The Steamship Freight War
Seattle consignees are threatening to boycott the Northern Pacific line after their goods were offloaded in Tacoma instead of being delivered directly to the city.
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.
George B. Bodwell, representing the Northern Pacific Steamship Company, arrived in the city yesterday. The Phra Nang's cargo manifest shows that though the steamer is discharging all her cargo at Tacoma, less of it is destined for that port than for any other point except Port Townsend, Duluth, Minneapolis, and San Francisco. More is destined for Seattle than for any point except New York and Chicago, yet the consignees in this city must wait for their goods to be brought from Tacoma by rail. The failure of the steamer to come to this port to discharge that portion of her cargo consigned here has caused several of the consignees to give notice to the Northern Pacific officials that unless the steamers of this line discharge freight consigned to Seattle at this port, they will not hereafter patronize the Northern Pacific steamers.
“Yet the consignees in this city must wait for their goods to be brought from Tacoma by rail.”
This reflects the fierce 19th-century rivalry between Seattle and Tacoma over regional infrastructure and maritime dominance. Shipping logistics remain a contentious, defining feature of Puget Sound's economic and civic identity.
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