Research the archive
Narrow 22,457 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 3 |
| 1889 | 5 |
| 1892 | 1 |
9 stories matching oilman
- The Dynamite Fiend of Oilman: A Lynch Mob’s Tragic Mistake
When a violent feud in King County’s coal fields ended in a massacre, the community turned to vigilante justice. But when they hanged the wrong man, the real killer walked free.
- The Mine That Stood Still: How One Man’s Leave Sparked a Labor War in Newcastle
A dispute over a fired miner named Kenny Ramsay has shut down the Newcastle coal mines, pitting the Knights of Labor against the company and threatening to flood the pits if arbitration fails.
- The Rifle War: Knights of Labor vs. Mine Owners in Newcastle
A bitter feud between rival labor unions in King County erupts into armed conflict, with rifles smuggled from Seattle to support striking miners.
- The Newcastle Lockout: When Knights of Labor Shut Down the Mine
A bitter dispute over union recognition and foreman selection turned violent in Newcastle, Washington, as miners refused to work under non-union leadership and arrested rioters.
- The Old Man’s Last Stand: A Father’s Flight from Greedy Heirs Ends in a Sheriff’s Chase
P.V. Thorpe, an elderly pioneer fleeing false rape accusations and property theft by his son and son-in-law, was arrested for carrying a revolver in Seattle—only to be vindicated when the truth about his family’s blackmail scheme came to light.
- The Labor Volcano That Cooled: Seattle’s Coal Strike Ends in Days
A walkout by the Knights of Labor at Newcastle and other local mines appeared to be a major escalation, but operators quickly filled the spots with non-union labor, ending the dispute before it could spark a general strike.
- The Mine That Became a Battlefield
A company manager defends his decision to arm guards against striking miners in Newcastle, claiming the 'faction fight' between labor unions left him no choice but to protect his property.
- Seattle and Tacoma Nearly Came to Blows Over the Ship Canal
At the 1892 Democratic state convention, King County's demand for a canal plank turned the floor into a shouting mob — and the vote flipped twice in a single night.
- The Boom That Built Seattle: A City on the Verge of Explosion
As the new year dawns, Seattle’s leaders are boasting of unprecedented growth—new schools, hotels, and blocks rising from the mud, fueled by lumber wealth and a population that refuses to stay small.
Also about this, in other words
- The Oil Men’s Last Stand: Seattle’s Battle Over Fire Safety and Corporate Power
In March 1889, a proposed ordinance to ban oil storage within city limits sparked a fierce standoff between the Board of Trade and powerful petroleum interests. While the city pushed for safety, the oil dealers argued the rules were discriminatory and economically impossible, setting the stage for a legal battle that would define Seattle’s industrial future.
- The Oil Fever Hits Grant County
Local boosters are placing their bets on a new drilling operation, hoping to strike it rich just outside of town.
- The Mud-Slinging Rivalry of Newcastle and Gilman
A friendly visit between two mining towns turns into a disastrous, mud-caked lesson in humility for a local horseman.
- The End of Coal: Tacoma’s Tugboats Eye Oil
Local steamboat captains and major industrial concerns move to replace coal with oil, signaling a shift in the region's energy dependence.
- The Oil That Bought a Port: How New York Tycoons Turned Aberdeen into a Petroleum Hub
While the town buzzes with lumber and politics, a quiet deal is reshaping Grays Harbor’s economy. Ex-Mayor Grace of New York has secured exclusive rights to ship timber from Aberdeen to his oil fields in Peru, proving that local resources are now tied to global capital.
- A Gasser, a Picnic, and a Promise: Kennewick Bets on Oil and Gas
Drillers pause to case off 400 feet of water, 85 people picnic at the well, and a Yakima promoter promises a franchise — and maybe oil — by summer.
- The King of Oil Comes to Call: Standard’s Rockefeller Eyes Seattle's Future
John D. Rockefeller arrives in the Pacific Northwest, promising to train local workers for his new refinery and dominate the regional fuel market.
- The Industrial Engine of Snohomish
How a trio of Maine brothers revolutionized logging in the Pacific Northwest with a singular, patented invention.