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| Year | Stories |
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| 1864 | 1 |
| 1883 | 1 |
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| 1892 | 4 |
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37 stories matching upgrad
- The Twelfth Street Improvement Battle
A local improvement club pushes to pave Twelfth Street and demands the streetcar company upgrade their tracks or move them.
- The Automatic Age Comes to Colfax
The Inland Telephone Company upgrades its infrastructure, replacing the need for operator assistance.
- Seattle's Water System Passes Its First Big Test
A morning fire reveals that recent upgrades to the city's hydrant system are already paying dividends for public safety.
- The Struggle for Twelfth Street Transit
The Tacoma Railway and Power Company refuses to upgrade infrastructure before street paving, stalling local transit expansion.
- The Crackdown on Tacoma’s Fire-Trap Theaters
Mayor Campbell threatens to shutter city theaters unless they upgrade to meet building safety ordinances.
- Main Street Refuses to Be Paved
Property owners between Fifth and Sixth beat back a macadam upgrade, a councilman berates them for it, and the street gets planks instead.
- New Owner, New Wires: Newport Telephone Service Gets an Upgrade
After selling the local telephone line to Mr. Anderson, Newport sees longer hours and a new central office planned for the Antler Hotel's former sample room.
- The Paving of the Finley Road
Benton County commissioners upgrade infrastructure plans from gravel to asphalt for the new state highway.
- Tacoma Property Owners Fight Street Improvements
Citizens mount a second protest against expensive city upgrades to E Street, but the council remains unmoved.
- City Council Cracks Down on Hazardous Chimneys
Walla Walla residents are scrambling to upgrade fire-prone flues after a new ordinance threatens fines for unsafe stovepipe installations.
- Commuting in a Frog Pond
Tacoma residents vent their frustration over dilapidated, rain-soaked cable cars as they await much-needed transit upgrades.
- Moran Brothers Complete New Marine Railway
A major upgrade for Seattle's maritime industry aims to stop work from going to Tacoma.
- The Penitentiary Upgrades Its Arsenal
Fearing prison riots, the Washington state penitentiary outfits guards with high-velocity Winchester rifles.
- Newport’s Great Northern Depot Upgrade
Railroad officials confirm a $20,000 investment in a new station to accommodate the town's booming shipping industry.
- The Lynden Telephone Upheaval
As the local exchange upgrades its equipment, a wave of bad connections and misdirected calls leads to fraying tempers and frustrated operators.
- The Troubled History of the Steamer Wasco
After years of failure on the Columbia River, a scrappy steamer finds a new life—and a new look—in Ballard.
- The Price of Early Seattle’s Growing Pains
Facing a mountain of debt, unpaid warrants, and legal judgments, Seattle held a high-stakes special election in 1892 to borrow $850,000 to keep the city running.
- Tacoma’s Financial Sewer Fight
A fierce public debate over whether Tacoma can afford a new water plant while simultaneously funding critical sewer infrastructure.
- The Jefferson Joins the Fleet
A new steamship built in Tacoma shipyards prepares for its maiden voyage to Alaska, complete with modern refrigeration.
- The Case for a Modern Fire Engine in 1880s Seattle
An urgent editorial call for the city to upgrade its firefighting capabilities to match Seattle's rapid expansion.
- The School Board's Costly Real Estate Wake-up Call
After proposing to trade high school land for a smaller plot, officials discover the exchange would cost them thousands and force a costly infrastructure upgrade.
- City Hall Forces Transit Upgrade
After years of complaints about 'rattletraps,' the City Council orders the Tacoma Railway & Power Company to replace its McKinley Park fleet.
- City’s Water Funding Hits a Wall
High-interest demands from local banks threaten the city's $250,000 project to upgrade the Clover Creek water system.
- The High Cost of Muddy Roads
A new engineering report argues that upgrading Whitman County's agricultural infrastructure could save farmers millions annually.
- Waitsburg’s Miller Expands Operations
Local business owner A. M. McCoy upgrades his mill with an electric motor to increase production capacity in the face of rising demand.