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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1883 | 3 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1885 | 4 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1888 | 1 |
| 1889 | 3 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 4 |
| 1892 | 6 |
| 1893 | 3 |
| 1894 | 4 |
| 1895 | 4 |
| 1904 | 7 |
| 1909 | 1 |
| 1910 | 1 |
| 1915 | 2 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1923 | 1 |
51 stories matching plug
- The Water Main Blowout on Lake Washington
A faulty metallic plug failed under pressure, exposing the vulnerability of Seattle's early water infrastructure.
- 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.
- The Battle for Belltown's Fire Engine
A citizen's fiery demand that the city stop hoarding firefighting resources in the business district and grant the northern residents the protection they pay for.
- Explosion at the Stump
A teamster's narrow escape after a misfired blast in his land-clearing efforts.
- The Heavy Hand of the Svea Saloon
A violent enforcement of 'house rules' leaves two patrons severely beaten by local hired thugs.
- Bagley Calls Out Selective Policing
A city council member accuses the police of targeting marginalized women while ignoring male-run gambling houses.
- The Tinderbox City: How Unprotected Seattle Lived in Fear of Fire
While the downtown core grew rapidly, many residential districts remained dangerously isolated from fire protection, leaving property owners in a literal state of vulnerability.
- The Hard-Won Fight for the Eight-Hour Day
While union machinists in Northern California celebrate a hard-won victory, their counterparts in the Pacific Northwest face strike-breakers and police intimidation.
- Tacoma Bans the Boxing Ring
Chief of Police Duley vows to keep the city free of prize fighters and the criminal element he believes they attract.
- A Flash at the Switchboard: Tacoma's Veteran Electrician Killed by 2,000 Volts
Peter Peterson, six years with the city light station, grabbed two live plugs at once. He was dead before doctors could even attempt a revival.
- 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.
- Seattle's Water Pressure Passes the Fire Test
High-pressure water from a new reservoir successfully cleared the skyline in a demonstration for city officials.
- Gamblers Threaten a Crusading Preacher
A Tacoma clergyman and the local newspaper face death threats after exposing a thriving municipal gambling underground.
- The Silent Screen Goes Dark in Richland
A local entrepreneur pulls the plug on the town's only movie theater after the community fails to support the expense.
- A Midnight Ditch Plugging in the Snoqualmie Valley
A water dispute near Tolt (now Carnation) turned neighbor against neighbor, with accusations that O'Leary plugged a shared ditch under cover of darkness.
- The Speedway Water War
A debate in City Hall reveals deep friction over municipal water usage for private recreation versus public benefit.
- The Stranger from Pike
An eccentric traveler’s awkward recovery of a lost hat becomes a temporary spectacle on Main Street in Walla Walla.
- The Unopened Wealth of Eastern Washington
University of Washington researchers argue that the state’s massive kaolin and feldspar deposits could transform Spokane into a ceramic powerhouse.
- Suspicious Blaze Destroys Local Brothel
A fire of unknown origin gutted a residence on the town's edge, leaving investigators with questions about potential arson after a kerosene can was discovered on-site.
- The Serpent Slayer of Chehalis
A man wanders into town wearing a top hat to battle a monster he believes is terrorizing the rail lines.
- 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.
- Lake Washington Water Flows Into the City
A new engineering milestone as city reservoirs are filled from the lake, promising both hydration and fire protection for a growing Seattle.
- The Shadow Over Seattle: A Councilman’s Scathing Exposé of Vice
In 1891, a fiery letter from C. B. Bagley to the Post-Intelligencer accused the mayor and police chief of being puppets to the city’s most notorious gamblers and saloon-keepers.
- Seattle Athletic Club's Humiliating Baseball Defeat
The home team suffers a crushing 17-1 loss to Portland, with spectators dwindling as the game devolved into a series of errors.
- The Sad State of McNeil Island
A former inmate calls for books to replace the monotony of prison life.