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1. The Governor Who Stood Between Corporations and the Workingman

   When railroads threatened to use militia to break a strike in 1873, Governor Elisha Ferry refused to deploy state power until the laborers were paid, carving out a legendary reputation for fairness.

   Sep 29, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce CountyWork & Pay

2. The Governor and the Ghost Democrats

   When Territorial Governor Elisha Ferry was accused of lying to win a seat at a convention, his refusal to name thirty phantom 'Democrats' sparked a fierce political scandal in Seattle.

   Jun 13, 1872Puget Sound DispatchOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

3. The Constitutional Crisis of 1878

   Before Washington was a state, Governor Elisha P. Ferry issued a desperate call for a convention to define its future.

   Mar 6, 1878The Northern StarWalla Walla, Walla Walla CountyCity Hall

4. A Rail-and-Timber Empire Offers Its Workers a Cut

   A new corporation tied to former governor Elisha P. Ferry acquires the Mason County Central railroad and Shelton sawmill, plans a Grays Harbor line, and sets aside $50,000 in stock for employees.

   Jan 8, 1892The Olympia TribuneOlympia, Thurston CountyWork & Pay · Follow the Money · Boom & Bust

5. The Governor’s Dilemma: The Hand-Me-Down Prison

   When Washington became a state, the federal government tried to offload the McNeil Island Penitentiary and its prisoners to state control—but Governor Elisha Ferry wasn't having it.

   Jan 9, 1891The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSteilacoom, Pierce CountyCity Hall

6. The Territory's Failed Constitutional Bid

   In a formal proclamation, Governor Elisha P. Ferry officially declared the rejection of a proposed state constitution and its supplemental articles by the voters of the Washington Territory.

   Feb 8, 1879The Northern StarOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

7. John H. McGraw Inaugurated as Governor

   In an ceremony marked by fair skies, John H. McGraw assumes the governorship of Washington, succeeding Elisha P. Ferry.

   Jan 12, 1893The Seattle Post-IntelligencerWashington State Capitol, Olympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

8. The Governor’s Call for Tax Reform in 1877

   Governor Elisha P. Ferry’s address to the Legislative Assembly highlights a chaotic, unfair tax landscape that echoes through modern municipal debate.

   Oct 13, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyCity Hall

9. The Governor, the British Officer, and One Tiny Revenue Cutter

   Elisha P. Ferry's old colleague recalled how the territorial governor ordered a British garrison off San Juan Island—backed by a worn-out cutter and a howitzer or two.

   Apr 24, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSan Juan Island, San Juan CountyFollow the Money · Strange But True

10. Preparing for the Territorial Vote

    Governor Elisha P. Ferry issues a formal proclamation for the November 1876 general election, including a critical vote on whether to draft a new State Constitution.

    Oct 21, 1876The Northern StarOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

11. When Washington Voters First Weighed Statehood

    In 1878, Governor Elisha P. Ferry issued a formal proclamation calling for a territory-wide vote on the proposed state constitution and the future of regional representation.

    Oct 5, 1878The Northern StarOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

12. The Call for a State Constitutional Convention

    In 1878, Governor Elisha P. Ferry issued an official proclamation calling for a special election to select delegates for a convention to draft a state constitution for Washington.

    Mar 13, 1878The Northern StarOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

13. Thirty-Seven Miners Died 150 Feet From Safety

    An 1894 coroner's jury in Franklin, Washington, heard how a small fire in the Oregon Improvement Company's coal mine became a wall of smoke — and why the men who could have escaped stayed to fight it.

    Aug 26, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerBlack Diamond, King CountyWork & Pay · Disasters

14. The Governor’s War: Seattle’s Militia Mutiny and the Coal Creek Massacre

    In the wake of a deadly strike at Newcastle coal mines, Governor Elisha Peery clashes with local sheriff over military command, exposing the fragility of civil authority in Washington Territory.

    Jan 22, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerCoal Creek, Newcastle, King CountyWork & Pay

15. The $3 Million Scheme to Turn Seattle's Tide Flats into Dry Land

    A private company plans to dredge the Duwamish and fill Elliott Bay's mudflats — paid not in cash but in land and liens — while St. Louis money waits to see the ground before it bets.

    Feb 3, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyFollow the Money · Boom & Bust · Gone Forever

16. The Execution of Robert Day

    After a failed suicide attempt and legal appeals reaching the State Supreme Court, the murderer of Thomas Clinton Beebe faces the scaffold in Kalama.

    Jun 4, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerKalama, Cowlitz CountyTrue Crime

17. The Militia vs. The Populists

    A political firestorm erupts in the state capital after the local People's Party claims Seattle's guardsmen acted like drunken hooligans.

    Jan 15, 1893The Seattle Post-IntelligencerOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

18. Eight Hundred Armed Men, Two Dead: The Coal War the Guard Rode All Night to Stop

    In the summer of 1891 the Green River coal towns of Franklin and Gilman armed themselves into rival companies. When the shooting started, a deputy sheriff wired Seattle for troops — and the colonel marched before he had orders.

    Dec 22, 1891The Olympia TribuneBlack Diamond, King CountyWork & Pay · City Hall

19. The Converted Burglar and the Wire That Carried Him to Seattle

    A Salvation Army convert walked into the Post-Intelligencer office to tell how he crossed the Kansas penitentiary wall hand over hand on an electric-light wire. This week a Kansas keeper came to take him back.

    May 31, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyTrue Crime

20. The Governor and the Libel Suit: A Battle for Political Character

    When Governor Elisha P. Ferry sued the 'Democratic Press' for accusing him of selling pardons, he ignited a fierce debate about the limits of press freedom and the nature of public character.

    Jul 6, 1878Puget Sound DispatchSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

21. A City Turned Out to Bury George Heilbron

    In 1895, Seattle’s governor, mayor, judges, businessmen and laborers filled the First Unitarian Church for the funeral of a civic leader who had helped build the young city.

    Apr 9, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

22. The Case of the Empty Bond: A Cautionary Tale of Corruption in Walla Walla

    When an elected official absconded with nearly $20,000 in public funds, the court had to decide if his sureties were still on the hook—even though they had signed a blank piece of paper.

    Jul 11, 1872Puget Sound DispatchWalla Walla, Walla Walla CountyCity Hall

23. Governor Ferry Calls for a Special Election

    Following a tie vote in the November 1876 election, the Governor orders a new vote for the Territorial Assembly representative for Clallam and San Juan counties.

    Jun 1, 1877Puget Sound Weekly ArgusPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyCity Hall

24. The State's First Great 'To-Do' List

    Acting Governor Charles E. Laughton’s 1891 address to the legislature provides a rare, wide-angle snapshot of a young Washington State struggling to build its infrastructure, protect its forests, and define its civic identity.

    Jan 9, 1891The Seattle Post-IntelligencerOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

25. The Wheelbarrow Penance

    A local landlord settles a lost election wager by wheeling his attorney through the streets of Yakima to the tune of a brass band.

    Nov 7, 1889The Yakima HeraldYakima Avenue, Yakima, Yakima CountyStrange But True

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