Early Aviation
Following the end of World War I -- and the loss of lucrative military contracts -- William E. Boeing's fledgling airplane company was reduced to making such things as furniture and speedboats. Test pilot Eddie Hubbard convinced his boss that the future of flight was in transporting passengers and goods. In 1919, the two men delivered America's first shipment of international air mail to Seattle from Vancouver, B.C. Hubbard next prevailed on Boeing to compete for the Chicago-San Francisco route -- a lucrative contract that was won on January 28, 1927.
Unfortunately, Boeing had recently lost its crucial Sand Point landing-strip privileges to the Navy. The company threatened to move to Los Angeles, but instead King County helped out by building a new airfield for commercial use. With this boost, Bill Boeing set his sights even higher, developing the first modern airliner, the Boeing 247, and incorporating United Air Lines.
But in 1933 the new Democratic administration and Congress began investigating the cozy regulation of airlines under Republicans, and Senator (later Supreme Court Justice) Hugo Black personally grilled Bill Boeing on his "monopolistic" practices. Federal trustbusters cancelled the lucrative airmail contracts and broke up the Boeing-United conglomerate. His empire in ruins and deeply embittered by his Congressional inquisition, William Boeing retired and never again played a significant role in his namesake company.
Heated Altercation
On the morning of January 26, 1856, an estimated 1,000 Salish warriors came over the ridge of First Hill and attacked the tiny village of Seattle at present-day Pioneer Square. The settlers returned fire during the skirmish, reinforced by marines and a howitzer from the U.S.S. Decatur, anchored in Elliott Bay. Sporadic gun volleys continued until 10 o'clock that night, when the attackers retreated. They left behind two dead settlers but none of their own, not even a trace of blood.
Rising tensions had led to bloody acts by both newcomers and Natives before the "Battle of Seattle," but the attack marked the climax of active resistance led by Nisqually Chief Leschi (whose presence at the scene is in dispute) and other tribal leaders against the treaties dictated and imposed by Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens in late 1854 and 1855.
Chief Leschi was eventually captured, and his half-brother Quiemuth surrendered soon after. Quiemuth was murdered by persons unknown, and Leschi was hanged in 1858 over the protests of many pioneers. It wasn't until 2004 that Leschi was finally exonerated by a special state historical court.
