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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1877 | 5 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1883 | 2 |
| 1889 | 1 |
| 1892 | 2 |
| 1894 | 3 |
| 1895 | 1 |
15 stories matching impedi
- The Paving of Second Street
A pivotal public works project in 1889 captures a city in the midst of rapid transformation.
- Health Officer Forced Out by Political Squabble
Dr. George H. T. Sparling resigns as city health officer after relentless opposition from the Democratic city administration.
- The Settlement of the Indemnity Strip
After years of uncertainty, the federal government confirms Northern Pacific railroad land grants, ending a volatile era for local settlers.
- The City’s Refusal to Put Prisoners to Work
An 1877 editorial slams Seattle’s leadership for failing to use jail inmates to clear public road obstructions, citing the 'delicate hands' of the prisoners.
- The Iron Road vs. The River: A 19th Century Fight for Seattle's Future
An editorial from 1877 argues that the future of the Northwest lies in narrow-gauge railroads rather than the unruly Columbia River.
- She Thought Her First Husband Was Dead. He Wasn’t.
A Seattle woman seeks to annul her second marriage after learning the man she believed dead—and the man who had actually died—were not the same person.
- The Art of the Real Estate Hustle
A satirical look at the 'Sunset Addition' land boom, where maps lied and conscience was an impediment to profit.
- The Brutal Statistics of Poverty in 1880
A report in the Seattle Daily Intelligence uses cold, hard data to argue that the 'reproduction of capital'—human life—is threatened by the crushing weight of poverty and labor conditions.
- The High Cost of Isolation
A local editor argues that the lack of direct transport routes creates an artificial tax on basic goods like beef, coal, and timber.
- The 10 Percent Rake-Off That Put Tacoma's Water Board on Trial
A job printer's testimony blows open an inquiry into the Tacoma Board of Public Works, where the president admits he knows little about running the city's water and electric plants—and a councilman asks if he has any shame.
- Lumber Barons Admit Defeat: Seattle Lumbermen's Association Suspends Operations
Fierce competition and falling prices force the Seattle Lumbermen's Association to stop meeting, though its secretary insists the group hasn't disbanded.
- Spokane Falls Wins the Land Office—and Sprague Howls
A Sprague paper accused Spokane Falls of backroom land speculation to land the federal Land Office. The Review answered with boosterish fury and a warning to the 'upper country.'
- A Seattle Pastor on Trial: 'Attentions' to Another Woman, Harsh Words at Home, and a Public Rebuke
In 1877, the Presbytery of Puget Sound spent six days in Seattle deciding whether Rev. E. P. Dunning had crossed the line with another woman and mistreated his wife — then publicly reproved him and urged him to guard his conduct.
- The Presbytery’s Verdict: A Minister’s Scandal and the Price of Repentance
In a trial that captivated Snohomish County, Reverend H.P. Dunning faced charges of domestic abuse and neglect. The court’s nuanced ruling offers a rare glimpse into the moral policing of 19th-century clergy.
- The Moss-Cloaked Giants of Bay Center
A teacher’s letter from the Pacific Northwest frontier describes a landscape of colossal trees and lush undergrowth, challenging the myth of the harsh pioneer struggle.