Research the archive
Narrow 25,688 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 |
|---|---|
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1889 | 1 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 3 |
| 1892 | 4 |
| 1893 | 1 |
| 1894 | 1 |
| 1895 | 2 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1904 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 1 |
| 1916 | 2 |
22 stories matching derrick
- A Near-Fatal Jolt at the Haystack
A routine day of farm repairs turned into a brush with death when a derrick cable made contact with a power line near Finley.
- Seven Tons of Banking Disaster
A construction accident at the Dr. Horton & Co. bank building left a heavy stone facade in ruins on the sidewalk after a derrick bolt sheared off.
- A Dangerous Drop on Madison Street
A lineman for the Western Union Telegraph Company narrowly survives a thirty-foot fall while hoisting poles.
- Bridge Collapse Kills Seven Great Northern Railroad Workers
A temporary construction span on the Wenatchee River failed under the weight of a heavy train, plunging workers sixty feet into the water.
- The Worn-Out Tongs That Killed a Newport Log Scaler
James Wall was loading logs for the Panhandle Lumber Co. when a falling log struck him dead. His family’s $50,000 suit against the Idaho & Washington Northern ended with a $5,000 verdict — and a defense that blamed Wall for standing in danger.
- The Deadly Aftermath of the Great Seattle Fire
A workman is crushed by the unstable ruins of the Union Block, sparking a tragedy as crews attempt to clear the debris of the city's recent destruction.
- The Midnight Alarm at Pioneer Place
A construction mishap at the Yesler block causes a spectacular electrical failure and a city-wide false alarm.
- A Violent Storm Strikes the Yakima Valley
High winds leveled buildings and tore heavy equipment from foundations in a storm that locals described as a true tornado.
- The Lineman and the Trolley Line
A worker's damage suit against a telephone company is thrown out after the court decides infrastructure shouldn't have to withstand streetcar accidents.
- Defying the 'Sassy' Indians on the Skagit
A party of explorers ventures deep into Snohomish's wild interior, clashing with local tribes and staking claims on land 'no white women live above.'
- The Perilous Ring at the Empire Theater
A local boxing match turned into a comedy of errors when the floor collapsed under the combatants twice, sending one fighter into the sub-cellar.
- Rescuing 2,500 Tons of Steel from the Sea
A massive engineering project is underway to salvage thousands of tons of steel rails from the wreck of the Abercorn.
- The Hazards of the Harvest
Industrial machinery brings pain to the fields as two laborers are severely injured in separate harvest accidents.
- The Great Fire’s Buried Treasure
A sewer crew working on Front Street unearths a long-lost safe, a fire-eaten relic from the ashes of Seattle’s 1889 catastrophe.
- The Forest Empire That Built Washington
A sweeping 1900 survey of the state's lumber industry counted billions of feet of standing timber, 250 sawmills, and $7 million a year in wages—proof that the trees, not the cities, came first.
- The Rails Come to Newport: Yards, Depots, and a Town Betting Its Future on the I. & W. N.
Railroad brass walk the ground for new yards, surveyors push down-river, a depot rises, and the town council is asked for a franchise — as high water stalls the Great Northern bridge at Albeni Falls.
- The North End Industrial Boom
A new stone quarry and improved infrastructure are transforming the north end of Aberdeen.
- The Porpoise and the Cow: A Nautical Disaster in Tacoma
A schooner, a one-eyed cow, and a cargo-hoisting gone horribly wrong—a day on the Tacoma waterfront that ended in broken bunks and a damp bovine.
- Forty Tons of Seattle Iron: Moran Brothers' Giant Pumps Head for the Dry Dock
The biggest centrifugal pumps ever cast on the Pacific Coast leave Moran Brothers' foundry for the government dry dock, three machines able to empty it in two hours.
- A Series of Farm Accidents in Dayton
Local farmers face dangerous mishaps involving heavy machinery and livestock.
- The Great Cow-Rescue of Finley
A local farmer’s silo mishap turns into an absurdist tall tale involving a swimming cow and a bucket of milk.
- The Indestructible Spring Chicken
A satirical look at local wildlife hunting and the legendary toughness of the American barnyard bird.
Also about this, in other words
- The Fugitive Foreman of Franklin
A man working at the Oregon Improvement Company’s stables in Franklin is revealed as a wanted fugitive for a fatal land dispute in Indian Territory.
- A Night at Turner Hall
Seattle’s athletic set gathers at Turner Hall for an exhibition match featuring lightweight pugilist Dal Hawkins.
- The Final Voyage of the Eritrea
A Chilean ship navigating the Strait of Juan de Fuca mistakenly identified a fog signal, leading to a total wreck on Dungeness Spit.
- Dignity for a Forgotten Man
A Ladies' Aid Society steps forward to provide a proper burial for a man found under a train trestle.
- Tragedy in the Basement on Washington Street
A cook and cannery worker, struggling with isolation and mental illness, was found dead in a basement apartment.
- A Coal Town's Benefit Concert for a Fire Victim's Grave
Black Diamond's Ladies' Aid Society raised money on Feb. 22 to improve the burial lot of Daniel Downey, killed in a fire.
- Gambling Debt Leads to Tragedy in Ellensburg
A young painter ends his life following financial ruin and personal turmoil.
- The Human Cost of the Des Moines Boom
A tragic suicide in Tacoma exposes the devastating toll of speculative real estate schemes.