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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1876 | 3 |
| 1878 | 2 |
| 1883 | 3 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1889 | 3 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 2 |
| 1893 | 2 |
| 1894 | 1 |
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| 1903 | 4 |
| 1904 | 2 |
27 stories matching fluid
- The Mud of Commercial Street
Seattle’s main commercial artery was once a treacherous gauntlet of 'semi-fluid mud' and rats, nearly impassable for the city's horse-drawn wagons.
- The 'Miraculous Devil' Seed
A local curiosity exhibit features strange, jumping seeds from Mexico, rumored to be poisonous and charged with mysterious 'electric fluid.'
- The Milk Inspector's Surprise
A state food inspector goes undercover at Seattle restaurants to find that almost no one is serving actual milk—and that some are using embalming fluid to keep it 'fresh'.
- A Deadly Mistake at the Livery Stable
A local stableman survives a poisoning after accidentally consuming carbolic acid instead of whisky.
- The Silent Dangers of Seattle’s Early Boarding Houses
A 19th-century public health warning reveals the grim reality of sanitation in early Seattle, where overcrowded and poorly drained boarding houses became breeding grounds for typhoid fever.
- The Salvation Army's Odorous Opponents
A group of young men tried to drive the Salvation Army out of town by dousing their hall in polecat oil.
- The Stencil Building's Lucky Streak
For the third time in its history, a furnace mishap threatens to destroy the Stencil building at Main and Third.
- Formaldehyde in the Milk
The Fashion Cafe sues the Royal Dairy and Dairy Commissioner McDonald for $7,500, claiming the milk it was served was laced with embalming fluid — and that the official paid to police the dairies knew all about it.
- The Copper Bonanza on San Juan Island
Local entrepreneurs Morgan and O'Bryant strike it rich with a silver-laced copper vein, promising to transform the rugged island into a major mining hub.
- The Trial of Hilda Rundberg
A young Swedish immigrant stands accused of poisoning her employer’s infant, but her testimony paints a portrait of a confusing household.
- The Minnow in the Milk
A Tacoman discovers a live fish swimming in their morning delivery, raising alarm over local dairy standards.
- Creosote Fire in North Seattle
A spectacular industrial explosion at a wood-preserving plant in North Seattle raises alarms about the city's inadequate fire infrastructure.
- The Business of Mourning in the Civil War
As the casualty lists from the front lines grew, the private industry of embalming rose to meet a grim public need in Olympia and across the nation.
- The Art of the Lunch-Counter Heist
A hungry traveler uses a sharp tongue and a little bit of 'brass' to get a free meal in 1870s Seattle.
- The Fire Engine Test that Thrilled Fairhaven
Citizens and business leaders gathered to watch a dramatic demonstration of a new chemical firefighting engine, sparking immediate calls for city-wide protection.
- A Desperate Act in the North End
A local woman narrowly survives a suicide attempt at her East 30th street home as investigators are left without answers.
- The Wild West at the N.P. Hotel
A young man, fueled by a 'periodic drunk,' terrorizes a hotel proprietor with a revolver in downtown Spokane.
- No Monopoly on Gaslight: Spokane's Council Draws a Line
Council granted a gas company the right to lay pipes—but pointedly refused an exclusive franchise, warning that monopoly would 'cinch the consumers.'
- The Tragedy on Long Prairie
A haunting account of a family destroyed by poverty and mental health crises, reminding us of the human cost lurking behind the pioneer narrative.
- The Sting Operation at Squier’s Saloon
A Spokane businessman orchestrates a trap to catch a man selling liquor to local Indigenous people.
- The Bucket Brigade That Saved a Block
Two brothers woke to smoke and falling embers in a Third Street lodging house, then doused the roof fire before the department could even join the fight.
- The Iron Molder’s Attack on Main Street
A young Seattle woman narrowly survives a brutal assault by her stepfather, who attempted to force muriatic acid down her throat before fleeing the city.
- The Siege at the St. Charles Hotel
A young woman recounts a harrowing night of confinement after a local man tricked her into his room, only to be met with a public denial and claims of 'blackmailing.'
- The Captain Who Caught a Monster: Seattle’s Own Sea Serpent Hoax
Captain Pat J. Boyton of Seattle claims to have captured a 63-foot sea serpent in the Pacific, sending a letter from his ship that has locals buzzing with wonder and skepticism.
- The Creosote Fortress: How a New Plant Aimed to Save Seattle’s Piers from the 'Teredo'
A massive industrial complex rises six miles north of downtown, promising to protect the city's wooden infrastructure from the destructive shipworm.