Research the archive
Narrow 27,002 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine1 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 34 |
| 1889 | 54 |
| 1891 | 21 |
| 1892 | 89 |
| 1893 | 118 |
| 1894 | 106 |
| 1895 | 133 |
555 stories matching intend
- The First Paper Step Toward a Lake Washington Ship Canal
A water-right filing begins the long bureaucratic march toward the canal that would eventually link Lake Washington to Puget Sound.
- The War on the Hop Louse
Prominent farmer Ezra Meeker warns that local growers must act immediately to spray their crops or face total ruin.
- An Elopement by Rail
A determined suitor battles his love's father across the tracks from Oakesdale to Spokane.
- The Vanishing of Richard Oelius
A respected Ballard inventor disappears without a trace, leaving his family and partners puzzled.
- Queen Anne Parents Freeze the School Fund
Residents obtain an injunction to stop the school board from spending building money on other warrants, charging that children are stuck in a ruinous board structure.
- Labor Union President Accused of Embezzling Relief Funds
Joseph L. Murphy, a prominent labor leader in Seattle, has vanished after allegations surfaced that he pocketed money intended for the survivors of the Roslyn mining disaster.
- The Captain of Police Faces Charges
A employment agent accuses the Captain of Police of 'using language intended to provoke an assault' during a dispute over swindled laborers.
- Disgruntled Manufacturer Bails on Tacoma
L. Walker, a woolen mill owner, claims he was pushed out by crooked business associates in Tacoma and is coming to Seattle to set up a new shop.
- The Patent Medicine Suicide Hoax
A supposed farewell note found on Yesler Wharf turns out to be a clever, cynical advertisement for a health elixir.
- Seattle’s Music Halls Went Silent Overnight
After the city council banned music halls and refunded their licenses, Seattle’s basement theaters shut down without a fight — at least for one night.
- The Pastor Who Traded His Pulpit
Dr. T.W. Butler, a prominent Seattle minister, prepares to abandon Methodism for a new life in the Congregational Church.
- John L. Sullivan and the Color Line
A scathing editorial critique of prizefighter John L. Sullivan’s racist rhetoric regarding boxing rival Peter Jackson.
- The Juvenile Outlaws of South Seattle
Three pre-teen boys are caught after attempting to steal horses to fund a life of adventure and pleasure.
- The River Escape That Failed
A riverside elopement turns into a dramatic showdown when a steamer captain intervenes in a young woman's flight.
- Cowboy Terry, the Chinese Smuggler, and the Ghost of a Deputy’s Killing
Caught smuggling Chinese laborers near Sumas, “Cowboy” Terry waives examination and is bound over—while insisting a fatal 1892 shooting began with other men’s guns.
- The Jailbreak Tools Hidden in the Steel
A search of the county jail reveals two hack saws and a DIY heating lamp hidden in the structural pipework, intended for a prisoner's escape.
- The Great Gambling Raid That Never Was
A power struggle between Seattle's Mayor and his Police Chief leads to a failed raid, secret deals, and a very public scandal.
- An Effigy, a Threat, and a Spokane Man Who Disappeared
When Charles F. Gloystein vanished, someone hung his effigy and nailed threatening placards near his home. Spokane's Republican Union blamed the Freeman's Silver Protective Federation—and demanded the criminals be caught.
- The Last Prisoner of the Thurston County Jail
While the territory debates the future of its legal system, one man finds a solitary rhythm in his cell.
- The Great Flour Rush: Arkansas Millionaire Plans to Reshape Seattle’s North End
N.P. Elsenmeyer arrives from Little Rock with hundreds of feet of waterfront property and a promise to build a massive mill, sparking hopes for a new industrial boom in the city.
- The Rosalie Joins the Puget Sound Fleet
A newly built steamship, once intended for Alaska routes, is purchased for the Victoria run, signaling a shift in local maritime competition.
- The Bankruptcy Fire Sale of 1891
A failed clothing enterprise on the corner of 2nd and Washington puts its remaining stock under the gavel as the assignee clears the shelves.
- The Real Estate Frenzy of Renton Addition
Promoters of a new Seattle neighborhood published a list of prominent investors to drive up property values before the arrival of a new cable line.
- The Street-Sweeping Crackdown of 1889
Local merchants learn the hard way that the city is no longer tolerating trash on the sidewalk as ordinances go into effect.
- The Tragedy on French's Slough
After enduring months of harassment and an earlier assault, a Snohomish farmer kills his neighbor in a roadside confrontation.