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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1904 | 112 |
| 1909 | 92 |
204 stories matching forc
- Civic Clubs Threaten Mandamus to Reform Charter
Local reformers arm themselves with 1,600 petition signatures to force the City Council to call for a charter revision election.
- Governor Hay Forces Corruption Probe
A determined Acting Governor Hay forces the state legislature to investigate graft allegations against state officials.
- Tacoma Citizens Demand Commission Government
Frustrated by the city council's refusal to act, reformers begin a petition drive to force a charter revision election.
- McNeil Island Residents to Get New Ferry Float
County commissioners force construction after government restricts access to the penitentiary's private ferry service.
- A Radical Proposal for the Saloon Trade
A local lawyer proposes a city ordinance that would force saloon keepers to provide free drinks to those on the police blacklist.
- The Crumbling Pump House
A report to the City Council reveals the city's water infrastructure is near total mechanical collapse.
- The Sluggers of Pacific Avenue
A saloon’s security force takes street justice into their own hands after a customer tries to cheat a slot machine with lead slugs.
- Police Force Stalled by Budget Constraints
Newly annexed districts in Tacoma wait in vain for patrols as funds run dry.
- The Battle for Power in Tacoma’s Streetcar Industry
E.J. Felt reaches out to Snoqualmie Falls Power Company, highlighting a desperate attempt to bypass local utility monopolies.
- Seattle Moves to Put a Woman on the Police Force
The city council finance committee backed $175 a month for a woman police officer who would advise young women, investigate cases, and enter saloons and hotels.
- City Hall Capitulates to Charter Reformers
Facing 1,600 petitioners, Tacoma city councilors vote to place commission government proposal on the ballot rather than face a forced election later.
- The Horseless Carriage Conflict
Tacoma motorists face strict new ordinances that force cars to yield to horse-drawn wagons.
- The Shadowy Cartel Squeezing Tacoma's Grocers
A former independent grocer testifies before a grand jury, exposing how industry boycotts forced small business owners into insolvency.
- The Scandal of the Sandberg District
City council members launch a blistering investigation into a protected 'vice syndicate' they allege is forcing hundreds of women into a restricted district.
- Labor Keeps Its Distance from the 'Wet' Fight
State Federation of Labor leaders refuse to take sides in the brewing local option prohibition fight.
- The City vs. The Railroad King
After two years of political brinkmanship, a local newspaper claims victory in forcing Jim Hill to negotiate for Tacoma's rail expansion.
- The Unsolicited Tip that Landed a Cook in Jail
After exhausting his savings at the Warwick saloon, a patron tried to play police officer by demanding the proprietor's arrest—only to find himself in the patrol wagon instead.
- The Great Tacoma Freeze of 1909
A record-breaking cold wave and gale-force winds rattle the city, freezing pipes and sending houseboats adrift.
- City Hall Launches New 'Disorderly' Tax
Tacoma officials move to turn police regulation of vice houses into a monthly revenue stream.
- The Coldest Commute in Tacoma
Commuters express outrage as the local transit company forces passengers to brave midwinter rain on open-air 'summer' streetcars.
- The Shadowy Franchise Fight
After accusations of a $132,000 bribe, the Tacoma City Council is forced into a formal inquiry over the Independent Telephone Company’s franchise bid.
- The Shadowy Rail Deal Behind Tacoma’s Tide Flats
A quiet war of railroad giants leaves a smaller line in a chokehold, as local business interests scramble for answers regarding the city’s industrial future.
- Fatal Mine Explosion Near Tacoma
- The Shadow of 1885 Lingers in Tacoma
Twenty years after the forced expulsion of the city's Chinese population, rumors of new arrivals trigger threats of vigilante action.
- Republican Convention Erupts Over Railroad Regulation
A bitter, chaotic fight at the state GOP convention sees Eastern Washington reformers crushed by the party machine.