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 | 40 |
| 1889 | 72 |
| 1891 | 39 |
| 1892 | 61 |
| 1893 | 71 |
| 1894 | 83 |
| 1895 | 184 |
550 stories matching shall
- The Library Trustees and the Question of Control
A new library for Seattle comes with strict conditions: no religious control, no religious dogma in book selection, and strict financial oversight.
- 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.
- Debating the Tide Lands
A committee weighs how the state will hold, lease, and sell shore lands in the new constitutional framework.
- The Founding Charter of the Seattle Public Library
A look back at the 1888 constitution of the city's first library association, which operated on membership dues, fine-print regulations, and a dream of civic enrichment.
- The City Council’s War on Inflammable Storage
New regulations restricted the storage of petroleum, naphtha, and gasoline, mandating fireproof construction and buffer zones from the waterfront.
- The Nine-Hour Day Arrives in Seattle
In 1889, Seattle's carpenters and contractors united to set a new standard for the workday, marking a pivotal shift in the region's labor history.
- The Birth of Washington State: 1889 Constitution Draft
A rare look at the foundational text that set the rules for labor, public education, and state governance upon Washington’s entry into the Union.
- The Knights of Labor’s Bold Bet: Criminalizing the 'Blacklist'
Seattle’s labor leaders draft a radical bill to make it a felony for employers to force workers out of unions.
- Who Gets to Vote in the Primaries?
Seattle's corporation counsel says registration is not optional—even for party primaries—and that election judges cannot waive it.
- The Elective Franchise Bill Fails—With Indians Explicitly Barred
A proposed constitutional amendment in Olympia would have fixed voting rules for male citizens while writing 'Indians not taxed' out of the franchise; it died on the floor.
- Hanford Opened the Boardroom to Outside Capital
A bill letting a majority of a Washington corporation's trustees reside out of state sailed through the House — the latest move in a state selling itself to Eastern money and industry.
- Washington Bans Armed Mercenaries
Legislators override a veto to criminalize the employment of private armed bodies, a move targeting industrial labor conflicts.
- A Receivership Sale Rewires Seattle's Street Railway
Bondholders sign a deal to merge the troubled Rainier Power and Railway Co. into a new Third Street Suburban Railway Company, with the Denny family’s claims still shaping the terms.
- The Struggle to Draft Washington’s Constitution
Delegates at the 1889 convention in Olympia face intense debate over corporate regulation and public warehouse oversight.
- The Poker Club That Wrote ‘No Gambling’ Into Its Own Rulebook
Seattle detectives raid a Third and Cherry social club and find a members-only poker game hiding behind a constitution that strictly forbade gambling.
- The Nine-Hour Day: Seattle Carpenters and Contractors Strike a Deal
In a rare moment of labor harmony, the Seattle Building Trades Union and local contractors have agreed to reduce the workday from ten to nine hours while maintaining wages, setting a precedent for the city's construction industry.
- Washington Writes Equal Access to Inns, Barbershops and Streetcars Into Law
In March 1895 the state legislature amended its civil-rights code so that every person in Washington — 'of whatever race, color or nationality' — could claim the full enjoyment of public accommodations, with fines and jail for those who refused.
- The Great Tax Delinquency Scramble
A new revenue law threatens to wipe out old tax liens, forcing officials to chase down thousands of property owners to clear the county books before the November deadline.
- The War on 'Fly-by-Night' Newspapers
A new legislative bill aims to stop cheap, unread newspapers from monopolizing municipal advertising contracts.
- A New Town on the Frontier
Settlers between Wenatchee and Chelan petition for a post office to secure the future of a new settlement.
- Whidbey Island Land Speculation
A syndicate eyes 14,000 acres for fruit farming, signaling a shift in regional agricultural development.
- The Oil That Could Burn the City: Seattle’s First Major Fire Safety Law
In a move to prevent catastrophic blazes, the Common Council passes strict new rules for storing gasoline and kerosene, forcing merchants to build brick vaults or face heavy fines.
- The Exclusion of 1888
A new federal law mandates harsh restrictions and identification requirements for Chinese laborers, forcing them to exit and enter through only six designated ports, including Port Townsend.
- The City That Almost Was: The 1891 Annexation Election
A historic ballot reveals how Seattle once planned its expansion by absorbing the suburban districts of Salmon Bay, Fremont, and Latona.
- Seattle Moves to Create a Municipal Employment Office
City council members propose a public bureau to connect laborers with jobs, citing a desire to improve employment conditions.