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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1877 | 2 |
| 1883 | 1 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1888 | 1 |
| 1889 | 1 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1893 | 4 |
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24 stories matching infirm
- Mrs. Dine, Aging Teacher, Needs Community Support
An aging Seattle resident, who once helped build the foundations of the city, now struggles in penury—prompting a call for civic support.
- A Massive Retirement Haven for Carpenters
A national committee proposes a $350,000 facility for aging and infirm union carpenters, funded by a modest per capita tax.
- The Forgotten Souls of the County Poor Farm
A rare, unflinching account of the grim conditions inside Seattle’s makeshift county asylum, where the elderly and infirm were left to languish on hard wooden planks.
- A Violent Arrest on Yesler Avenue
A streetcar operator's rapid descent into crisis culminates in a dramatic struggle with police.
- Whatcom Citizens Challenge County Fair Funding
Attorneys move to stop county commissioners from subsidizing fair organizations, citing constitutional prohibitions against loaning public credit.
- Why Unions Matter
A local speaker at the Carpenters' Union hall warns that without organized labor, worker safety and civic stability are at risk.
- The Tragedy at the Lunch Shed
A rock from a construction blast kills a worker on his midday break, leading to a lawsuit against the contractor.
- The Circus Elephants Take a Dip in Lake Washington
Thousands gathered at the lake to watch the performers of John Robinson's show take an afternoon bath.
- Seattle Police Board Purges Ranks
Facing claims that some officers were too infirm to arrest even a teenager, the city's police commissioners move to dismiss aging members.
- A Family's Heavy Toll at the Tracks
Bereaved parents file a massive lawsuit against the Northern Pacific Railroad after their 13-year-old son was struck and killed by a switch engine at a downtown intersection.
- The City and County Spar Over Who Pays for the Poor
Mayor Ronald and health officials grapple with a budget crisis over the medical care of impoverished residents, highlighting the administrative friction in 1890s Seattle.
- The Clerkship Scandal at City Hall
A municipal court clerkship nomination is derailed amid allegations of a secret deal to trade the position for political favor.
- The Price of a Night in Jail
A 67-year-old gardener sues Seattle police for $7,000, alleging he was assaulted and permanently injured during an unlawful arrest.
- The Cable Car Standoff
A proposed sewer project threatens to paralyze Seattle's transit, pitting the city's public works against the cable car company.
- A Tragic End on the Prairie
The lonely death of a local farmer reveals the harrowing struggle against the ravages of alcoholism.
- The Cripple’s Revenge at Port Gamble
After enduring a vicious beating by a mill-hand at a Port Gamble mill, a worker with a disabled arm exacted a bloody retribution.
- A Widow's Accusation and a Rancher's Denial
August Polinski, 68, is charged with assaulting his housekeeper near Camden; he calls the case a shakedown, and the hearing is postponed to Feb. 15.
- The Ring is Broken: Seattle’s Republicans Revolt Against the 'Corrupt' Delegate
In a stunning display of local defiance, prominent Seattle citizens and Republican leaders publicly repudiate Territorial Delegate George W. Gillette, accusing him of betrayal and corruption ahead of the 1873 election.
- The Blind Doctor’s Lethal Prescription
Dr. William Campbell, a blind pioneer and one of Olympia’s oldest residents, was charged with manslaughter after a 14-year-old epileptic girl died under his lobelia-and-capsicum treatment. A justice set bail at $2,000 and sent the case to the January superior court term.
- The Valley the Kalispel Never Ceded
A federal allotting agent explains how the Kalispel Valley was divided into individual parcels—after much of it had already been treated as public domain and claimed by white homesteaders.
- 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 Supreme Court Stops a Judge From Sending Yakima County the Stenographer’s Bill
A superior court judge tried to force the county treasury to pay for trial transcripts. The state Supreme Court said no—and used a rare writ to stop the warrants before they became county debt.
- A Revolver at Her Ear: Mary Steel's Third Fight for a Divorce
Mary Steel's third divorce suit against David H. Steel laid bare a bitter fight over $49,000 in Seattle and Montana property—and allegations of violence, control and intimidation.