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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 1 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 4 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 2 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 3 |
| 1876 | 12 |
| 1877 | 11 |
| 1878 | 8 |
| 1880 | 2 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 17 |
| 1884 | 15 |
| 1885 | 13 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1887 | 6 |
| 1888 | 9 |
| 1889 | 29 |
| 1890 | 6 |
| 1891 | 15 |
| 1892 | 61 |
| 1893 | 60 |
| 1894 | 54 |
| 1895 | 39 |
| 1898 | 2 |
| 1899 | 15 |
| 1903 | 22 |
| 1904 | 33 |
| 1905 | 3 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 5 |
| 1909 | 26 |
| 1910 | 5 |
| 1911 | 3 |
| 1912 | 1 |
| 1914 | 3 |
| 1915 | 3 |
| 1916 | 5 |
| 1917 | 2 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1922 | 1 |
| 1924 | 1 |
| 1925 | 4 |
| 1928 | 1 |
522 stories matching rumor
- The False Rumor of a 'Doc' Griswold Shooting
A street rumor concerning a fatal card game dispute in New Westminster turns out to be a total fabrication.
- The War on Rumors: Why Your Knitting Still Matters
Military officials and the Red Cross pushed back against malicious rumors that soldiers didn't want, or were even discouraged from using, knitted goods from home.
- Surveyors Arrive to Plot New Rail Line
A large surveying party descends upon the river valley, signaling potential progress on the long-rumored Oroville-Wenatchee branch of the Great Northern.
- The Day the Chinamen Came Back
After a violent expulsion and rumors of hanging in Tekoa, Chinese laborers return under federal guard to resume work, turning a local tragedy into a grim advertisement for the town.
- Was Tacoma's Mayor a Foreign Subject?
A persistent rumor claiming Mayor George P. Wright never completed his naturalization caused a stir among the city's political and gambling circles.
- The Captain’s Defense: Fighting the Customs House
When his ship was detained in Seattle on a false rumor of smuggling, a captain fought back against a web of local informants and federal overreach.
- A Mystery in the Northwestern Hotel
A California sheriff inquires about a man who vanished in Seattle, sparking rumors of a dark fate.
- The Panic on Spring Street
When malicious rumors hit a Seattle bank, depositors rushed the doors, forcing the bank president to defend his institution's solvency.
- The Labor Council Tackles Wage Rumors
Everett labor leaders confront local management over alleged wage cuts at a downtown retail store.
- Tide-Flat Speculation Heats Up
Real estate agents and railroad interests jockey for position on Tacoma's valuable waterfront as rumors of premium land prices circulate.
- False Leprosy Rumors in Chinatown
A local rival paper attempted to stir up panic in North Yakima's Chinese quarter, but the local Marshal found the reports to be entirely fabricated.
- The Great City Hall Heist
After the Seattle city treasurer vanishes with public funds, a desperate, rumor-fueled manhunt ensues, implicating bankers and brothel keepers in a massive scandal.
- Fire Sweeps Through Seattle’s Cooperage
A morning inferno destroys fifteen homes, leaving families homeless and rumors of child casualties swirling through the city.
- Swords at the Wharf: A Case of Mistaken Identity
A peaceful arrival of Knights of Pythias members at the Seattle dock causes an amusing rumor of Fenian invaders.
- Railroad Rumors Rattle Walla Walla
Speculation mounts as a local rail line prepares to shed its aging equipment for a mysterious new venture into the Blue Mountains.
- A Sticker Campaign Shakes Up a Quiet Richland Election
Only about half the registered voters showed up, but a last-minute sticker candidate defeated the nominated man—and rumors swirled about the mayor’s qualifications.
- The Day Everett Lined Up at the Bank
In the Panic of 1907, rumor emptied Everett's savings accounts in an afternoon — until the bank stacked gold coin in the window.
- The Mayor-Elect's 'Backbone'
Tacoma's mayor-elect quashes a persistent rumor that a local political powerbroker was trying to control his municipal appointments.
- City Water Supply Cleared of Typhoid Rumors
Local officials and the state health department address public anxiety following a small cluster of typhoid cases, confirming the city's water supply is safe.
- The Ghost Hotel on the Old School Lot
A legal dispute over a prime piece of downtown real estate reveals a broken promise to build a hotel, fueling rumors of a makeshift boarding house for Chinese laborers.
- Railroads Eye the Puyallup Reservation as Opening Rumors Swirl
Members of the Puyallup tribe meet to consider granting railroad right-of-way through their reservation, amid speculation that the land will be thrown open to settlers within sixty days.
- Is the Mayor a British Subject?
Tacoma's political scene erupted over rumors regarding Mayor Wright's naturalization status.
- Small-Town Rumors and a Wife's Escort
A scandalous rumor involving the alleged abduction of a local farmer's wife turns out to be a misunderstanding of medical logistics.
- The Sheriff’s Refusal to Arrest a Gun-Toting Reveler
A town rumor alleges local officials were too intimidated to confront an armed man in a Ritzville saloon, sparking a fierce editorial debate on equity before the law.
- A False Rumor Nearly Wrecks a Spokane Firm — and the City Rallies With $166,000 in Offers
The Portland Board of Trade reports Sweeny & Co. failed with $75,000 in liabilities; within days the firm proves itself solvent and the city's reputation is on the line.
Also about this, in other words
- The Gossips of Old Seattle: A Dispute Over a Deathbed
A local man defends his reputation after neighbors spread rumors regarding his care for a sick houseguest.
- The Ghost Rumors of Indian Conflict
Territorial officials mobilize as panic spreads across Puget Sound following unsubstantiated reports of violence.
- The Smallpox Panic of 1876
Busy-bodies spread false rumors of a smallpox outbreak in Seattle, prompting a swift rebuttal from the local physician.
- The Circular of Rumors That Landed a Minister in Court
A four-hour Seattle libel hearing ends with Rev. M. H. Nichols bound over after he admits his charges against Rev. Dr. T. E. Ford were built on hearsay.
- The Lie That Shook Olympia Collegiate Institute
A whispered rumor, a boarding-house accusation, and a faculty insult ended with two students expelled and Professor Jones gone. Rev. Dr. T. B. Ford told the school why.
- A Rumor of War on the Snake River
The Puget Sound Herald casts doubt on its own report of a battle between Col. Steptoe and Indigenous fighters, noting that no reliable account has arrived.
- The Scandalous Tale of the Stolen Will
A Seattle attorney dismisses rumors of a purloined inheritance as a malicious shakedown attempt by a disgruntled servant.