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 |
|---|---|
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1884 | 1 |
| 1885 | 2 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1893 | 3 |
| 1894 | 3 |
| 1895 | 1 |
| 1909 | 1 |
13 stories matching importun
- A Deadly Obsession in Pioneer-Era Seattle
A violent act of domestic terror shatters the calm of the city, revealing the grim reality of a broken, abusive relationship.
- State Senate Kills Eight-Hour Bill for Women Workers
Everett labor leaders blast the State Senate for killing protections for working women.
- The Reluctant Candidate
E. A. Turner accepts the mayoral nomination for the newly incorporated Fairhaven, promising a progressive administration.
- The Justice of the Peace Who Sued for His Salary
A local judge successfully challenges the county auditor to secure his own paycheck, signaling a wider struggle over fiscal administration.
- The Great Seattle Newspaper Boycott of 1885
When local liquor interests tried to silence the press for advocating Sunday sobriety, the community drew a line in the sawdust.
- The Persistent Pest in the Parlor
A classic 1878 dispatch on the 'improved' book agent who swears he never bothers anyone—right before being forcibly ejected into the street.
- A Marriage Built on Lies and Swindling
A husband files for divorce claiming his wife wasn't the 'virtuous girl' he was promised, leading his wife to reveal he was actually a confidence man trying to recruit her into his schemes.
- The Uninvited Territorial Appointment
Citizens of Washington Territory rail against meddlesome outsiders and the President’s power to appoint their governor.
- The Pork Barrel Standoff
Washington State’s Representative John L. Wilson stops a Texas infrastructure bill until the needs of the Northwest are recognized.
- The Night Seattle’s Mayor Nearly Fired His Police Board
An executive-session showdown over Chief Rogers ended with Mayor Phelps handing a commissioner his own removal papers — then taking them back.
- The Plot to Fire the Engineer Behind Seattle’s Sewer Tunnels
Democratic operatives wanted Reginald H. Thomson’s job for a patronage appointee. Mayor Ronald threatened to make them pay.
- The Governor's 1895 Warning: Washington Is Spending Itself Into Debt
A message to the legislature tallies a looming deficit, runaway appropriations and a public-land system under pressure — while urging lawmakers to lease harbor areas cheaply and defend taxpayers.
- The Yesler Will Case: A Dead Millionaire, a Missing Will, and a Widow on Trial
In a Seattle courtroom, prosecutors argue that Mrs. Yesler conspired to destroy her husband's will—while defense lawyers call the case a web of speculation and newspaper rumor.