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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 13 |
| 1889 | 19 |
| 1891 | 8 |
| 1892 | 42 |
| 1893 | 38 |
| 1894 | 33 |
| 1895 | 54 |
207 stories matching master
- Harbor Master Knocked Into the Filth
A workplace accident on the waterfront sends a city official plunging into the sewer outlet after being struck by a runaway wagon.
- The Grand Parade of the Corner Stone Lodge
In 1892, Seattle’s Black community celebrated the formal installation of the Corner Stone Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons, a milestone for Prince Hall Masonry in Washington State.
- The Ghost Ship of Port Townsend
A British bark vanishes in the fog off Washington’s coast; a court of inquiry clears the crew, but not before two men drown and the master walks away with nothing.
- The Shackled Sailors of the Karoo
A federal judge in Tacoma intervenes to protect a crew 'inveigled' onto a British ship, exposing a brutal system of forced labor and maritime exploitation.
- The Perilous Midnight Fall into the Seattle Dark
A yard master’s narrow brush with death on a rainy night highlights the hidden dangers of Seattle’s rapidly expanding rail infrastructure.
- The Brotherhood of Mutual Aid
A grand reception for Grand Master Workman T. A. Stephens reveals the philanthropic scale of the Ancient Order of United Workmen in 1880s Seattle.
- Masters and Pilots Revolt Against Port Inspector
A powerful local maritime union files formal charges against U.S. Inspector W. J. Bryant, alleging systemic corruption, bullying, and insurance kickbacks.
- The Steamship Utopia’s Battle for the Alaskan Trade
A steamboat owner challenges federal inspectors over his right to command the Utopia, amid allegations of a corporate conspiracy to sabotage the vessel.
- Shanghaied in Tacoma: How a Sailor-Crimping Ring Hijacked a Ship's Crew
Affidavits from the Coast Seamen's Union describe a brazen scheme to force a captain to hire a crew through boarding-house bosses—then leave the sailors to pay.
- The Plumbing Inspector's Trial
Journeymen and master plumbers united to challenge the competency and conduct of Seattle's plumbing inspector.
- A New Lodge for Black Masons in Seattle
Prince Hall Lodge No. 2 is formally dedicated, marking a milestone for Seattle's Black community in 1892.
- The Corporate Ballot: A Senate Seat for Sale
Democratic candidate Col. C.W. Griggs claims he can deliver the votes of 6,000 Great Northern Railway laborers to win a Senate seat, sparking a fierce clash over political integrity and union coercion.
- The Fireboat Battle of Elliott Bay
A power struggle between a fire captain and a marine pilot boils over into a violent, axe-wielding confrontation on the deck of a city fireboat.
- 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 Opium Smuggler of the City of Kingston
A baggage master is caught red-handed smuggling forty-five pounds of opium, but the customs inspector he tried to bribe was playing a double game.
- The Mayor and the Judge Clash Over Profanity
A power struggle in Seattle’s municipal court erupted when the mayor and city prosecutor refused to follow a judge's orders to prosecute a case involving a 'cursing' boat captain.
- Puget Sound Pilots Consult Weather Maps
Masters and pilots embrace modern weather science to predict storms, with real estate agents also tracking data for property viewings.
- The Ship That Smuggled Opium: How a Legal Loophole Freed a Vessel and $13,000 in Penalties
Judge Hanford rules that the steamer *Walla Walla* is not liable for contraband found in its cargo because the master lacked knowledge of the smuggling, setting a precedent for common carriers.
- The Sloop Louisa and the Contraband of 1891
A federal seizure notice reveals the high-stakes battle over immigration and maritime law on the waters of Elliott Bay.
- Sloop Louisa Seized in 1891 Chinese Laborer Case
Federal authorities clamp down on the waterfront as the government moves to forfeit a vessel for allegedly smuggling Chinese laborers into Elliott Bay.
- The Sloop Louisa and the Contraband Laborers
A federal seizure notice reveals the 1890 crackdown on illicit maritime transport of Chinese laborers into the Puget Sound.
- The Fishhook Baited With Human Flesh
In a Port Townsend hotel, a sailor displays the improvised wire hook that kept survivors of the wrecked whaler James Allen alive after the disaster in Bering Sea.
- A Knife Fight in the Bay: Union Sailors Ambush a Non-Union Crew
A boarding master tries to ship five strikebreakers onto an Alaska salmon schooner at Port Townsend. Twelve union men are waiting in the water, and the fight that follows leaves every non-union sailor hurt and swimming for shore.
- The Bottleneck at the Port of Tacoma
While Seattle’s docks are praised for their 'prompt' efficiency, the port of Tacoma is suffering from a two-month delay in cargo loading, frustrating ship masters and hurting the regional economy.
- The Terrier Who Took His Bedtime Seriously
When his mistress tried to teach a pet a lesson in discipline, the dog showed he was two steps ahead.