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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1876 | 5 |
| 1877 | 8 |
| 1878 | 4 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1883 | 6 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1885 | 7 |
| 1886 | 4 |
| 1887 | 2 |
| 1888 | 4 |
| 1889 | 6 |
| 1891 | 1 |
| 1892 | 17 |
| 1893 | 15 |
| 1894 | 20 |
| 1895 | 26 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 3 |
| 1900 | 2 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 10 |
| 1904 | 4 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1909 | 9 |
| 1910 | 1 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1916 | 4 |
| 1917 | 1 |
| 1923 | 1 |
| 1924 | 3 |
174 stories matching unexpect
- The Ghost Caboose of Seattle
A high-wind storm sends a riderless train car hurtling down the tracks in a moment of unexpected local drama.
- The Pharmacy Trap
A late-night misadventure outside an Eagle Pharmacy store leads to an unexpected reunion.
- Rancher Injured in Dynamite Accident
A local farmer was severely wounded when a blast intended to clear cherry trees detonated unexpectedly.
- Tragedy in the Timber
A seventy-year-old man dies instantly after being struck by a tree during a felling accident near Cedarville.
- The Unintended Urban Pioneers of Sumas
Two land developers scouting for a new townsite find themselves unexpected fathers to a pair of bear cubs.
- An Unexpected Champion
At the Canadian Wheelmen's Association meet, a dark horse from Spokane upsets the favorites in a hotly contested bicycle race.
- The Shoemaker's Windfall
When a simple shop sign is caught by the wind, it leads to an unexpected—and quite public—domestic confession.
- A Neighborhood 'Joke' Ends in the Patrol Wagon
A local grocer is held at gunpoint on Rollin Street, only to discover the masked highwaymen are school-aged boys.
- County Commissioner Quits Over Business Conflicts
The lone Populist on the Whitman County board steps down, claiming the demands of public office are bad for his bottom line.
- A Fishing Surprise in Guemes Channel
A local fisherman makes an unexpected catch when he discovers a shark hooked on his halibut line.
- The Midnight Poker Raid on Jackson Street
Police break up a late-night game in a saloon, arresting seven men who couldn't afford to bail themselves out.
- Tragedy in the Timber: A Fatal Day Near Orting
A young laborer loses his life in a logging accident, underscoring the lethal risks inherent in Washington's turn-of-the-century lumber industry.
- A Marriage to Avoid the Law
A kidnapping case in Kelso takes an unexpected turn when the defendants are wed in court to resolve their custody and living arrangement disputes.
- The 'Tramp' and the Steamer Ticket
A traveler, left penniless on the docks of Tacoma, finds an unexpected reprieve through a local act of charity.
- Pioneer Merchant Don D. Wheeler Passes Away
A long-time Tacoma businessman collapses unexpectedly during a friendly visit on South M Street.
- The Big Freeze Hits the Valley
An unexpected Arctic snap brings zero-degree temperatures to the Columbia Valley, threatening local crops and breaking November records.
- The Vanishing of Richard Oelius
A respected Ballard inventor disappears without a trace, leaving his family and partners puzzled.
- A Runaway Laundry Wagon
Horses pull a laundry wagon down a steep Seattle hill, ending in a wreck that miraculously injures no one.
- The First Ward Fights Back
Citizens of Seattle's First Ward protest their diminished representation in the City Council, asserting their right to full political standing.
- A Sudden Fortune for a Tacoma Nurse
A local nurse living on South Warner Street inherits a $110,000 fortune from a long-lost uncle in California.
- Tragedy in Succotash Valley
A pioneer farmer is killed while clearing land, leaving his wife to discover the gruesome scene in their remote homestead.
- The Sudden End of a Legal Tug-of-War
After facing trial on multiple charges, a defendant unexpectedly opts for prison time rather than risking a lengthier legal fight.
- The Discovery in the Post-Hole
While digging for a fence on the Puyallup Reservation, an unexpected find pulls a prehistoric giant from the earth.
- A Nighttime Scuffle in Palouse
An unexpected shooting between two strangers in a small Washington town turns into a case of mistaken identity.
- A Final Journey from Kansas to Hover
A young pharmacist’s search for health in the Washington climate ends in tragedy.