The Russian War Scare Hits the Port of Tacoma
Fearful of Russian warships patrolling the coast, San Francisco merchants turn to Tacoma to route their urgent Japanese trade.
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.
The fact that goods were brought here yesterday from San Francisco for trans-shipment to Japan has caused some comment in waterfront circles. The only explanation made for this unusual procedure is that the shippers of the Golden Gate City have become uneasy on account of the presence of the Russian boat in the bay and the reports that others from the same fleet are patrolling the coast. The shipment of leather received here was a rush order which the San Francisco men could not afford to have delayed. The leather will go from this port on the steamship Hyades.
“The only explanation made for this unusual procedure is that the shippers of the Golden Gate City have become uneasy on account of the presence of the Russian boat in the bay.”
This 1904 report highlights how regional geopolitical anxieties, such as the Russo-Japanese War, directly impacted Pacific Northwest shipping logistics. Even a century ago, the Puget Sound acted as a critical 'back-up' port for the West Coast, a theme that echoes in contemporary debates over West Coast supply chain resilience and global trade tensions.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.