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Narrow 25,724 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.
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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 3 |
| 1858 | 1 |
| 1859 | 2 |
| 1861 | 7 |
| 1862 | 8 |
| 1863 | 4 |
| 1864 | 2 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1872 | 13 |
| 1876 | 29 |
| 1877 | 29 |
| 1878 | 20 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1880 | 11 |
| 1882 | 7 |
| 1883 | 47 |
| 1884 | 35 |
| 1885 | 60 |
| 1886 | 35 |
| 1887 | 43 |
| 1888 | 49 |
| 1889 | 99 |
| 1890 | 14 |
| 1891 | 69 |
| 1892 | 257 |
| 1893 | 234 |
| 1894 | 244 |
| 1895 | 194 |
| 1897 | 2 |
| 1898 | 10 |
| 1899 | 37 |
| 1900 | 11 |
| 1902 | 5 |
| 1903 | 93 |
| 1904 | 102 |
| 1905 | 6 |
| 1907 | 5 |
| 1908 | 12 |
| 1909 | 100 |
| 1910 | 24 |
| 1911 | 12 |
| 1912 | 4 |
| 1914 | 8 |
| 1915 | 7 |
| 1916 | 25 |
| 1917 | 14 |
| 1918 | 3 |
| 1922 | 1 |
| 1923 | 4 |
| 1924 | 4 |
| 1925 | 1 |
| 1928 | 1 |
| 1929 | 2 |
2,013 stories matching refus
- Mutiny in Port Townsend Harbor
The crew of the Arctic whaler J. D. Peters refused to work after being denied a discharge — and an officer from the cutter Grant clapped them in irons.
- The Battle for the Bottle in White River Valley
A local saloon keeper’s bid for a liquor license sparks a standoff with temperance-minded residents and sets the stage for a landmark court battle.
- When the Right to Strike Met the Power of the Union
An 1885 editorial examines the evolution of labor relations in Seattle, as workers shift from individual bargaining to collective power that forces employers to the table.
- Tragedy in Olympia Following Domestic Dispute
A young man takes his own life after his wife refuses to live with him due to his alcohol use.
- White River Valley Riders Boycott the Interurban Over a Fare Hike
Residents between Seattle and Tacoma refuse to ride, picket stations, and invite the same 'conspiracy' charge that organized labor faced in the Buck's Stove boycott.
- The Mayor's Right to Fight City Hall
A landmark Washington Supreme Court ruling affirmed a mayor's authority to hire private counsel when the city's own legal department refused to defend the city against an illegal bond ordinance.
- Spokane Guardsmen Refuse to Break Strike
A Washington state militia company refuses to man a non-union train, sparking a tense standoff over labor loyalty and the role of the National Guard.
- The Candidate Who Defied the Union Label
Colonel Roland H. Hartley takes a combative stance in his gubernatorial bid, refusing to include the union label on his campaign materials.
- Coal Strike Stalls Renton Mines
Two hundred fifty miners are out of work after refusing a significant wage cut, threatening the economic stability of the town.
- A Deadly Campfire Dispute
A traveler is brutally murdered after refusing to share his fire with a group of transients, highlighting the volatility of the frontier trail.
- The City Council’s Policing Scandal
Seattle’s city leadership sparked outrage in 1886 by refusing to support the Mayor's dismissal of a police officer accused of gross negligence.
- The Brutal Assault at the Brunswick Hotel
A woman details a violent confrontation after refusing a bribe to perjure herself in a scandal involving a local man.
- Midland Residents Demand Fire Safety
Neighbors petition the county fire warden to stop a local mill from burning refuse in open air, fearing forest destruction.
- The Church Brawl Over a Knife
A congregation splits into factions after a church member refuses to lie about his inner peace.
- A Tavern Shooting Over a Refused Drink
A notorious local man opens fire in a saloon after a laborer refuses his offer to share a round.
- The Stench of the Fairhaven Mudflats
Citizens demand immediate action to address the foul refuse dumping ground north of Harris Street.
- The Stubborn Clerk and the Mayor's Keys
A city employee faces arrest and a $100 fine for refusing to surrender his office keys after being fired for poor housekeeping.
- The Seattle Liquor Board's Battle for Moral Standing
A landmark 1886 legal challenge in King County forces a judge to define the limits of civic power when local officials refuse to grant a liquor license based on a claimant’s character.
- The Carpenter Who Went to Jail on Principle
A local carpenter faces jail time after refusing to pay a poll tax, equating his plight to the political climate of Tsarist Russia.
- The Mud-Locked Road: Seattle’s 1878 Infrastructure Feud
A bitter war of words erupts in the press over the impassable Snoqualmie road and the 'cheek' of local politicians asking for funding they refused to spend.
- Spokane Taxpayers Stage Telephone Strike
Thousands of residents have joined a coordinated refusal to pay increased utility rates following legal advice that the jump is not backed by state law.
- 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.
- The Fire Chief Who Wouldn't Take Orders
Seattle's fire chief refuses to recognize the assistant chief appointed by the commissioners, setting up a courtroom fight over who runs the department.
- Seattle's Great Northern Cashes In as the Pullman Strike Snarls Rival Railroads
With transcontinental traffic rerouted through Puget Sound, James J. Hill's line refuses to haul cars boycotted by the American Railway Union — settling an old score with the Northern Pacific.
- Will Yakima Growers Organize?
A government-backed marketing plan for fruit crops is stalling because local growers refuse to engage with the system.