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 |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 5 |
| 1876 | 9 |
| 1877 | 6 |
| 1878 | 4 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1884 | 7 |
| 1885 | 3 |
| 1886 | 6 |
| 1887 | 2 |
| 1888 | 7 |
| 1889 | 15 |
| 1891 | 4 |
| 1892 | 27 |
| 1893 | 21 |
| 1894 | 22 |
| 1895 | 27 |
| 1898 | 2 |
| 1899 | 4 |
| 1903 | 1 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1909 | 4 |
| 1910 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1929 | 2 |
191 stories matching compet
- Seattle Chamber of Commerce Takes Aim at Longshoremen
The Chamber of Commerce moves to break the power of harbor unions, threatening to form competing organizations and call for police intervention.
- The Plumbing Inspector's Trial
Journeymen and master plumbers united to challenge the competency and conduct of Seattle's plumbing inspector.
- The Grocer Who Became His Own Rival
John Haley is being sued by his former company for breaking a non-compete clause to open a new grocery store just blocks away.
- The Prosecutor vs. the All-Male Jury
King County Prosecuting Attorney John R. Bradshaw demands the inclusion of women on jury lists, citing Washington Territory’s progressive suffrage laws.
- Hard Times Force Railroads Toward a Monopoly
Financial desperation drives the competing lines of the Pacific Northwest to consider an end to expansion and a new era of joint operation.
- The Price of a Non-Compete
A Seattle restaurateur is legally banned from the restaurant business after selling his previous establishment.
- The Ice King’s Plot: How a Monopoly Would Have Starved Seattle of Cold
A Chicago-based trust is buying up ice companies across the nation to control prices. In Washington, experts warn that consolidating dozens of competing delivery wagons into a single fleet will leave thousands of local workers unemployed.
- The Economic Anxiety of the 1893 Tariff Debate
Washington's leading industries feared that a new trade bill would prioritize Eastern markets and force local businesses to lower wages to compete with international labor.
- The Railway Gold Rush: When Every Line Wanted a Piece of Seattle
In 1890, Seattle was the ultimate prize for three competing transcontinental railroads, leading to a tangled mess of franchise wars, tide flat terminal deals, and high-stakes corporate maneuvering.
- Military Band vs. Union Labor
The federal government is accused of strike-breaking by allowing Army musicians to perform at a Seattle dance academy that refused to hire union members.
- The Great Seattle Streetcar Consolidation
A multi-million dollar maneuver promises to unify the city's competing electric lines, potentially abandoning local power-houses in a massive quest for operational efficiency.
- The Great Timber Heist: Federal Law Cracks Down on Puget Sound Loggers
In 1872, the U.S. government enforced a strict new law protecting live-oak and red-cedar from unauthorized removal, threatening massive fines and ship seizures for anyone caught logging federal lands without Navy permission.
- The Railroad Baron Who Refused to Compete With Shadows
Northern Pacific president Tom Oakes tells Seattle that Jim Hill’s Great Northern is more phantom than threat—and explains why cutting timber rates could backfire on Puget Sound’s lumbermen.
- The Uncharted Sphere of a Seattle Businesswoman
A local female shopkeeper in 1872 challenges the rigid gender expectations of the era through quiet, competent labor.
- The Nine-Hour Day Arrives in Seattle
In 1889, Seattle's carpenters and contractors united to set a new standard for the workday, marking a pivotal shift in the region's labor history.
- Shingle Mill Owners Move to Slash Wages
Washington shingle manufacturers opt to cut pay to stay competitive against British Columbia imports.
- Seattle and Tacoma Militia Compete for Honors
Companies from Seattle and Tacoma squared off at Woodland Park and the armory for top honors in marksmanship and drill.
- Business Leaders Remonstrate Against Court Expansion
King County business firms petition the state legislature to block the creation of an additional Superior Court judge, citing unnecessary tax burdens.
- The Race to the Summit
Seattle and Yakima men compete to see who can finish the mountain pass wagon road first.
- Around the Horn With a Hold Full of Salmon
Seattle shipping men launch a regular Cape Horn service to New York and Philadelphia, betting on the Panama Canal to put salt water on equal footing with the railroads.
- Why the Great Northern Railway Matters
Reflections on how the newly completed transcontinental link will change the economy of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
- The Unintended Love Triangle at the Farmhouse
When a city girl retreats to her grandmother's farm for some peace, she finds herself playing host to two stranded suitors during a storm.
- The Newspaper Feud on Columbia Street
The 'Evening Call' has split into two competing factions, with each side claiming the other is a counterfeit, resulting in a lawsuit for damages.
- Dining in 'New York Style' at the Frontier's Edge
Before Seattle became a global tech hub, it was a rapidly growing port town where restaurant owners competed to offer refined 'New York style' dining to weary loggers, sailors, and travelers.
- The Nine-Hour Day: Seattle Carpenters and Contractors Strike a Deal
In a rare moment of labor harmony, the Seattle Building Trades Union and local contractors have agreed to reduce the workday from ten to nine hours while maintaining wages, setting a precedent for the city's construction industry.