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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 16 |
| 1889 | 39 |
| 1891 | 24 |
| 1892 | 49 |
| 1893 | 51 |
| 1894 | 50 |
| 1895 | 82 |
311 stories matching progress
- The Boom on the Sound
A look at the rapid industrial and commercial expansion of Port Townsend in 1888.
- The Populist Editor, the Divorce, and the Cruelty Charge
Norah Morrow sues P. Frank Morrow of the Ballard Progress for divorce, alleging years of abuse and a refusal to support their three children.
- The Fight Over Tribal Land in the Path of Progress
Booster newspapers in 1889 editorialized against the reservation system, calling for the seizure of Indigenous land to satisfy a hungry real estate market.
- The City Holds Its Breath for Cleveland
Seattle crowds swarm the Post-Intelligencer bulletin board to witness the 1892 Democratic nomination, turning a distant Chicago event into a local spectacle.
- Frustration Grows Over Seattle's 'Dual Council' Gridlock
A citizen writes to the Post-Intelligencer complaining that the newly adopted dual-house city government is stalling local street improvements and stifling progress.
- The Old Song of Reactionary Politics
A 1891 editorial draws a biting parallel between resistance to child protection laws in India and the stalling tactics of anti-progressives in the American West.
- Streetcar Company Rejects City's Terms
The West Street and North End Electric Railway Company refuses a franchise extension, citing 'unreasonable' conditions imposed by the city council.
- Ex-Governor Ferry’s Case for Washington
Former Governor Elisha Ferry compares Washington’s explosive growth to California’s stagnation, arguing that railroads are the lifeblood of civic progress.
- A Sewer Scheme Built on Incompetence
Citizens and taxpayers are calling out the city's reckless mismanagement of sewer construction projects downtown.
- The Sewer Under Beacon Hill
After quicksand, floods and a costly detour, Seattle’s South Tunnel is weeks from completion—and somehow still inside its $100,000 budget.
- The Shipyard That Moved: How Hall Brothers Brought 500 Jobs to Seattle
As the nation debates tariffs and statehood, a major industrial shift is reshaping Seattle's economy. The country's largest shipbuilding firm has relocated its operations here, promising an immediate influx of workers and capital.
- The Boomtown Myth of 1889
As Seattle entered the year of the Great Fire, the local press touted a narrative of unstoppable, 'solid' growth that masked the fragility of an exploding city.
- The Unbearable Stench of Progress
A 1888 editorial calls out the Seattle city council for ignoring the 'offensive' and 'stagnant' state of city streets that 'suffocate the unfortunate individual who ventures into public'.
- A $100,000 Hole in the Railroad's Land Books
Northern Pacific's land accounts were being audited in Tacoma amid rumors that the late land agent left a six-figure shortage—and a second company's books were under scrutiny.
- The Dredgers Are Coming: Seattle's Canal Project Finally Starts Moving
After years of financing delays, engineers promised to begin bulkheads and surveys on the south canal—and to haul giant hydraulic dredgers north to reshape the tide flats.
- The Price of Progress: Railroads Sue for Unpaid Pledges
The Port Townsend Southern Railroad begins a wave of test cases in superior court to force residents to pay for land subsidies they had previously promised.
- The City Council’s Late-Night Ordeal over Waterworks
A stormy session of the Seattle City Council lasted until after midnight as members wrestled with the city waterworks contract and debated the appointment of a new sanitary officer.
- Who Gets the Reservation When the Indians Are Allotted
Eastern Washington settlers cheer the survey of the Colville reservation, expecting homesteads — but President Cleveland's message warns the surplus land may not be thrown open at all, and the paper has a barb for the waiters.
- Skykomish Business District Consumed by Flames
A nighttime fire in a barbershop destroys four local businesses, exposing the town's complete lack of firefighting infrastructure.
- Annie Besant and the Science of the Astral
A prominent Theosophist lecturer brings mystical discourse to the Seattle Theater, claiming that science confirms the existence of the 'astral body.'
- The Unwelcome Discovery at the Foundry
While excavating for a new skeleton for the foundry, workmen unearthed a human skull and long bones, a grim reminder of history beneath Seattle's industrial soil.
- Suspicion Follows Bank Collapse in Roslyn
Depositors in the coal mining town of Roslyn find their bank's assets mishandled, leading to calls for a receiver.
- The Bust After the Boom in Whatcom County
A local assessor grapples with the fallout of a real-estate bubble, lowering property valuations to match actual economic conditions.
- Organizing the Industrial Army in Centralia
A local organizer makes progress recruiting for the Industrial Army despite local mockery.
- The Price of a Tiny Needle Prick
A trivial accident at home turns into a harrowing medical ordeal for a Seattle woman.
Also about this, in other words
- Clearing the Tracks for Progress
A deal is struck between city industry and the railroad to move a major obstacle, clearing the way for new lines.
- The Price of Progress in Whatcom County
Farmers bear the burden of new road construction, but the infrastructure boom promises a prosperous future for the region.