The Spectator vs. The Printing Monopoly
A local newspaper sues Seattle printing houses, alleging a secret confederation is boycotting its press work.
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Caakey & Brown, proprietors of the Spectator, filed suit against several Seattle printing firms to recover $2,000 in damages. The plaintiffs allege the firms have conspired to refuse their press work until they pay an disputed claim of $200 held by the Lowman & Hanford Stationery and Printing Company. The boycott forces the publishers to send their type forms to Tacoma, incurring significant expenses and damaging the news value of their paper. The defendants include Ingraham & Coryell, the Allen & Calvert Printing Company, and the Koch & Oakley Printing Company, among others.
“They are also compelled to prepare their forms for the press at least twenty-four hours earlier than they would if they could have the presswork done in Seattle.”
This suit highlights early tensions between media gatekeepers and local publications, a precursor to the consolidation of printing and information power that continues to be a central struggle in Seattle's civic history.
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