Research the archive
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.
Refine
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 2 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1883 | 2 |
| 1884 | 2 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1889 | 4 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 6 |
| 1892 | 8 |
| 1893 | 12 |
| 1894 | 4 |
| 1895 | 5 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1899 | 3 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 3 |
| 1904 | 2 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1910 | 5 |
| 1912 | 1 |
71 stories matching waiter
- The Pepper War at Josselyn’s
A labor dispute turns ugly as a waiter strikes back against a picket line.
- The Brutal Assault on a Young Chambermaid
A playful attempt to clean a hotel floor escalated into a vicious act of anti-Chinese violence in the heart of downtown Seattle.
- Local cooks and waiters fight for a six-day work week
Everett's Cooks and Waiters' union moves to shorten the work week, aiming to align local conditions with Seattle's standards.
- The Inner Life of a Dining Room Waiter
A frank, cynical look at the power dynamics between restaurant staff and customers in early Seattle.
- Blood on the Rails Near Thorpe
A railroad conductor was nearly killed by an impudent waiter on an eastbound train, leading to a tense standoff and a dramatic shooting.
- The Disappearing Waiter
A boarder at a Washington Street house reports her savings stolen, with a distinctively red-haired waiter named Willie as the prime suspect.
- Tragedy at the Sinnott House
A waiter at a variety theater is arrested and charged with manslaughter following the death of a domestic worker.
- A Desperate Act at the Madrona Hotel
A waiter attempted to end his life by inhaling chloroform; doctors managed to revive him.
- The Midnight Hotel Fire
A suspected incendiary targets a local hotel, only to be thwarted by staff before the flames reach the dining room.
- The Short-Lived Elopement of a Seattle Waiter
A 14-year-old girl and a theater employee wed in a rush, only to be torn apart by an incensed mother within the hour.
- Union Confrontation at the Cascade Club
Labor organizations challenged the hiring practices of an Everett social club, leading to threats of a boycott.
- The 1892 Campaign Against Japanese Restaurants
Local labor unions organized a targeted investigation into Japanese-owned eateries, fueled by xenophobic rumors and economic anxiety.
- The Wool Seller’s Thanksgiving: A Farmer’s Wallet Meets Reality
In a moment of pure 1876 optimism, a local farmer bursts into a Seattle restaurant celebrating his wool sale—only to realize that luxury costs more than he thought.
- Japanese Waiter Performs Jiu-Jitsu on Diner
An attempt to leave an Empire restaurant without paying for a meal ended in a swift martial arts takedown.
- Predatory Behavior and the Messenger Boys
The arrest of a waiter reveals a pattern of abuse targeting A.D.T. messenger boys in the rooms above downtown saloons.
- Violence at the Leland House
A jealous waiter attempts to murder a waitress at a Seattle boarding house.
- The Persistent Con-Artist of Jackson Street
A former hack driver and theater waiter uses elaborate stories and forged checks to swindle local merchants, only to be caught by a vigilant detective.
- The Restaurant Labor War
A local restaurant owner’s political ambitions are challenged by the White Cooks and Waiters' Union over allegations of wage-slashing and exploitation.
- The Labor War Over a Restaurant Window Card
A local cafe finds itself at odds with the Cooks and Waiters' Union in a dispute over unionization and laundry services.
- The Midnight Stand-Off at the Grand Restaurant
A breakfast patron turns into a bandit, but gets more than he bargained for from the night cook's poker.
- Spokane Had Mining Fever, and the Men Selling the Stock Had the Only Sure Thing
A Yakima correspondent visits Spokane and finds a city where hotel clerks, newsboys and waiter girls are all buying mining shares — and where even Ezra Meeker has traded hops for a stock prospectus.
- The Guilland House Advertises 'No Chinamen'
A local hotel uses xenophobic hiring practices as a primary marketing hook to attract guests.
- The Saloon Was Their Paycheck: Everett Labor’s Fight Against Prohibition
In November 1910, Everett’s union locals — cigar makers, brewery workers, bartenders, cooks and waiters — urged a vote for license, warning that Prohibition would throw hundreds out of work and scatter their families.
- The Professional Tailoress Wanted in 1891
A job advertisement from a ladies' intelligence bureau signals a high demand for skilled female labor in early Seattle.
- A Judge Tells Spokane's Restaurant Men Their Strike Injunction Is Worthless
Judge J. Stanley Webster refused to restrain the cooks' and waiters' union, upheld the right to strike and to publish 'union house' cards — a rare courtroom win for organized labor in 1910.