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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 4 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1892 | 22 |
| 1893 | 30 |
| 1894 | 24 |
| 1895 | 16 |
108 stories matching firemen
- The Great Firemen's Brawl of 1889
A regional firefighting tournament in Tacoma dissolved into a chaotic dispute over prize money, accused dictators, and local pride, forcing Seattle firemen to offer a do-over on home turf.
- Railroad Union Leader Arrives to Mediate Wage Standoff
Grand Master F.P. Sargent arrives at the Occidental Hotel to negotiate pay increases for Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad engineers and firemen.
- The Night Seattle’s Firemen Saved Ballard’s Mill
Seattle firefighters spent the night in Ballard after a mill fire endangered the main buildings; their engines were credited with saving the property.
- The Strike for a Messboy
When the crew of the whaleback steamer 'Wetmore' demanded a messboy to clean their quarters, the captain faced a labor standoff that revealed the grim realities of maritime life in the 1890s.
- The Haunted Steamer: A Maritime Labor Standoff
When the steamer Premier broke a propeller blade, her superstitious crew blamed a 'hoodoo' fireman—sparking a strike and an emergency standoff on the Puget Sound.
- A Prayer for the Property
A homeowner's desperate plea to save his burning house becomes a local spectacle.
- Seattle's Fire Drill Revealed a City Almost Defenseless Against Flames
A routine test of the fire department exposed feeble water pressure and sent two firemen to bed with serious injuries.
- The Sword of Order at the Newsboys' Union
When an attempt to depose the union's leadership led to chaotic brawls, a local fireman had to intervene with a literal sword.
- Walla Walla Devastated by Lower Main Street Blaze
A massive fire wipes out a half-block of wooden buildings, revealing the city's total lack of adequate firefighting equipment.
- The End of the Volunteer Era
Seattle decides to abandon its volunteer fire system in favor of a professional, paid department, prioritizing efficiency over neighborhood spirit.
- The Tacoma Strike, Undone and Redone in a Single Day
Northern Pacific tries to declare victory, but firemen, switchmen and engineers vote to stay out—while Debs wires that the fight is still solid.
- Railroad Disaster and Drowned Fireman in the Skagit Flood
A catastrophic flood in the Skagit Valley leads to two consecutive train wrecks and the death of fireman Ed Cole, leaving his young family behind.
- Firefighters battle stubborn blaze in North Seattle block
A basement fire under a millinery shop creates a late-night hazard for North Seattle responders.
- The Peril of Water and Wire
Electrical engineer A.L. Kasson warns that firefighters face a hidden danger when spraying water on high-voltage power lines during city fires.
- A Lamp Explodes and Firemen Are Trapped in a Third Avenue Blaze
An oil lamp exploded in a picture-frame shop at 1908 Third Street, burning its owner and trapping firefighters in a re-ignited wall of flame.
- The Underground Fire Beneath Jackson Street
Firemen battle a persistent blaze burning within the tide-flat ashes beneath the electric light works.
- A Lamp, a Three-Story Frame, and Two Families in the Street
A predawn fire at Bismarck and Hanks streets in Lake Union leaves the Krieger and Masly families uninsured and out of their belongings.
- A New Chief for the Seattle Fire Department
Captain W. H. Clark steps in as acting chief amidst political maneuvering and department instability.
- The Railway Union Rebuilds in Secret
A year after the Pullman strike, American Railway Union organizers are rebuilding as a secret society — and Seattle's local has already adopted the new plan.
- Firefighters Battle Freezing Hose at 1893 Blaze
When an arctic blast hit Seattle, firemen responding to a blaze returned to their stations as living statues of ice.
- The Narrow Escape of Tacoma
A painting shop blaze threatened to raze a downtown block, but a fast-acting fire department and a bit of luck spared the city from a worse catastrophe.
- Suspicious Arson at the Central Hotel
A long-vacant hotel in Sprague is found soaked in coal oil and set ablaze, leading to the arrest of its owner.
- Tragedy on the Danube
A fireman plunges into the Sound as a steamer arrives in Seattle with a cargo of laborers.
- The Sleeping Fireman and the Rat-Trap Defense
Two city firemen faced an investigation after one was caught sleeping on duty and the other admitted to abandoning his post to hunt rodents.
- Major Fire Consumes North Yakima Business Row
A devastating blaze sweeps through Second Street, causing thousands of dollars in damages but no loss of life.