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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 4 |
| 1858 | 1 |
| 1861 | 2 |
| 1862 | 7 |
| 1863 | 4 |
| 1872 | 7 |
| 1876 | 19 |
| 1877 | 12 |
| 1878 | 7 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1880 | 5 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 14 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1885 | 24 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1887 | 14 |
| 1888 | 15 |
| 1889 | 33 |
| 1890 | 4 |
| 1891 | 23 |
| 1892 | 54 |
| 1893 | 78 |
| 1894 | 61 |
| 1895 | 50 |
| 1897 | 3 |
| 1898 | 3 |
| 1899 | 13 |
| 1902 | 2 |
| 1903 | 13 |
| 1904 | 22 |
| 1907 | 3 |
| 1908 | 5 |
| 1909 | 7 |
| 1910 | 2 |
| 1912 | 2 |
| 1915 | 2 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1917 | 4 |
| 1923 | 2 |
| 1924 | 1 |
540 stories matching custom
- The Relocation of the Customs House
Citizens of Port Townsend are reeling after reports that the Custom-House is being moved to satisfy political land speculators.
- The Customs Officer and the Paper Trail
A San Francisco dispatch accuses a former Port Townsend customs inspector of leading a ring that forged Chinese immigration certificates. His neighbors call it a smear.
- Federal Customs Officials Arrested for Opium Smuggling
A sweeping investigation into corruption at the Customs House leads to the indictment of the collector and several inspectors for facilitating illegal entries.
- A Customs House Boss and the Fight to Run Washington
A federal deputy collector resigns in Seattle and accuses the custom house crowd of building a machine for Senator Squire.
- The Inner Life of a Dining Room Waiter
A frank, cynical look at the power dynamics between restaurant staff and customers in early Seattle.
- The Bread and Butter Vote: How the Custom House Ring Rigged Port Townsend Politics
In a stunning display of patronage politics in September 1876, federal employees in Port Townsend marched in lockstep to defeat local opposition, proving that government jobs were still the ultimate political currency.
- The Swindler in the Customs House
A former customs official turned smuggling mastermind uses a fake 'special detective' scheme to trick colleagues and line his own pockets with molasses-filled trunks.
- A Crepe-Draped Cleveland and the Custom-House Deal
Port Townsend Democrats gather amid patronage bargains, a sacrificed ally, and a prank that put the president's portrait in mourning.
- Customs House vs. Biology
A Seattle customs broker enters a bizarre legal debate over whether whale meat should be taxed as fish or meat.
- The Hidden Trade in Willapa Harbor
While boosters brag about new ports, illicit opium and seal poaching thrive just down the coast.
- The Customs Feud That Fired on a Chilean Bark
A Chilean vessel left Tacoma without clearance and was chased by a U.S. revenue cutter in Puget Sound—an international incident sparked by jealousy between Chile's local representatives.
- The Great Seattle Opium Bust of 1885
Customs officers seize a boat and $1,200 in illegal opium near Duwamish Head, leaving the smugglers to flee into the night.
- The Battle for the Custom House
Seattle property owners clash over where the city's new federal building should stand.
- The Custom House City That Almost Wasn't
A skeptical observer reports on the slow progress and eccentric realities of the newly established custom house in Port Angeles.
- The Great Port Townsend Customs Scandal
A federal grand jury uncovers a decade-long scheme of extortion and record-tampering at the Port Townsend custom house, where officials pocketed fees and forced local shipping firms to play along.
- The Formaldehyde Oysters That Sickened a Pullman Meat Market's Customers
A shipment of 'fresh' oysters left a trail of upset stomachs—and a state chemist found the preservative that did it.
- The Milkman Wars of Grant Street
A competition for customers on the Grant Street bridge turns into a physical altercation, leading to an arrest.
- A Bloody Reckoning at the Custom House
A violent confrontation between Chinese immigrants and customs officials over thousands of dollars leaves three people severely wounded and a search for truth.
- The Perilous Seat of the Customs Collector
A history of the Puget Sound customs office reveals a chronicle of smugglers, political infighting, and violent tragedies.
- The Arsonist Who Burned the Books: A Tacoma Cover-Up?
An attempt to torch the U.S. Custom House in Port Townsend raises eyebrows as officials fear a whistleblower’s evidence of corruption was destroyed.
- The Art of the 'Custom' Suit in 1885 Seattle
A reporter goes undercover on Front Street to find out how local haberdashers are surviving the 'dull season' with high-end, custom-ordered fashion.
- The Opium Runners of Port Townsend
Customs inspectors engage in a high-stakes boat chase after catching smugglers unloading contraband in the dead of night.
- Smuggling Ring Exposed at Port Townsend
A customs inspector is accused of taking bribes to let opium cross the border, revealing a deeper scandal within the agency.
- A Young Lawyer's Lesson in the 'Great American Game'
A visiting English lawyer is conned in Tacoma by an elaborate 'customs officer' scam; the suspect is arrested after a quick police coordination.
- Border Hurdles for New Arrivals
Customs officials confront a backlog of Chinese passengers arriving without proper certification.