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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 2 |
| 1877 | 2 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1888 | 1 |
| 1889 | 3 |
| 1891 | 2 |
| 1893 | 2 |
| 1894 | 1 |
| 1895 | 3 |
| 1909 | 1 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1912 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1918 | 1 |
22 stories matching potent
- Boosterism and the Quest for the Capital
North Yakima’s editors aggressively frame their growing city as the inevitable future capital of Washington.
- The Prince’s Apples
A gift of Yakima-grown fruit is carefully packed for delivery to the Iron Chancellor of Germany.
- The Water Works Betrayal
Tacoma citizens feel duped after voting for a massive bond issue to purchase a water plant under the false promise of a new railroad to Mount Rainier.
- The Drain Detectives
A warning to tenants: sewer gas is a hidden killer, and your landlord’s thrift might be costing you your health.
- The Mysterious Government Inspector
A Tacoma man claimed a high-level federal appointment in the Department of the Interior, shaking down friends for cash before federal officials exposed the scheme as a total fabrication.
- The Unsung Power of the Label League
A local labor group is turning to music, drama, and education to boost the influence of union labels over strikes.
- The Hustle of the Frontier Mercantile
A deep dive into the aggressive marketing and 'work-from-home' schemes that fueled Snohomish's early economy.
- The Royal Court of Apples Comes to Spokane
A carnival of orchard royalty and Italian bands prepares to descend on the city for the seventh annual National Apple Show.
- The Uncomfortable Truth About Seattle's Hotel Shortage
In 1876, the local press argued that Seattle’s lack of quality hotel space wasn't just an inconvenience—it was a drag on the city's entire economic reputation.
- The Global Hop Trade of 1888
While the farmers of Puyallup slept, their harvests were already changing hands in the high-stakes markets of London.
- The Rising Tides of Industry
An 1873 editorial reflects on the fragility of Pacific Coast harbors, warning that unchecked mining waste and silt are creating an uncertain future for maritime commerce.
- The Brutal Genie of the River Valley
An 1876 editorial reflects on the cyclical devastation of Washington’s river floods and why farmers never seem quite ready for the waters to rise.
- Tacoma's Temperance Women Declare Taxes Without the Ballot Tyranny
At their annual meeting, the Pierce County W.C.T.U. demanded full suffrage and called out newspapers for printing crime and divorce details.
- Who Should Keep the Peace in Everett?
As Everett moves to a commission form of government, the local labor movement pushes for a police commissioner who understands industrial unrest rather than one beholden to business interests.
- The Price of Vigilance: Lessons on Parenting and Education
A nineteenth-century essay reflects on the heavy responsibilities of raising children, the failures of the 'crowded schoolroom,' and the timeless struggle between rigid tradition and the pursuit of truth.
- Tacoma’s Power Vote: The Times Calls Out the Trust
On the eve of a city election, The Tacoma Times urges a vote for the municipal Nisqually power project and accuses the private power interests of a campaign of falsehood.
- A Million Dollars Secured for the Lake Washington Canal
David E. Durie returns from the East with financing for the tide flats waterway and ship canal, contingent on right-of-way and lock guarantees.
- The War Department Drafted the Newspaper Editor
Washington picked the Courier-Reporter to run the national 'Smileage' coupon drive in the Kennewick district — and the high school's Senior Ten volunteered to sell the books at the Finley store and the Hover post office.
- The Chamber of Commerce’s Grand Gesture: Seattle’s Business Elite Rally Behind Senator Squire
Over 500 merchants, officials, and their ladies board the steamer Bailey Gate for a two-day excursion to Olympia, aiming to sway the state senate with a show of unified commercial support.
- The Race War in Roslyn: How Seattle’s Coal Mines Became a Battleground for Labor and Lynching
As strikers hold the line, the company imports Black miners from Illinois to break them. The result is not just a labor dispute, but a violent racial confrontation that exposes the dark underbelly of Washington's industrial boom.
- The Governor's 1895 Warning: Washington Is Spending Itself Into Debt
A message to the legislature tallies a looming deficit, runaway appropriations and a public-land system under pressure — while urging lawmakers to lease harbor areas cheaply and defend taxpayers.
- A City Turns Out for Its Dead: Seattle's Memorial Day, 1895
Three hundred and five veterans, three militia companies, high-school cadets and a twelve-foot column of flowers marched Front Street and filled the Seattle Theater — while the Board of Health kept the schoolchildren from singing.