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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 4 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1891 | 3 |
| 1892 | 20 |
| 1893 | 11 |
| 1894 | 12 |
| 1895 | 13 |
74 stories matching foster
- Fire Commissioner Resigns Amid Bribery Scandal
After the city council clears Fire Commissioner James Foster of bribery charges, he abruptly resigns from his position.
- The Fire Department Pay-to-Play Scandal
Mayor J. T. Ronald suspends a fire commissioner over allegations of accepting bribes from a stoker seeking job security and appointment.
- City Hall Bribery Scandal
A fire commissioner is accused of selling positions, sparking a heated political inquiry.
- Bribery Scandal in the Fire Department
Mayor J. T. Ronald accuses Fire Commissioner James Foster of taking bribes to influence personnel appointments.
- The Fire Commissioner's 'Fee'
A whistleblower exposes a brazen bribery scheme within the Seattle Fire Department, revealing how public jobs were allegedly sold for cold cash.
- The Fire Department Power Grab
A political showdown at the fire commission exposes plans to purge the force and replace the Chief.
- A Tragic Loss in Ballard
A mother succumbed to illness just days after her infant died, leaving behind a family story of abandonment.
- Six Daughters, a Washing Tub, and a Drunkard’s Uncollectible Debt
A Ballard mother won a divorce and $1,000 in alimony after years of violence and drinking — but the judgment was worth little unless her husband actually paid.
- The Fire Chief’s Plea for Hydrants
Seattle’s fire safety infrastructure lags behind its rapid expansion, leading officials to sound the alarm on neglected districts.
- The Tragedy of the Salmon Bay Shipyard
A maritime accident in the newly developing industrial tideflats of late 1889 reveals the human cost of Seattle's rapid expansion.
- The Tragedy of a Ballard Shack
A destitute family in Ballard faces the loss of multiple children and a dying mother, revealing the harsh reality of poverty on the city's outskirts.
- A Seattle Woman Defends the Italian Immigrant
Interviewed at the Rainier, a language teacher recently returned from Europe rejects the caricature of Italians as a degraded race and describes them as industrious, sober, and devoted to home and family.
- Waterville Pitches the Great Northern for a Branch Line
A Douglas County town argues that a fifty-mile spur through the Moses Coulee and Foster Creek country would open twenty-five townships of homestead land — and bring the trade to Seattle.
- The Shadowy Real Estate Dealings of Louis R. Kidd
A local legal battle reveals a trail of suspicious property transfers designed to shield assets from creditors in the middle of a city boom.
- The Saloonkeeper’s Misrepresented Nationality
A group of Norwegian citizens in Tacoma take a public stand against a local businessman claiming their heritage for political gain.
- The Strict Moral Geometry of the Schoolroom
Teachers debate the merits of strict discipline, the threat of school suspensions, and the 'moral atmosphere' of the classroom.
- The Fireman Who Accused His Commissioner—Then Sued the City
Oswald R. Vitzthum says Seattle owes him years of pay and that he was never legally discharged after accusing a former fire commissioner of taking money for jobs.
- The Unpaid Fireman Who Claimed His Job Back
A suspended firefighter, accused of bribery, returns to city hall demanding back pay for his two-year absence.
- The Search for 'Handsome Harry'
A classic bit of local crime reporting reveals a clash between Seattle's police and the era's self-styled 'toughs' in 1889.
- Fireboat Failure at the Waterfront
Public outcry mounts after Seattle's fireboat fails to save the burning steamer Flyer, leading to a command shake-up.
- The Landlords' New Playbook: How Seattle's Elite Are Cornering the Housing Market
In a move that mirrors today’s corporate housing boom, lumber barons Yesler, Foster, and Lowman are launching a massive development on Broadway to control supply and dictate prices for new arrivals.
- The Great Northern Moves into Seattle
After securing land for its terminal, the railroad prepares to transform the city into a major transcontinental hub.
- The Fire Commission Rejects a Faulty Engine
Seattle fire commissioners break ranks with the city council, condemning a new engine as cheap and unreliable.
- The Struggle for a Child in a Tacoma Tenderloin
A teenage girl’s infant becomes the center of a dispute among the inmates of a red-light district boarding house.
- The Seattle Athletic Club Rejects Prize Fighting
A newly formed club at the Hotel Northern officially bans professional boxing matches on their premises, signaling a shift toward amateur sport in the young city.