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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1876 | 3 |
| 1877 | 2 |
| 1878 | 2 |
| 1882 | 1 |
| 1883 | 3 |
| 1884 | 4 |
| 1885 | 7 |
| 1886 | 2 |
| 1887 | 1 |
| 1888 | 5 |
| 1889 | 3 |
| 1891 | 4 |
| 1892 | 15 |
| 1893 | 11 |
| 1894 | 9 |
| 1895 | 5 |
| 1899 | 1 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1904 | 2 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1910 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1916 | 1 |
| 1924 | 1 |
89 stories matching ladder
- The Ladder Gave Way: A Conductor’s Leg and the Railroad’s Defense
Michael J. Fitzmaurice was hauling gravel when a caboose ladder threw him under the train. He lost his leg at the knee and sued Great Northern for $29,500.
- The City's Ladder Was Too Short
When the volunteer fire company staged a demonstration at Frye's Opera House, the Mayor found the equipment wanting—and the resulting public spat was published in full.
- The Great Flag Heist at Whitman College
In a daring midnight operation, twelve freshmen scaled the Memorial Building to plant their class banner on the spire.
- The Blundering Firefighters of Pioneer Square
A satirical look at a day when a local livery stable fire turned into a slapstick comedy of errors for Seattle's volunteer hook and ladder company.
- A Mother Jumped Into a Well to Save Her Baby
Near Green Lake, a toddler fell sixteen feet into a well. Her mother lowered a too-short ladder, dropped in after her, and revived the child before help arrived.
- The Salmon Elevator: How Science Aims to Tame the Columbia
A new basket-based mechanical lift promises to move migrating salmon over high dams, challenging the limitations of traditional fish ladders.
- Suspended by the Wrists: A Perilous Fall in Downtown Seattle
A local painter narrowly avoided tragedy after a ladder slipped and left him dangling from meat hooks.
- A High-Wire Act Above Fourth Street
A building mover narrowly escapes death after being swept off a roof and left dangling from telegraph wires.
- Ladders to the Rescue: Spokane's Crescent Block Burns
A pre-dawn fire guts a three-story brick building, trapping lodgers until firefighters raise ladders to the windows.
- The Last Hurrah for Walla Walla’s Volunteer Firemen
An era of local firefighting comes to a close as the city ships off the historic hand engines and hook-and-ladder trucks that defined the volunteer department for decades.
- The Perilous Afternoon of a Seattle Homeowner
A classic tale of a homeowner's frustration with construction progress takes a literal turn when he gets stranded on his own scaffolding, sparking a tense negotiation with a neighborhood boy.
- The Good Templars' Uninvited Guest
A mischievous prank involving a ladder, a window, and a large black dog sent the River Park Good Templars' meeting into chaos.
- The Great Volunteer Fire Brigade Excursion to Black Diamond
A day of sports, baseball, and fraternal pride as Seattle's volunteer firefighters and their families took the train to Black Diamond for their third annual picnic.
- Seattle's Fire Drill Revealed a City Almost Defenseless Against Flames
A routine test of the fire department exposed feeble water pressure and sent two firemen to bed with serious injuries.
- Firefighter Injured in High-Angle Practice Drill
A dangerous training exercise on Sixth Street leaves a fireman with severe hand injuries after equipment fails.
- Seattle Firefighters Demand Better Equipment
Local fire delegates warn that current equipment cannot reach the city's growing buildings during an emergency.
- Fire Sweeps Through Opium Den and Saloon District
A negligent stove in a Washington Street opium den sparks a conflagration that consumes seven buildings in the heart of Seattle.
- The Tragedy of the Tenement Boy
A heart-wrenching account of a young boy struggling to survive in a Seattle tenement while clinging to his faith despite his father's cruelty.
- Steilacoom’s Editor Asks Who Will Start the Fire Brigade
With wooden buildings packed into the business district and no reservoir, engine or ladder company, the Puget Sound Herald warns that a single blaze could erase the town’s prospects.
- The Great Seattle Fire Tournament: A Spectacle of Steam and Sweat
As the city prepares for a historic gathering of fire companies from across the Northwest, the rules are set, the hydrants are tested, and the stakes are high.
- A Perilous Ascent on Front Street
A construction worker suffers a violent fall while building a new home, sparking a community health scare in 1870s Seattle.
- City Moves to Require Fire Escapes
Public safety concerns mount as officials order the proprietor of the Rainier Hotel to install life-saving fire escapes.
- The Forgotten Family on the Garret Floor
An impoverished immigrant family, suffering from diphtheria in a cramped Seattle attic, highlights the desperate housing conditions facing newcomers in 1889.
- Tragic Accident at Heacock's Mill
A popular young man from Fairhaven loses his life while attempting to retrieve a hat.
- Heroic Bucket Brigade Battles Stanwood Inferno
A devastating fire ravages the business district of Stanwood, leaving the community to fight flames with nothing but ladders and willpower.