain of 1893.
- A Local Clothing Empire Abandons Seattle for Guatemalan Coffee
After four years in the city, the Buxbaum clothing house liquidates its inventory to pursue a radical new venture in Central American agriculture.
- The Political 'Tramp' Hits the Streets
A new reform journal emerges in Seattle, embroiled in the bitter factionalism of the People’s Party and the city's complex political machinery.
- A Critique of Democracy in Seattle
A visiting labor expert suggests that even the best reform movements are destined to repeat the failures of those they replace.
- Before the Tide Lands Sold, Seattle Had to Erase Its Own Streets
Property owners rushed the City Council to vacate old street lines across Elliott Bay tide lands before a May 13 purchase deadline—or risk tangled titles and lost waterfront.
- Seattle's Struggle for Green Space
A fledgling park commission battles City Hall for funds and autonomy in 1894.
- City Council Rejects Health Inspectors
Legislators block board of health's attempt to hire sanitary inspectors for house-to-house inspections, while street railway companies lobby for franchise extensions.
- Draining the White River Valley
Engineers plan two new drainage ditches from Kent to the Black River to reclaim farmland from swamp.
- The Governor’s Executive Fiat
After the state legislature deadlocked and failed to elect a U.S. Senator, Governor McGraw unilaterally appointed John B. Allen to fill the seat.
- City Assessment Scheme Ruled Valid After Legal Fight
The state supreme court overturns a previous ruling, saving Seattle from a potential financial crisis regarding street improvement assessments.
- Seattle’s Liquor Dealers Form Defense Association
Saloon keepers across Washington state organize to fight prohibition and regulatory pressure.
- The Struggle for an Ocean Wharf
Shipping lines are bypassing Seattle because the waterfront lacks the facilities to handle trans-Pacific steamers.
- The Governor’s Dilemma: Can Washington Skip Congress to Become a State?
Territory’s top lawyers clash over whether the Governor can unilaterally call a constitutional convention to bypass federal delays in statehood.
- The Gyroscope Miracle from Tracyton
A local invention aims to revolutionize seafaring by creating an artificial horizon, allowing ships to navigate through dense fog.