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- Washington’s Constitution Takes Shape Amid Chaos
As Spokane Falls burns, the state’s constitutional delegates pivot from catastrophe to the fiery debate over regulating railroads and monopolies.
- A Rare Celestial Display Over the Highlands
The aurora borealis put on its most vivid show in memory last Saturday, capturing the attention of Kennewick residents.
- The Fight for Utility Regulation
Following the city's costly struggle with a water monopoly, the Statesman warns that a new, loosely-worded electric franchise will lead to predatory billing.
- City Council Struggles with Budget Deficits
Facing declining property values and stagnant income, the Kennewick council cuts park funding to keep the city afloat.
- Smuggling at the Railroad Tracks
A local man is held on charges for attempting to smuggle 32 Chinese immigrants via rail boxcar.
- The People vs. the Railroads: Olympia Debates a Rate Cap
While the Capitol fought off adjournment, a bill to cap passenger and freight rates reached the floor of the Washington House — with Populists demanding an up-or-down vote and railroad men asking for more time.
- A Railroad Rate Cut Redrew the Northwest's Trade Map
The Northern Pacific's new freight tariff aimed to make Puget Sound the gateway for Eastern Washington and Idaho—shutting out St. Paul and San Francisco.
- Cloudburst Wrecks Railroad Tracks in the Pilchuck Valley
A cloudburst washed out 100 yards of Lake Shore track at Machias and flooded the Pilchuck Valley.
- City Hall Left in the Dark
Rumors swirl that a power company pulled the plug on City Hall to spite the outgoing Mayor, but the company president insists it is just a post-fire technical issue.
- Judge Overrules Jury in Controversial Assault Case
Despite a guilty verdict for assault with a deadly weapon, the judge intends to sentence the defendant for a minor charge.
- Kennewick Declares War on the Bottle
With state prohibition looming, the city council passes a sweeping ordinance to criminalize the possession, sale, and even the advertisement of alcohol.
- The Deadly Road: Washington's Campaign to Map Every Crossing
Engineers on gasoline speeders are crisscrossing 6,000 miles of track to end the fatal collisions between cars and trains.
- The Price of Power: Citizens Take on the Electric Monopoly
Dr. J. F. Cropp leads a crusade against the Northwestern Gas and Electric company, armed with petitions and a list of rates from 27 other cities.
- The City Grants a 25-Year Monopoly on Water
North Yakima council passes a sweeping franchise to Edward Whitson to tap the Naches River, formalizing the city's infrastructure boom.
- A Seattle Editor's Jail Sentence—and His Gallows Joke
C. H. Lugrin of the Telegram got three months and a $500 fine for criminal libel against Police Chief Bolton Rogers. He appealed—and joked that the judge couldn't hang him.
- Legislative Crackdown on 'Bar-Check' Fraud
A new proposal in the state house seeks to hold saloon-keepers accountable for cashing checks for intoxicated patrons, a practice contributing to high forgery rates.
- The Pirate of Salmon Bay
A local captain confesses to scuttling his own schooner to collect insurance money, narrowly avoiding a death sentence due to a legal technicality.
- The Phantom Fire-Starter of Tacoma
A mischievous prankster is repeatedly triggering false fire alarms, exhausting the local department and draining public funds.
- Engineers Complete Survey for Lake Washington Ship Canal
In 1891, engineers surveyed the path for a ship canal to connect Lake Washington to the Sound, envisioning a future where vessels could cleanse their hulls of barnacles in fresh water and double Seattle's commercial capacity.
- The Iron Road Rushes East
In 1892, railroad tycoon James J. Hill arrived in Spokane to finalize plans for a massive rail expansion that would forever link the Columbia River plateau to the transcontinental network.
- The Price of a Perfect Apple
How the struggle to market 'seconds and culls' reveals the hidden cracks in the Pacific Northwest’s fruit economy.
- The War on the Homefront: A Farmer's Angry Rebuke
An open letter calls out the 'lack of practical patriotism' among Benton County farmers failing to support the war effort through livestock production.
- The Mountain Snow Is Already Gone: A Warning of Record Low Water
State hydraulic engineer Marvin Chase tells irrigators to clean every canal and lateral now, because this summer's ditches may run lower than any on record.
- Spokane’s Mayor Dictates Red Light Rents
In a sweeping police regulation, the Spokane municipal government sets price caps on rents in the 'whitechapel' district and mandates fines for landladies and their residents.
- The Newspaper Monopoly Holding Seattle Hostage
In 1887, the Post-Intelligencer exposed a 'printing ring' between rival newspapers that artificially inflated the cost of public contracts.