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1. The Battle for the Bay

   A federal judge rules that Commencement Bay belongs to the state, paving the way for industrial rail expansion over local Indigenous land claims.

   Apr 20, 1909The Tacoma TimesCommencement Bay, Tacoma, Pierce CountyFollow the Money

2. Governor Hay Forces Corruption Probe

   A determined Acting Governor Hay forces the state legislature to investigate graft allegations against state officials.

   Mar 12, 1909The Tacoma TimesState Capitol, Olympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

3. Sewer Workers Strike for Eight-Hour Day

   Laborers on a Twenty-ninth Avenue sewer project successfully force a return to the eight-hour workday against contractor pressure.

   Aug 24, 1904The Tacoma TimesMadison Street, Front Street, Yesler Avenue, Seattle, King CountyWork & Pay

4. The Unholy Alliance Behind the Mayoral Win

   A deep dive into the disparate coalition—from saloon owners to railroad bosses—that ousted Mayor Campbell in favor of George P. Wright.

   Apr 6, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

5. The Railroad Says No: No Waterfront for Tacoma

   Northern Pacific's attorney tells the city council flatly that the railway will not hand over a foot of Narrows shoreline as the price of its franchise — and dares the council to refuse.

   Apr 16, 1909The Tacoma TimesThe Narrows, Tacoma, Mason CountyFollow the Money · Boom & Bust · City Hall

6. The Unbuilt Imperial Skyscraper

   Tacoma business elites rally to fund a grand downtown skyscraper and a massive subway tunnel network that would reshape the city's topography.

   Mar 1, 1909The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust · Strange But True

7. Senate Rejects Eight-Hour Workday for Women

   Legislators kill labor reform, prioritizing industrial profits over the well-being of working women.

   Mar 4, 1909The Tacoma TimesOlympia, Thurston CountyWork & Pay

8. The Water-Sprinkling Scandal

   A taxpayer calls out city hall for permitting the wealthy to water their lawns for free while the rest of Tacoma pays.

   May 23, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

9. Interurban Sub-Station Workers Strike Over Pay and Rest

   After management cut their days off and refused to increase wages, substation workers on the Tacoma-Seattle line walked off the job, citing hazardous working conditions and isolation.

   Jul 25, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyWork & Pay

10. The Double Standard of the Law

    A commentary on how the courts punish labor organizers while letting corporate titans walk free.

    Jan 7, 1909The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyWork & Pay

11. Steam Shovel Plunges Down Embankment

    An engineer is hospitalized after a massive steam shovel collapses off a temporary track near the Northern Pacific depot.

    Mar 3, 1909The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyWork & Pay · Disasters

12. The Loneliness of the South End Chicken Rancher

    Neighbors discover Johann Neugerg, a solitary 66-year-old rancher, dead in his shack after days of silence.

    Mar 1, 1904The Tacoma TimesPacific Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce County

13. The Passive Citizen: Why Tacoma’s Streets Stagnate

    A biting critique of civic apathy toward the power and land grabs of the Tacoma Railway & Power Company.

    Jul 1, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyFollow the Money

14. The North Pacific Saengerbund Takes Over Tacoma

    Hundreds of visitors from across the region descended on Tacoma for a four-day festival of choral music, parades, and picnics.

    Jul 25, 1904The Tacoma TimesJefferson Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce CountyNightlife

15. The North End's Water Works Fairness Fight

    Tacoma’s City Council faces accusations of unequal treatment regarding public infrastructure costs for water hydrants.

    Feb 4, 1909The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

16. A Steel Mill for Tacoma

    Investors finalize plans to bring a large-scale steel fabricating plant to Tacoma, promising new industry and jobs.

    Mar 10, 1909The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust

17. Northern Pacific Pays Out Thousands for Point Defiance Land

    A significant payout to property owners marks the resolution of land disputes for the new Northern Pacific railway route.

    Mar 2, 1909The Tacoma TimesPoint Defiance, Tacoma, Pierce CountyFollow the Money

18. The Anti-Saloon League Tells Tacoma's Churchgoers to Get Their Hands Dirty

    A packed house at the First Presbyterian church heard the national superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League argue that pious voters who stay out of politics are the reason the saloons stay open — and that the worst anarchist in town is the official who picks which laws to enforce.

    Jun 6, 1904The Tacoma TimesFirst Presbyterian Church, Tacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall · Nightlife

19. Mill Accident Injures South Tacoma Youth

    A teenage worker is recovering after being struck by machinery at the Western Mill Company.

    May 25, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyWork & Pay

20. The Christian Athlete: Military Encampment Keeps the Sabbath

    Despite the lure of recreation, soldiers at the local encampment gathered for Sunday services and athletics at the YMCA tent.

    Jul 11, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce County

21. The Real Story of the Slums

    A young playwright captures the grim reality of life in city tenements, challenging the comfortable assumptions of the press.

    Mar 22, 1909The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyHousing & Rent

22. Railway Marauders Arrested Near Auburn

    Railroad detectives apprehend three men accused of breaking into a Northern Pacific freight car bound for Tacoma.

    Mar 21, 1904The Tacoma TimesAuburn, King CountyTrue Crime

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