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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 20 |
| 1889 | 52 |
| 1891 | 16 |
| 1892 | 69 |
| 1893 | 72 |
| 1894 | 110 |
| 1895 | 154 |
493 stories matching proper
- Internal Strife in the Baptist Convention
A fiery protest from the Mount Vernon Baptist Church challenges the claimed vindication of Reverend D. D. Proper.
- The Bishop, the Convicts, and the Sparring Match
Bishop Wells insists a prisoner-run entertainment at the penitentiary was decorous and proper—not the prizefight rumor made it out to be.
- A Tolt Farmer Grows Tobacco Good Enough for Eastern Cigar Wrappers
Charles Nelson's tobacco samples from Tolt draw flattering reports from Eastern houses, with buyers calling it the finest wrapper leaf grown in the United States.
- The Chaos of a Contested Election
Pierce County election officials struggle with poorly administered ballots, leaving dozens of precincts disqualified and the fate of legislative seats in limbo.
- The Struggle for an Ocean Wharf
Shipping lines are bypassing Seattle because the waterfront lacks the facilities to handle trans-Pacific steamers.
- Court Ruling Limits Liability for Railway Accidents
The Supreme Court clears a railroad company of liability in a 'staking' injury, signaling a tough path for injured laborers seeking damages.
- The Opium Ring's Man on the Inside?
A government inspector alleges that a U.S. Deputy Marshal in Spokane is actively protecting opium smugglers.
- Defective Sewer Construction in the Third Ward
Accusations of corruption and shoddy craftsmanship arise as city officials are caught using undersized rods and poor brickwork on public projects.
- Post-Fire Sanitation: The Fight for a Healthy Seattle
Following the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, local physicians and concerned citizens publicly debated the city’s primitive sewer systems, warning that decaying waste in the 'burnt district' threatened a public health crisis.
- The Struggle for a Proper Stage
A popular movement takes off to build Seattle its first dedicated grand opera house as performers complain about the city’s cramped, inadequate venues.
- The Day Two Houses Fell on Their Owners: A Seattle Collapse That Should Have Killed Everyone
W.H. Burrett’s attempt to raise two frame buildings for renovation turned into a nightmare when the structures collapsed onto workmen and families below, leaving only miraculous luck to keep the death toll at zero.
- The Great Industrial Tug-of-War
As Everett grows, local boosters grapple with the aggressive strategies of Henry Hewitt, Jr., who is actively courting Tacoma's mills with bonus offers.
- The Madison Street Bridge Disaster
A grand jury returns a manslaughter verdict against a motorman following a tragic accident involving the East Side Railway.
- The Mob Rule at Our Doorstep
When an organized society in Walla Walla issued threats against anyone hiring Chinese labor, the press decried the move as a return to the lawless spirit of the frontier.
- Ousted Over an $18.90 Lumber Bill, a Councilman Gets His Seat Back
Ballard's council removed Thomas Winsor without a hearing — right after he accused the city treasurer of pocketing $1,058. A judge ruled the whole thing illegal and threw out his replacement.
- A Seattle Hotel Death, a Body Exhumed, and a Family’s Slander Suit
Miss Witnail died suddenly after the Pollocks brought her west; when an Iowa coroner found childbirth, accusations and lawsuits followed.
- The Preacher, the W.C.T.U. Woman, and the Congregation That Chose Not to Look
Rev. C. C. Marston talked his way out of a scandal in Centralia, was dismissed in Olympia, and has resurfaced in Illinois doing revival work — with another man's wife at his side and his own wife and five children left in want.
- The State Tries to Soften the Panic for Delinquent Taxpayers
The Senate passes a bill remitting penalties and interest on delinquent 1893–94 taxes, citing “great financial stringency” and declaring an emergency.
- Dancing for the Miners
The town of Gilman rallies to support the families affected by the catastrophic Roslyn mine disaster.
- Papers, Please: The Chinese Certificate Canvass
Federal inspectors sweep Washington to find Chinese residents without the new certificates, warning that those lacking papers face arrest and deportation.
- The Unseen Women of Walla Walla's 'Pike's Creek' Camp
A rare glimpse into the labor and living conditions of the women supporting the work crews in the frontier wilderness of Washington Territory.
- The Railroad Finally Calls It Mount Rainier
Under pressure from a newspaper expedition and the U.S. Board of Geographic Names, the Northern Pacific abandons 'Mount Tacoma' in its maps and ads.
- Canada Bans Seattle's 'Depraved' Tabloids
Provincial authorities in Victoria and Vancouver slam the border shut on Seattle newspapers deemed too obscene for public consumption.
- The City's Quest for Poultry Independence
Local entrepreneurs are opening large chicken ranches to end Seattle’s reliance on imports from Portland.
- The Crackdown on the Race Track Resort
A disreputable gambling and liquor house near the local race track is finally shuttered by officials following a violent brawl.