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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 2 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1872 | 2 |
| 1876 | 13 |
| 1877 | 7 |
| 1878 | 5 |
| 1879 | 2 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1883 | 3 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 3 |
| 1887 | 7 |
| 1888 | 5 |
| 1889 | 10 |
| 1890 | 2 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1892 | 18 |
| 1893 | 21 |
| 1894 | 19 |
| 1895 | 20 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 2 |
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1904 | 3 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 3 |
| 1909 | 10 |
| 1910 | 5 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 1 |
| 1916 | 1 |
| 1917 | 1 |
| 1923 | 1 |
| 1924 | 1 |
| 1925 | 1 |
192 stories matching obstruct
- The Snohomish River Logjam: A Dispute Over Private Property and Public Waters
In 1878, a Grand Jury investigation into local business practices reveals a tense standoff between lumber interests and the community over the obstruction of the Snohomish River.
- Arrested for Standing on the Corner
A Seattle man is hauled off to jail for the simple crime of engaging in a public conversation that obstructed the sidewalk.
- The Unbeatable Fence of Old Town
A standoff between property owners and the city government plays out on an obstructed public thoroughfare, mirroring the modern tensions of land access in a growing metropolis.
- The Rail Blockade at Elma
A landowner is arrested for obstructing tracks on his own property, escalating a long-standing right-of-way dispute with the Northern Pacific Railroad.
- The Salvation Army Jailbreak
When Nooksack officials imprisoned Salvationists for the crime of 'obstructing the highway,' the town rose up to tear down the jail.
- Seattle’s 'Ram's Horn' Tracks Finally Straightened
After years of litigation and civic headache, the city moves to eliminate the dangerous and obstructive curving rail path known as the 'Ram's Horn' between Yesler Way and Union Street.
- Spokane Strike Riot Defendants Win a September Trial
Three men accused in the July 5 strike riot and another charged with obstructing a deputy marshal will be tried in Spokane this fall.
- The Fight for the Skagit River
A landmark federal court order mandates the removal of logging obstructions from the Skagit River to restore navigation.
- A Judge Strikes Down the Ordinance That Told Teamsters to 'Move On'
A test case in Seattle's court quashes the section that let the board of public works declare any wagon an obstruction — and the courtroom fills with teamsters waiting on the verdict.
- The Dam War at Prescott
Employees of a milling company take matters into their own hands to destroy an obstruction on the mill race.
- The Price of Protesting a Road
Two men learned the hard way that testing the government's authority in court cannot be done by breaking the law first.
- The Mayor Hired to Break His Own Ordinance: A Teamster's Wagon Tests a Street Law
When a Front Street hauler blocks a druggist's doorway, the teamsters make a test case of it—and retain the very mayor who signed the rule to argue it down.
- Steamboat Men Race the High Water to Open the Upper Columbia
Two veteran river captains came to Kettle Falls to scout a boat line from the Rickey rapids south to Fort Spokane — and meant to have a hull on the water within ten days, before the freshet made the obstructions impassable.
- Railroad Expansion at Priest Rapids
A look back at 1908 reveals a surge of land speculation and railroad grading near the Columbia River, casting doubt on whether the work was truly meant to connect the valley or merely to obstruct.
- Street Preacher Faces Trial for Pioneer Square Sermon
A street orator's right to speak on public planking sparks a debate over whether the Salvation Army's influence creates a double standard for public space.
- The Political Deadlock at Olympia
Legislative gridlock over the re-election of U.S. Senator John B. Allen reveals deep factional divides and personal vendettas in Washington state politics.
- The Fight for the Snohomish River
Federal authorities take on the Seattle & Montana Railway Company to clear bridges blocking navigation on the Snohomish and Nooksack rivers.
- The Truck That Blocked Main Street
A driver is arrested for obstructing traffic, only for the City Attorney to realize there is no law against it.
- A Steamer Sinks in Olympia Harbor
High tides, thick fog, and unmarked obstructions lead to the disaster of the steamer Multnomah.
- Power Company Wires Block Ships on Thea Foss Waterway
When high-voltage wires blocked a sailing ship from the city dock, a newspaper reporter dropped the story the moment they learned who owned the infrastructure.
- The Vanishing Sidewalks: How Seattle’s Council Cleared the Streets of 'Obstructions'
In a bold move to modernize downtown, the City Council ordered the immediate removal of all fruit stands, bootblack benches, and candy vendors from the city's busiest thoroughfares. The result? A clash between civic order and the livelihoods of informal street merchants.
- A Boy Carrying His Little Brother Dies After a Fall on Fence Rails
Fifteen-year-old Stanley Tarbox of Usk stumbled while giving his six-year-old brother a piggyback ride. Days later, an intestinal obstruction killed him on the operating table in Spokane.
- The Town Council Takes Action on Water and Ordinance
A legislative session addresses town growth, sidewalk obstructions, and the urgent need for a municipal water system.
- A Populist Orator, a Sidewalk, and a Penknife
Tacoma police arrested 68-year-old party leader Dolph Hannah for blocking Pacific Avenue with a campaign speech, then released him on his own recognizance after a scuffle.
- The City Council vs. The Slaughterhouses
In an early effort to clean up the city's streets, the Seattle City Council orders the immediate abatement of butcher-shop nuisances.