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.
Refine
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 3 |
| 1884 | 1 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1887 | 2 |
| 1889 | 4 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1892 | 4 |
| 1893 | 2 |
| 1894 | 2 |
| 1895 | 7 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1903 | 4 |
| 1904 | 1 |
| 1908 | 2 |
| 1909 | 1 |
| 1914 | 3 |
| 1916 | 4 |
| 1923 | 1 |
| 1924 | 1 |
45 stories matching compil
- Wood & Osborne Bring Order to Washington Territory Deeds
As Seattle's property market surged, the city's premier title firm was forced to expand its operations to keep up with the frantic pace of land speculation.
- A Missing Section 25: How a Clerk's Slip Could Cost the Collins Heirs $500,000
Grandchildren of John Collins's first wife want a one-sixth share of the Seattle hotel property. The whole case turns on whether a territorial statute took effect on December 2, 1869 — or 42 days too late.
- The Politician Who Inspected Factory Safety
State Labor Commissioner William Blackman visits Walla Walla to enforce safety laws while dodging rumors of a gubernatorial run.
- The Tax Man’s Efficiency Drive
Assessor A. H. Wheaton attempts to modernize property tax record-keeping to save the county thousands.
- The Legal Battle Over Seattle's Courtroom Seats
A local attorney argues that all three Superior Court seats in King County must be contested in the upcoming election, challenging current term limits.
- A Grim Ledger of May Accidents
A state-wide audit of violent deaths reveals the hazards of frontier life, from rail accidents to logging camp tragedies.
- City and County Spar Over Smallpox Care Costs
A simmering dispute between the Seattle City Council and King County over who should pay to treat the city's sick and indigent.
- The State vs. the 'Gigantic Octopus': Washington Votes to Print Its Own Schoolbooks
Olympia's senate passes a bill making Washington a textbook publisher, selling spellers and readers to children at cost to break the American Book Company's grip — 27 to 4.
- The Wool Boom in Yakima
New statistics reveal that Yakima County dominates the state's sheep industry, holding nearly half of Washington's total flock.
- The Battle for the Columbia
Fishing interests argue that a proposed 90-foot dam at Priest Rapids would slash their $10 million industry in half.
- The Great Seattle Building Boom of 1888
A meticulously logged list of nearly 1,500 structures built in a single year, revealing a city transforming from a frontier outpost into a bustling metropolis.
- Seattle Moves to Create a Municipal Employment Office
City council members propose a public bureau to connect laborers with jobs, citing a desire to improve employment conditions.
- The Hard Sell for Inland Empire Farms
Spokane boosters and Kennewick business leaders draft a regional campaign to recruit farmers for 'untilled' lands, pivoting away from the era's wild land speculation.
- The Great Seattle Fire of 1889: Surviving the Flames
While the city turned to ash, local business owners turned to their safes to see what remained of their livelihood.
- A New Guard at City Hall: Seattle's 1894 Transition
Mayor Byron Phelps assumes office during a severe economic depression, pledging economy, non-partisan reform, and a professionalized city government.
- The Fire Department Power Grab
A political showdown at the fire commission exposes plans to purge the force and replace the Chief.
- The Seattle Legal Crisis of 1887
When an error in the law's title threatened to invalidate every court order in the territory, the Seattle Bar Association gathered to decide if the wheels of justice had ground to a halt.
- Legislative Crackdown on 'Bar-Check' Fraud
A new proposal in the state house seeks to hold saloon-keepers accountable for cashing checks for intoxicated patrons, a practice contributing to high forgery rates.
- The Price of Mason County's Riches
Detailed 1891 logging records from Shelton reveal a booming timber industry that paid out tens of thousands in wages—but left local communities dependent on outside supplies.
- The Lonely Vigil of the Weather Man
Before satellite arrays and supercomputers, the Seattle Weather Bureau relied on the tireless, midnight labor of trained observers and a secret telegraphic cipher to predict the Pacific Northwest's volatile storms.
- The Great Tax Delinquency Scramble
A new revenue law threatens to wipe out old tax liens, forcing officials to chase down thousands of property owners to clear the county books before the November deadline.
- The Fight for Accurate Election Reporting
A local editor slams rival newspapers for their abysmal, inaccurate coverage of the primary election returns.
- The Fight for Local Control of Rural Roads
Farmers of Benton County argue for a township-based road system to bypass alleged political corruption and neglect of rural infrastructure.
- Klondike Hero's Company Folds, Creditors Left Short
A Seattle commission firm fails, and its famous president T.S. Lippy claims no moral obligation to creditors who trusted his name.
- The University of Washington’s First Alumni Reunion
A modest gathering of nineteen graduates reflects on their time at the young university with essays, music, and an unexpected appearance of the next generation.