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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 30 |
| 1889 | 65 |
| 1891 | 50 |
| 1892 | 113 |
| 1893 | 172 |
| 1894 | 164 |
| 1895 | 244 |
838 stories matching represent
- The Phantom Bribe: A Legislative Ghost Hunt in Olympia
A state representative demands an investigation into a 'phantom' briber, while the legislature becomes deadlocked by scandal and partisan maneuvering.
- The Political Gamble of Statehood
As Washington prepares to enter the Union, party operatives sweat over the balance of power in Congress.
- The $10,000 Practical Joke on Representative Judson
Legislators in Olympia pull a prank by forging a bill in the name of an unsuspecting Representative, only to have it officially recorded in the House journal.
- Puyallup's Bid to Steal the State Capitol From Olympia
A Pierce County representative introduced a bill to repeal the $500,000 capitol-building appropriation and cancel the Olympia basement contract—reportedly to keep Puyallup's own hopes alive.
- The Puyallup Land Dispute: A Forgotten Fight for City Growth
In 1892, Representative John L. Wilson proposed liquidating the Puyallup Indian Reservation to spur the growth of Tacoma, highlighting the long-standing tension between tribal sovereignty and urban expansion.
- The Ballard Business Carnival
Forty-five local firms were represented by young women in a grand march and drill that signaled a community's growth.
- The Snohomish Bond Scheme: How Outsiders Tried to Rig City Finances
When Eastern and California financiers tried to orchestrate a 'little combine' to depress the value of city bonds, Snohomish officials fought back.
- The Boomtown Hype of 1888
A real estate advertisement masquerading as news paints a picture of a city on the precipice of industrial greatness, promising that Seattle will soon become the 'Queen City of the Pacific.'
- The Sting That Toppled a Representative
When Washington state lawmaker John L. Metcalfe accepted a bribe to expose corruption, the legislature responded by trying to expel him instead of the briber.
- Walla Walla Tells Its Lawmakers: Drop Everything and Fight the Railroads
The Commercial Club wired the legislature to back the Morgan bill—and warned that any half-hearted local representative would be treated as “an enemy to this town.”
- The Shingle Trust Flexes Its Muscles in Tacoma
Ninety percent of the Pacific Northwest shingle industry convenes to fix prices and freeze out jobbers, signaling a new era of regional corporate dominance.
- 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.
- An Election Challenge in the 39th District
A candidate launches a formal contest against Representative-elect Will R. White, alleging bribery and illegal voting in King County.
- The First Independence Day in Tolt
Tolt settlers celebrate the Fourth of July with a mounted parade, a Goddess of Liberty, and a community feast.
- The Whidbey Island Job Scam
Workers are left stranded and out of pocket after a hiring agent vanishes.
- The Trial of John Trumbull
A Port Townsend lawyer is accused of facilitating the unlawful entry of Chinese immigrants into the United States via forged certificates.
- Victoria Cricketers Fall in Tacoma
A representative gathering of cricket critics watched the Tacoma Cricket Club best their Victoria rivals in a high-stakes return match.
- The battle for control of the Puget Sound cedar trade
Eastern jobbers and railroad interests lock horns with the local shingle trust in a fight over Pacific Northwest cedar.
- Suspicion After a Politician's Sudden Death
A state representative dies in an asylum, and his father suspects poisoning by atropine.
- The Birth of the Skagit County Shingle Manufacturers' Association
Twelve local mills consolidate their power at Woolley, promising to fix prices and secure state-level influence.
- Seattle Promoters Pitch a Land Boom in 1888
Developers were promising that Seattle would become the 'Mistress of the Pacific,' enticing investors with visions of massive industry, steel mills, and skyrocketing real estate values.
- The Man Who Exposed the Bribe: Metcalfe’s Stand Against Olympia’s ‘Boodle’ Gang
In a rare display of moral courage in Washington's early political history, Representative Metcalfe turned a bribe into evidence, sparking a war with corruptionists that the paper defends as necessary for good government.
- The Senatorial Deadlock Breaks
A Spokane representative abandons his candidate, marking the turning point in a long, gridlocked legislative contest.
- The Last Stand of the American Flag in Samoa
Secretary Bayard’s dismissal of Consul Reesell sparks outrage over U.S. surrender to German bullying in the Pacific.
- Political spoils system triggers scandal at Yakima reservation
A Union veteran and agency worker is fired and replaced by a Confederate soldier after refusing to contribute to a Democratic party campaign fund.