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 | 69 |
| 1904 | 12 |
81 stories matching system
- The Great Alarm Debate
Walla Walla’s City Council considers whether to invest in a modern fire alarm system or rely on an improvised network of city telephones.
- The Walla Walla Council's Fire Alarm Debate
City leaders weigh the cost of a new fire alarm system against the growing municipal budget.
- Bracing for a Blackout at the Fruit Fair
After years of frustration, Walla Walla's fruit fair management installs gas backups to keep the pavilion illuminated.
- The Great Walla Walla Water War
A fiery public debate erupts over the future of the city's water system, pitting an existing investment against a controversial expansion plan.
- The Seven Titans Controlling the West
A new 'community of interest' among seven massive railroad syndicates threatens to choke competition and consolidate total power over Western freight routes.
- The City’s Crumbling Infrastructure
Walla Walla's decaying water main system is thwarting local efforts to lower insurance costs.
- A Costly Palace for the Poor?
Walla Walla County commissioners face criticism over a proposal to replace the contract system with a twelve-thousand-dollar brick building.
- Northern Pacific Moves to Consolidate Regional Rail Control
A major shift in railroad management sees the parent company absorbing auxiliary lines, including the Washington and Columbia River Railroad.
- Fire Loss Fuels Push for City Water System
After a devastating local fire, the city council faces allegations of corruption, backroom dealing, and profit-seeking at the expense of public safety.
- Spokane Workers Spark Telephone Revolution
A labor strike by telephone operators prompts a move toward an independent, city-wide network to break the grip of a monopoly.
- The Trolley Overtakes the Steam Train
Faced with competition from local electric lines, the Northern Pacific Railway begins electrifying its Everett-to-Snohomish branch.
- Walla Walla’s Great Water Debate
The City Council faces a fractured path forward as they weigh options for a new gravity water system to solve the city's supply crisis.
- Walla Walla's Growing Pains and Water Worries
A civil engineer lays out a blueprint for the city's future water supply, warning that small, aging pipes are a danger to fire safety.
- Road Repair Revolution
Walla Walla County abandons the inefficient, patronage-driven 'corvée' system of road work for a centralized tax-funded approach.
- City Council Weighs Engineer's Mill Creek Water Plan
A new proposal for a gravity water system faces heavy criticism for its staggering cost and potential legal entanglements over water rights.
- Sewer Graft Scandal Hits Ballard
A contractor linked to Walla Walla infrastructure is accused of corrupting a massive sewer project in Ballard.
- The Grocers' Blacklist
Walla Walla retail grocers seek a regional credit-rating system to share customer data and penalize unpaid debts.
- Franklin County’s Wheat Ambitions
Local bankers report a massive surge in fall wheat planting and plans for modern infrastructure in the growing town of Connell.
- The Walla Walla Water War
As the city population swells, local business leaders and engineers butt heads over the cost and feasibility of securing a gravity-fed water system.
- The Walla Walla Water Fiasco
A city committee braves a 'biting wind' to discover that their expensive new water development is just collecting surface runoff from irrigation ditches.
- Streetcar Plans Delayed in Walla Walla
E.S. Isaacs secures council extension on streetcar project due to power plant delays.
- The Struggle for Walla Walla’s Gravity Water System
City officials and private citizens spar over the future of the municipal water supply as debates over Mill Creek and private rights boil over.
- The Orient Expressed: A Vision for Walla Walla Wheat
Prominent Portland booster Colonel Henry Dosch tours Walla Walla, urging local millers to modernize and pivot toward the Japanese market.
- Walla Walla Weighs Water Rights Against Costly Lawsuits
A legal dispute over riparian rights forces the city to weigh the cost of a new gravity system against the risk of massive damages.
- Firefighters Helpless as Hydrant Fails
A major blaze destroys a local mattress factory and blacksmith shop as faulty infrastructure prevents emergency response.