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 | 11 |
| 1889 | 21 |
| 1891 | 10 |
| 1892 | 39 |
| 1893 | 47 |
| 1894 | 84 |
| 1895 | 106 |
318 stories matching unless
- Agent Presses Wenatchee Indians to Take Their Allotment Money
A government agent asks every Indian on the Wenatchee fishery reservation to claim a share of the sale proceeds — but Chief Balnulk refuses unless a new reservation is set aside, and most of his band follows him.
- The Contingent Death Warrant
A love affair turned lethal in Seattle, as a jilted woman penned a gruesome ultimatum to her lover.
- The Supreme Court Halts Seattle's Street Grading
A landmark court ruling forces the city to stop leveling streets unless they pay damages to homeowners.
- The Farmers' Plan to Drain Lake Washington
Valley farmers eye an inexpensive ditch as the only solution to the catastrophic flooding threatening their livelihood.
- The $100,000 Heartbreak in Federal Court
A Port Townsend woman sues her former fiancé in a sensational trial involving alleged hotel scandals, religious ultimatums, and a dramatic cross-country journey.
- Tacoma Police Ordered Out of Saloons
New orders from the Chief of Police strictly prohibit patrolmen from drinking on the job or entering saloons unless officially required.
- The Fire Chief’s Citizenship Scandal
A legal dismissal for the Seattle Fire Chief is thrown into doubt by conflicting sworn statements regarding his birthplace.
- Twenty-Three Miners Died. An Old Miner Blamed the Air.
After an explosion at Blue Canyon in Whatcom County killed 23 men, a veteran miner wrote to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that the mines were not properly ventilated—and that inspectors and bosses ignored miners who knew better.
- The Rainier Avenue Rail Strike
Electric railway workers face a wage cut to keep the line running as the receiver demands concessions.
- A Ruling on School Bond Commissions
A Superior Court judge rules that two men must pay back the county for taking commissions on the sale of school bonds.
- Seattle Hires a Contractor to Keep South School From Sliding Into the Street
The school board awards an emergency bulkhead job after nine bids and a bonding standoff, with work required before the autumn rains.
- The Mayor vs. The Board of Health
Mayor Ronald demands the resignation of Seattle's health board in a bitter clash over political control and professional autonomy.
- The Brick Crisis: Why Seattle’s Boom Is Stalling Because of Empty Lots
An editorial warns that the city's rapid growth is being choked by a lack of commercial infrastructure, urging property owners to build or lease for development before capital flees to rival towns.
- The Fire Insurance Panic
Seattle insurance agents threaten to hike rates due to the city's dangerously narrow alleys.
- Mayor Ronald Defends His Appointment
Mayor Ronald addresses criticism regarding the appointment of J. M. Wolfe to the Board of Public Works.
- The Unlucky Fate of a Runaway Teenager
After being detained by detectives, 16-year-old Lillie D. Cline faces institutionalization as local authorities attempt to force her back into a domestic role.
- The City Treasurer’s Ultimatum
Seattle’s incoming treasurer refuses to accept bank IOUs as currency, demanding hard coin to back the city’s treasury.
- Puyallup Growers Face a New Threat
Hop lice and a mysterious 'snapping beetle' have been sighted in Puyallup yards, causing concern among local growers already strained by a lack of funds.
- The City’s Campaign Against ‘Swill Milk’
A new Seattle ordinance cracks down on impure milk production and the use of 'distillery waste' as feed.
- The Ghost of the Burned Cabin
A suspected insurance fraud case grips 1892 Seattle after a mysterious fire leaves charred remains and a missing man in question.
- The Waterfront Tracks Fight
A legal stalemate over rail access between Columbia and Marion Streets keeps the city's waterfront in suspense.
- The Oyster Bed Loophole
A Supreme Court ruling on tide lands inadvertently threatens the state's control over valuable oyster beds.
- The Price of Good Governance in 1889
As Seattle prepared to vote for new city leadership, a local editorial warned that the city's future would be decided by whether citizens cared more about the public interest or personal profit.
- Seattle’s Acting Mayor Ousted in Mystery Resignation
Dr. Sweeney resigns after a sudden, suspicious removal by the board of aldermen, sparking rumors of gambling influence.
- The Struggle for the Seattle Extension
While rail workers at the Union Pacific worried over rumors of massive layoffs and the consolidation of agencies, hope remained that the vital Seattle line construction would resume with the spring thaw.