The Political War of the Sound: Tacoma versus Seattle
As gubernatorial candidate John H. McGraw barnstorms the state, Tacoma’s political elite launch a bitter, personal smear campaign against him, citing his connection to Seattle's growth.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A grand Republican rally was held in Whatcom, where John H. McGraw addressed a crowd that overflowed the Lighthouse Hall, with hundreds listening from the street. Meanwhile, in Tacoma, a fierce political feud has erupted. Nelson Bennett and his anti-Seattle faction have spent four hours in executive session denouncing McGraw and the city of Seattle, even attempting to rescind party resolutions. The conflict stems from economic rivalry; Bennett and his supporters believe the 'Seattle ring' is pulling the strings on federal patronage, and they are enraged by McGraw's support for the Lake Washington canal. Tacoma merchant attempts to bet $1,000 that McGraw will be crushed in Pierce County, but his offer is met by equally confident McGraw supporters who hold the cash to bet against him.
“King county is the enemy of this county; hence his fight against King county.”
The intense regional rivalry between Tacoma and Seattle in 1892 mirrors modern anxieties over civic power and influence in the Puget Sound. While the cast of characters has changed, the fierce protection of local economic interests—like the 19th-century focus on canal infrastructure and patronage—remains a core theme in local civic discourse.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.