Research the archive

• “reek” ×

1. Benton County Courthouse Scheme Declared Invalid

   The State Supreme Court strikes down a $125,000 bond issue, citing 'reeking' bad faith by county commissioners.

   Sep 20, 1917The Kennewick Courier-ReporterProsser, Benton CountyCity Hall

2. There's "Dough" in Every Street Contract: A Preacher Takes On City Hall

   Rev. Napoleon Hoagland reads the nation's municipal record aloud — reeking streets, a million-dollar franchise given away, councilmen who elsewhere would count themselves lucky to stay out of prison — and asks why democratic America breeds more thieves than the Tsar's Europe.

   Dec 15, 1891The Olympia TribuneTacoma Hall, TacomaFollow the Money · City Hall

3. The Health Board Targets Opera Alley's Squalor

   City officials inspect disease-breeding housing conditions occupied by foreign laborers.

   Mar 10, 1909The Tacoma TimesOpera Alley, Tacoma, Pierce CountyHousing & Rent

4. Supreme Court Backs Benton County Taxpayers in Bond Case

   The Supreme Court rules against Benton County commissioners for 'bad faith' in a courthouse bond dispute.

   Sep 20, 1917The Kennewick Courier-ReporterKennewick, Benton CountyCity Hall

5. The 'Stall-Fed Lawyer' and the City's Vice

   A local newspaper calls out a deputy sheriff for failing to raid gambling joints while posturing as a reformer in the city council.

   Feb 19, 1909The Tacoma TimesPacific Avenue, Tacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall · Nightlife

6. The Sting at the State Capital

   A political whistleblower braves public scorn to expose the bribery and influence-peddling that turned the Washington State legislature into a 'reeking cesspool.'

   Feb 27, 1891The Seattle Post-IntelligencerOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

7. The City's Filthy Milk Supply

   An investigation by The Times reveals local dairies are operating in squalid conditions that physicians link to sickness among city children.

   Jul 16, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

8. The Great Match Stick Swindle

   A Superior Court judge exposes a massive stock-selling scheme that bilked nearly 1,000 investors out of $95,000.

   Oct 19, 1903The Evening StatesmanTacoma, Pierce CountyFollow the Money · True Crime

9. The Stinking Gutters of 1876

   While Seattle promoters bragged of a salubrious climate, a local newspaper editorial exposed the reality of deadly, stagnant cesspools lining the streets.

   Jun 21, 1876The Daily IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

10. The Lonely Life of the Seattle Bachelor

    A local writer laments the lack of respectable social outlets for unmarried men, arguing that the city’s saloons and variety shows offer nothing but 'hardening influences.'

    Mar 20, 1887Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSecond Street, Seattle, King CountyNightlife

11. The Bitter Battle for the Port Orchard Dry Dock

    A failed bid for a federal contract triggers a nasty public feud between a powerful contractor and a U.S. Senator.

    Oct 1, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Orchard, Tacoma, Kitsap CountyCity Hall · Scandal

12. The Wrestling King of Walla Walla

    A professional wrestler defeats three local opponents in succession at Armory Hall, showcasing the rugged spectacle of early 1900s prize fighting.

    Aug 13, 1903The Evening StatesmanWalla Walla, Walla Walla CountyNightlife

13. Seattle’s 1872 Brothel Controversy and Public Hypocrisy

    A scathing October 1872 letter to the editor condemned a Seattle establishment that advertised itself as a restaurant and skating rink while operating as a brothel, exposing the city’s hypocrisy.

    Oct 10, 1872Puget Sound DispatchCommercial Street, Seattle, King CountyCity Hall · Nightlife

Download all 13 as a spreadsheet (CSV)