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 |
|---|---|
| 1903 | 1 |
| 1904 | 22 |
| 1909 | 21 |
44 stories matching except
- The Shadow Ledger of Tacoma’s Police
A secret cash book reveals how police collected 'fines' from gamblers and protected a slot machine monopoly.
- City Council Faces Backlash Over Civil Service Repeal
Tacoma’s city council attempts to dismantle the civil service system in favor of the old patronage 'spoils' system, sparking an immediate call for voter registration and reform.
- Saloon Brawl Ends in Hospitalization
An evening of drinking on Pacific Avenue turns violent, leading to one man's arrest and another's injury.
- A Miraculous Escape on the Embankment
A terrifying automobile accident in Everett leaves five people reeling, but miraculously alive, after a plunge down a steep hillside.
- Commissioner Resigns Post to Secure City Contract
A Bellingham civil service official chooses a lucrative water main contract over his honorary public position.
- The Art of the Sidewalk Gaze
A San Francisco man is fined $100 for whistling at women on a Tacoma street corner.
- The Old Town Fire Hazard
Lumber mill operators petition the City Council for expanded water mains to combat the risk of conflagration in the city's industrial district.
- A New Chance for Tacoma's Youth
Tacoma prepares to open its first juvenile court, shifting the focus from punishment to rehabilitation for wayward children.
- An unfortunate encounter with a detective
A citizen is fined for confronting an undercover officer after a heated exchange near the circus grounds.
- Massive Waterfront Real Estate Transfer
Nearly 650 acres of land, including parts of the tide flats and Brown's Point, are transferred to private hands.
- The Jailhouse Cartoonist
A talented prisoner turns scraps of cardboard into caricatures of local officials, revealing a hidden history of talent behind bars.
- Large-Scale Land Purchase Includes Indigenous Waterfront Territory
A real estate investor secures hundreds of acres of Indian land near the city's growing waterfront.
- City Council Targets Saloons with Private Booths
Tacoma's council moves to revoke the licenses of saloons that provide 'boxes' for female patrons, citing a moral concern over their presence in drinking establishments.
- The Fight Over Indian Land Taxes
A legal challenge in Tacoma's superior court questions if tribal land can be taxed, pitting state authority against federal protections.
- The Unfiltered Reality of Tacoma’s Water
An exposé reveals that the city's water supply flume runs through backyards and cesspools, gathering filth before reaching the tap.
- Knife Duel Near Pacific Avenue
A late-night confrontation at 14th and Pacific Avenue ended in a stabbing, with one man arrested and the other hospitalized.
- The Tragedy of a Seattle Clairvoyant’s Victim
A woman has been committed to the asylum at Steilacoom after a self-proclaimed 'clairvoyant' convinced her he was controlling her life through electricity.
- Tacoma's Secret Tax on Vice
Under the guise of official business, the police department allegedly collected protection money from gamblers and slot machine operators with no public accounting.
- Nine Votes to Kill Civil Service—Tacoma's Council Tries to Gut the Charter
At a special meeting, nine councilmen back a plan to let the mayor fire city workers at will; reformists need to hold two more votes to stop it.
- Northern Pacific Slashes Wages at South Tacoma Shops
A radical reduction in hours for over 800 workers leaves employees with decreased earning capacity.
- Georgetown Declares Itself an 'Open Town'
Local officials abandon the fight against vice, allowing gambling tables to move from back rooms into plain sight.
- The State Insurance Scandal
A legislative standoff ends as Governor Hay forces an investigation into the insurance commissioner’s office.
- The Shadowy Business of the Slot Machine King
A divorce trial involving a Tacoma slot machine operator reveals a hidden world of illicit gambling and domestic abuse.
- Five Dollars a Week: Tacoma's Women Ask If a Shorter Day Is Worth Anything
As Olympia weighs an eight-hour law for working women, two readers argue that the real question isn't the clock — it's whether the wage will cover rent and groceries.
- The Railroad Barricade
Tacoma citizens push to break the Northern Pacific’s chokehold on the city waterfront.