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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1903 | 3 |
| 1904 | 52 |
| 1909 | 38 |
93 stories matching fail
- The Stubborn Clerk and the Mayor's Keys
A city employee faces arrest and a $100 fine for refusing to surrender his office keys after being fired for poor housekeeping.
- The Silent Runaway
A young wife vanishes from her home, leaving behind only the question of whether she was fleeing her husband's unreasonable demands or his silent pressure.
- Fire Department Botches North End Blaze
A carpenter shop burns to the ground as equipment fails and engines fail to build pressure.
- The Tragic Disappearance of a Deserter
Sailor Frank Lyman deserted the Henry Failing in Tacoma and is believed to have drowned swimming ashore.
- The Council’s Cold Shoulder to South Tacoma
A fiery exchange in the Tacoma City Council reveals deep tensions over public safety resources in the South Tacoma district.
- Elderly laborer attempts suicide in Old Town
An aged man struggling with chronic illness was restrained by bystanders after a desperate attempt to end his life in Tacoma's Old Town district.
- They Promised Clean Bunks and Good Food. The Sailors Knew Better.
At a longshoremen's meeting in Tacoma, a delegate described how ship's officers lured landsmen aboard with false promises — and told of a sailor who drowned swimming for shore rather than sail on the Henry Failing.
- The Great Tacoma Piano Liquidation
When the Tayler-Gardner Music Company overextended itself during the boom, the court ordered a massive, fire-sale liquidation of over 200 pianos to satisfy creditors.
- Tacoma Mayor Indicted for Ignoring Vice
A grand jury has charged Mayor John W. Linck with failing to enforce laws against the city's 'social evil' districts.
- A Point-Blank Escape
Ida Witikka wins divorce after husband attempts to kill her with a revolver on the Fourth of July.
- Court Threatens Jail Over Unpaid Alimony
A judge orders a local man to pay years of back alimony or face immediate incarceration.
- White Shield Home Faces Financial Crisis
The social service agency, currently housing 17 young women, launches a public appeal after being denied state funding.
- The Passing of Pearl Fitzsimmons
A young child’s life is claimed by diphtheria in a brief and tragic illness.
- The Miner Who Vanished—and Came Back With a Shanghaied Story
Cox disappeared before Christmas. Then he turned up in Tacoma with a tale of drugging, abduction, and a vessel that would not let him go.
- Streetcar Smash-up on the Spur
A motorman is seriously injured in a collision at a local woodyard after a switch fails to be reset properly.
- A Change of Heart at the Altar
After a high-profile abandonment at a wedding in Seattle, a man tracks down his bride-to-be in Tacoma to finally go through with the ceremony.
- The Price of a Subway
Tacoma officials set strict financial terms for a developer hoping to build a subway franchise.
- Streetcar Accident Maims Local Working Horse
A runaway streetcar in Tacoma injures a horse, highlighting the dangers of failing public transit infrastructure.
- Collapse of the Steilacoom Distilling Plant
A creditor seeks a receiver for a charcoal and creosote plant that failed to sustain operations after only four months.
- Puget Sound Fleet Hit with Heavy Fines
Sixteen steamships were penalized $750 each for failing to carry adequate life-saving equipment, according to the Collector of Customs.
- The Nightgown Defense
A man is fined for failing to assist a police officer in Bismarck, Washington, citing the embarrassment of being caught in his nightclothes.
- A Candid Letter Stalls Divorce
A husband’s bid for divorce hits a snag in Judge Shackleford’s court after his wife’s letter reveals marital incompatibility.
- The Crackdown on Tacoma’s Fire-Trap Theaters
Mayor Campbell threatens to shutter city theaters unless they upgrade to meet building safety ordinances.
- The Reverend's Midnight Sledding Run
A Norwegian minister finds himself in the city jail after a late-night bob-sled arrest on the streets of Tacoma.
- Smuggling Silks in His Trousers
A crew member of the steamship Olympia attempts to bypass customs, revealing the era's aggressive enforcement against Chinese laborers.