August 28 – September 3, 2008
This Week Then

Labor on Parade

This week, HistoryLink.org honors Labor Day with a look back at Washington's history of union organizing and economic reform, which predates statehood itself, beginning with the Knights of Labor. Unfortunately, early worker anger targeted Chinese immigrants and African Americans as often as it did exploitive managers and owners.

The economic Panic of 1893 triggered a surge in union organizing and more radical efforts, like Coxey's Army of the unemployed. Far left groups such as Industrial Workers of the World found many recruits in the state's forests and factories. Despite their power of protest, Wobblies were not major players in Seattle's famous General Strike of 1919, which was sparked by a socialist school board member's incendiary essay in the Union Record, one of the nation's first labor-owned daily newspapers.

Government crackdowns after World War I purged organized labor of most of its leftist leaders, but their influence recovered with the Great Depression. Labor itself divided between more conservative unionists such as Seattle's Dave Beck and militants such as Harry Bridges, who led his longshoremen to victory in a bitter waterfront strike in 1934. The power of labor-progressive coalitions such as the Washington Commonwealth Federation reportedly inspired Postmaster General James Farley to toast "the 47 States of the Union and the Soviet of Washington" (although he later denied it).

More agitation followed World War II: Witness the 1947 ferry shut-down and the Boeing machinists' strike of 1948. Leftwingers were targeted anew, but mainstream unions gained clout through political allies such as Senators Warren G. Magnuson and Henry "Scoop" Jackson. Labor also played a major role in promoting non-discriminatory hiring practices, better health care, and improved retirement plans, the fruits of which are enjoyed by many workers, be they union members or not.

Favorites on Stage

On September 1, 1957, Elvis Presley swiveled into Seattle for a concert at Sicks' Stadium. HistoryLink.org staff historian Cassandra Tate was there and recalls being all shook up. The King returned to Seattle a few years later to film It Happened at the World's Fair, on the grounds of what is now Seattle Center, home to Bumbershoot, the Labor Day weekend musicfest, which is now in its 37th year.

This week also marks the 40th anniversary of the Sky River Rock Festival, when hordes of hippies descended on Sultan, Washington, near the Skykomish River. With music by Santana, the Grateful Dead, and scores of other entertainers, the outdoor rock concert was so much fun, another one was held a year later in Tenino, near Olympia.

News Then, History Now

Special Delivery: On August 28, 1907, two teenage messengers named Jim Casey and Claude Ryan established their own downtown delivery service. United Parcel Service grew out of the dispatch office in the basement of a Seattle saloon, now marked by Waterfall Park in Pioneer Square.

Special Days: On August 28, 1909, Cactus Dahlia Day was celebrated at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition to commemorate the fair's official flower. A few days later, on September 2, fairgoers named Smith -- including those with variations such as Smythe or Schmidt -- were honored with their own special day, which included a parade and an entertaining "Smith" contest.

Open for Business: On September 3, 1918, Frederick & Nelson opened in downtown Seattle, and flourished as one of the city's premier department stores until it closed in 1992. Gordon Padelford -- great grandson to Donald and Fay Frederick -- tells of the store's early days in this People's History.

Opening Acts: On August 28, 1927, the new Orpheum Theatre opened in Seattle, replacing the original Orpheum. Four years later, the Fox Theater opened in Spokane on September 3, 1931. The Orpheum has since been torn down to make way for a hotel, but the Fox lives on.

Automotive Transportation: On August 31, 1950, the ferry Leschi made her last run on Lake Washington, 10 years after the opening of the Lake Washington Floating Bridge. Built in 1913 as the first auto ferry in Western Washington, the Leschi was purchased by Washington State Ferries a year later. WSF operated her on Puget Sound for nearly two more decades, during which time a second bridge was built over Lake Washington.

Overdose of Radiation: The Hanford Engineer Works brought fresh jobs to the old frontier, but new technology is oftentimes accompanied by new problems. Such was the case with Harold McCluskey, who suffered a strange accident on August 30, 1976, and became Hanford's "Atomic Man."

Sic Transit: On September 2, 1917, Marysville lost its wooden policeman when the anthropomorphized traffic signal was kidnapped from his post and tossed into the Snohomish River. On August 31, 1936, the last electric trolley car rolled through the streets of Spokane, after which it was given a Viking's funeral and set ablaze. And on September 3, 1959, the final phase of Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct opened to traffic. Fifty years later its future is as yet undetermined.

Glorious Birthdays: Three cities that celebrate anniversaries this week include Pasco, which incorporated on September 3, 1891, and is now the second-largest of the Tri-Cities -- ahead of Richland, but behind Kennewick; Shoreline, which became a city on August 31, 1995; and Sammamish -- a resort destination for many years -- which incorporated on August 31, 1999.

Quote of the Week

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

--Abraham Lincoln

Image of the Week

One hundred years ago this week, the North Yakima YMCA opened on September 1, 1908.