Research the archive
Narrow 25,724 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 | 1 |
| 1877 | 1 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1884 | 1 |
| 1885 | 4 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 1 |
| 1889 | 7 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 2 |
| 1892 | 2 |
| 1893 | 2 |
| 1894 | 3 |
| 1895 | 2 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 3 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1909 | 2 |
| 1916 | 3 |
| 1923 | 1 |
| 1924 | 2 |
44 stories matching confisc
- The Price of 'Progress' at the Turn of the Century
A Seattle property owner battles the city over grading costs she claims amount to 'almost confiscation' of her land.
- Wallula Opium Case Dismissed for Lack of Evidence
Local authorities drop charges against two Chinese men after confiscating smoking paraphernalia.
- The Secret Scheme to Seize the Tide Flats
Prominent Seattle businessmen form an organization to lobby the constitutional convention for control of the waterfront.
- At 82, Peter Stewart Seeks Payment for Confiscated Lighthouse Land
After the government seized his land and improvements for a lighthouse in 1853, an 82-year-old pioneer finally seeks compensation from Congress.
- The Detective Who Could Smell a Crime
A keen-nosed Tacoma detective tracked an opium den by its scent, leading to the arrest of two men and the confiscation of 'elegant' pipes.
- Major Moonshine Raid in Grays Harbor
Federal agents dismantle massive bootlegging operation, leading to a high-profile arrest.
- The Price of a Poached Duck
A hunter learns a hard lesson when a game warden catches him in the brush.
- Federal Authorities Seize Fifty Pounds of Opium in Seattle
A court notice reveals the confiscation of contraband from a Seattle residence in 1885.
- The Great Tax Sale of 1885
Hundreds of property owners face dispossession as Seattle lists delinquent lands for auction to cover city debts.
- The Stowaways of the Laurada: A $50 Fine for a Trip North
Two men caught sneaking aboard a steamer bound for Alaska were forced to disembark in Bellingham, facing Canadian customs penalties and a hefty fine.
- Game Warden Cracks Down on Duck Poachers
A series of swift convictions and heavy fines target illegal hunting activities near Richland.
- The Underground Opium Pipeline
A bold smuggling operation involving pack animals and stages ends in a Spokane arrest.
- The Seattle Doctor’s German Inheritance
After years in exile for his political views, a prominent Seattle physician reclaims a massive family estate.
- Washington's 1889 Convention Settles Prohibition, Corporations
Delegates in Olympia rush to finalize state constitutional provisions, including contentious debates over railroad commissions and alien land ownership.
- The Bay View Massacre: A Bloody End to the Labor Strike
A violent confrontation between striking freight handlers and authorities in Bay View leaves six dead and several wounded, marking a grim escalation in regional labor unrest.
- The Fight for Seattle's Unearned Land
A fiery mass meeting in Seattle erupts over the Northern Pacific Railway's grip on public lands.
- The Single Tax: A Seattle Paper Takes On Henry George
In 1894 the Post-Intelligencer mounts a full-throated attack on Henry George's land-value tax, warning it would 'rob labor' and hand the ground itself to the rich.
- The Opium Steward of the Dakota
A routine baggage check on the steamship Dakota reveals a massive illicit cargo, sparking a criminal case that hints at a long-running smuggling operation on Puget Sound.
- The Indian Council’s Rebellion Against the White Shopkeepers
When an Indian girl was fined by her tribal council for purchasing flour at a white-owned store, a legal crackdown by territorial authorities sparked a tense political standoff.
- Jailer's Rounds Foil Burglars Digging Through Cell Wall
Two burglars nearly tunneled out of the King County Jail, thwarted only by a sharp-eared jailer and an unfortunate musical choice.
- The Hanford Ditch War Goes Federal
A power and irrigation utility takes the state to court to fight regulated water rates, signaling a long battle over regional infrastructure.
- Seattle Sheriff Raids Slot Machine Operators
A sweeping enforcement action against illegal gambling machines leads to arrests and property seizures across the city.
- The Political Battle for Washington’s Future
As Republicans rally in Olympia, party leaders McGraw and Winston defend their state financial management and launch sharp attacks against the rising Populist movement.
- The City vs. The Water Company
A federal judge blocks Walla Walla from building its own water works, citing an existing contract as an 'inviolate' property right.
- Seattle's 1889 Fight Over Tide Flats and Docks
As Washington prepares for statehood, a contentious battle emerges over who owns—and who profits from—the valuable tide lands bordering Seattle.