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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1862 | 2 |
| 1872 | 3 |
| 1876 | 13 |
| 1877 | 7 |
| 1878 | 6 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 1 |
| 1884 | 4 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 4 |
| 1887 | 3 |
| 1888 | 5 |
| 1889 | 9 |
| 1890 | 2 |
| 1891 | 8 |
| 1892 | 15 |
| 1893 | 14 |
| 1894 | 16 |
| 1895 | 21 |
| 1897 | 2 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 6 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 6 |
| 1904 | 7 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 7 |
| 1910 | 1 |
| 1912 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 1 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1917 | 1 |
| 1923 | 2 |
| 1925 | 2 |
| 1928 | 1 |
185 stories matching liabl
- The Supreme Court Rules on City Debt
A landmark decision clarifies that Seattle is not liable for 'grade scrip' debts, protecting the city treasury but leaving contractors in a precarious position.
- The Fight Over Corporate Liability
Prominent businessmen gather at the courthouse to debate if shareholders should be personally liable for corporate debts.
- Court Holds Cowlitz County Liable for Deadly Bridge Collapse
A landmark Supreme Court decision opens the door for survivors and victims' families to sue for damages following the 1922 Kelso bridge disaster.
- The Transit Case That Made the County Pay
A Stevens County surveyor ordered the tool he needed; commissioners refused the bill. The state Supreme Court said the county was liable.
- The Political Shifting of Mr. Snively
An editorial critique of a legislator known for avoiding tough votes and ducking public responsibility.
- The War on Cigarettes
A new, stringent state law bans the possession of cigarette papers and wrappers, sparking debate over government overreach.
- The Perilous Life at the Soldiers' Home
A legislative report reveals that veterans at the Orting home are forced to carry oil lamps through the halls, risking catastrophic fire.
- The Mayor's Veto: When Seattle Tried to Make the City Pay for Street Improvements
A 1892 legal battle over funding street infrastructure shows that Seattle’s struggle with municipal debt and civic improvement bonds has been brewing for over a century.
- The City’s New Bonding Power
New legislation grants Seattle the authority to issue local improvement bonds, shifting the financial burden of street and sewer projects directly onto benefited property owners.
- The Case of the Empty Bond: A Cautionary Tale of Corruption in Walla Walla
When an elected official absconded with nearly $20,000 in public funds, the court had to decide if his sureties were still on the hook—even though they had signed a blank piece of paper.
- The Capitol That Couldn't Be Built
After two failed attempts at financing, the state's third try at bonding the capitol building heads to the Supreme Court.
- The Price of Forced Payment
A local court ruling clarifies the legal weight of a promissory note signed under the duress of property attachment.
- The Fire That Saved Us: A Call for a Second Steamer
A Seattle resident writes to the Post-Intelligencer arguing that the recent downtown blaze proves the city’s single fire engine is no longer enough—and demands an immediate duplicate.
- The Great Seattle Homestead Fraud
A whistleblower exposes how workers were swindled out of their hard-earned money by a predatory land development scheme.
- The Yacht That Stirred Up International Trouble
A Seattle yacht owner returns home to rumors of arrest after a six-week hunting trip to Vancouver Island.
- A Bureaucratic Duel in Mason County
A tart, hilarious correspondence reveals the friction between an autocratic Adjutant General and a defiant county official in early Washington.
- The Sidewalk That Wasn't There
Madison Street pedestrians face a five-foot drop into darkness as structural supports vanish, leaving only a 'shaky' plank over the void.
- The Price of a Glass of Beer
A Seattle man faces legal consequences for a small, unthinking gesture that violated the territory's strict and discriminatory liquor laws.
- The Treasurer’s Bond Had a Hole in It
Seattle’s treasurer-elect filed a $90,000 bond, but wives’ names were penciled in, signatures were missing, and one backer wanted out.
- The Nurseryman's Deception
A local farmer recounts the frustration of buying fruit trees that failed to grow true to their labels.
- A Deadly Lift Leads to Heavy Judgment
A Seattle gardener faces financial ruin after a jury finds him liable for his friend's death following an intoxicated ride in his truck.
- A Life Lost in the Sewer Trenches
A laborer was crushed by falling rock in a Whatcom sewer trench while his comrades helplessly watched.
- Union Clash at the Everett Smelter
Management threatens to shutter the newly constructed smelter indefinitely if organized labor interferes with non-union hiring.
- Seattle’s Desperate Need for Modern Firefighting
As the city rapidly expands, the Common Council scrambles to replace inadequate, antiquated fire gear before a disaster strikes.
- Walla Walla Weighs Water Rights Against Costly Lawsuits
A legal dispute over riparian rights forces the city to weigh the cost of a new gravity system against the risk of massive damages.