'' Boston '' returned to San Francisco on 9 August 1899 and went out of commission at Mare Island Navy Yard on 15 September 1899 . She remained out of commission until 11 August 1902 and then rejoined the Pacific Squadron . On 7 November 1903 , '' Boston '' was the first ship of the Pacific Squadron to arrive near Panama to support that country 's newly declared independence ; a key event in the creation of the Panama Canal . She then cruised in South America , Hawaii , and the US West Coast . From 16 to 25 June 1905 , she helped represent the Navy at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition at Portland , Oregon , and from 23 April – 10 May 1906 she helped care for the victims of the San Francisco earthquake and fire . In April 1907 she carried a Honduran peace delegation that ended the Honduran – Nicaraguan War . She went out of commission again at Puget Sound Navy Yard on 10 June 1907
San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
USS Boston (1884)