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 |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 1 |
| 1878 | 2 |
| 1883 | 3 |
| 1886 | 2 |
| 1889 | 6 |
| 1892 | 3 |
| 1893 | 5 |
| 1894 | 4 |
| 1895 | 6 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1904 | 2 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 1 |
| 1916 | 1 |
41 stories matching fide
- The Survey That Stalled Because the Homesteaders Weren’t Local Enough
A federal commissioner refused to order a Pend d’Oreille township survey after examiners questioned whether the applicants actually lived on the land.
- The Poundmaster Farce
The city council’s chaotic attempts to replace the poundmaster result in a legal stalemate.
- A Railroad Beats a Homesteader Over a Tacoma Land Claim
Judge Gilbert rules James De Lacey abandoned his claim before the Northern Pacific land grant, but De Lacey will appeal.
- Tacoma’s Work Relief Experiment
Facing economic hardship, the city of Tacoma launches a public works program that prioritizes heads of households over others.
- Tacoma’s Theaters Put on Notice
Mayor Campbell issues a firm mandate requiring local theaters to meet new fire safety standards or face closure.
- The Timber Grab Controversy
The Secretary of the Interior rejects a homestead claim, ruling that the land was sought for timber rather than farming.
- The Fight for Gig Harbor Timber
A local settler exposes a land-grabbing ring in Pierce County, accusing them of fraudulent timber claims.
- The Real Estate Gentrifiers of 1889
A bold advertisement from the Post-Intelligencer lists the city’s power brokers as the first investors in a new development, explicitly using their status to sell land to the aspiring middle class.
- The Battle Over Public Water Power
A political critique of proposed federal legislation warns that speculators are maneuvering to seize control of vital water power sites.
- Federal Crackdown on Chinese Merchants
The Treasury Department orders Pacific coast ports to tighten scrutiny of certificates allowing Chinese laborers to travel, labeling many merchant claims as fraudulent.
- The Real Estate Boom at Ronton Addition
Investors and business leaders scramble to buy into Seattle's rapid expansion.
- The Great Northern Pacific Railroad Robbery
In 1878, Seattle citizens packed a town hall to condemn the Northern Pacific Railroad, alleging that corporate greed and land fraud were strangling the territory's economic future.
- The Battle for the Unsurveyed Frontier
A 19th-century court case in Steilacoom exposes the tension between local land speculators and the ideal of the 'actual settler' on the Washington frontier.
- The Boomtown Rhythms of Olympia
A report on the rapid industrial growth, real estate speculation, and social life transforming the capital city.
- The Milk Shed Built Over the Sewage
A Seattle weekly prints a photograph of the city's largest dairy depot — a ramshackle shed on pilings over the tide flats — and dares the health inspectors to explain why nothing is being done.
- The Myth of the Great Land Scandal
A federal official dismisses widespread rumors of a $50 million land fraud, even as regional timber speculators continue to exploit loopholes in the law.
- The Renton Addition Land Grab
A 1889 real estate advertisement lists the city's power brokers as buyers in a new development, telegraphing a future windfall ahead of infrastructure expansion.
- Surveyors Blocked by Federal Red Tape
A new federal funding measure renders land surveying in Western Washington practically impossible, stalling pioneer settlement expansion.
- The Supreme Court Defies Its Own Constitution
A legal dispute over Walla Walla land reveals how Washington State wrestled with the transition from federal territory to sovereign statehood.
- The 'Golden Eagle' Real Estate Boom of 1889
As Seattle prepared to rebuild from its Great Fire, developers used high-profile endorsements—and the promise of a streetcar line—to sell the prestige of the Renton Addition.
- The Great 'Sour Grapes' Feud of 1892
When a Tacoma newspaper attempted to trash the San Juan Islands as a speculative wasteland, the locals hit back in print—blaming the insult on petty jealousy over their loyalty to Seattle.
- Timber Thieves and Stolen Homesteads
A federal land agent details how wealthy mill corporations are systematically dispossessing homesteaders and stealing public timber.
- The Great Land Grab: 1886 Democracy vs. The Northern Pacific
At the 1886 Democratic Territorial Convention in Tacoma, delegates launched a blistering critique against the Northern Pacific Railroad for failing its promises and seizing public lands meant for settlers.
- The Real Estate Frenzy of Renton Addition
Promoters of a new Seattle neighborhood published a list of prominent investors to drive up property values before the arrival of a new cable line.
- The Strict Covenants of Renton Hill
Developers at Renton Hill market their new neighborhood to an elite class, promising that restrictive covenants and minimum home prices will keep out 'undesirables.'