[6] The first class cabins were located in the large deck-house amidships which also featured a dining salon, being able to sit approximately 200 people, a library and a ladies boudoir.

[5] The vessel was also equipped with four large evaporators in her engine room, capable of producing 30,000 gallons of fresh water per day to be used both by her boilers and passengers and crew.

She left the port for her maiden voyage on April 28, 1905, laden with general cargo and approximately 6,000 tons of steel rails destined for Alaska Railroad being constructed at the time.

[8] The journey to South America was largely uneventful, with the exception of severe gales encountered around Cape Horn, and the ship safely reached the Chilean port of Coronel on May 28 to replenish her bunkers.

[10] Originally, Dakota was scheduled to leave for the Far East on July 20, but the departure was postponed due to inability of her owners to completely fill the enormous vessel with cargo.

Finally, she sailed out from Seattle in the early morning of July 24, only being slightly more than half-laden, but was only able to continue as far as Cape Flattery before developing a serious problem in her starboard engine and was forced to turn back.

[11][12][13] After wrapping up her repairs on August 9, the vessel returned to port and this time embarked over 20,000 tons of cargo, the bulk consisting of 19 locomotives, 100 railroad cars, and 20,000 bales of cotton.

Starting with her second Trans-Pacific trip, which she left for on December 16, 1905, Dakota was visiting Manila in addition to the ports in Japan and Shanghai and Hong Kong in China.

[18] She returned to Seattle on February 28, 1906, carrying, among other passengers, members of the Chinese Imperial High Commission headed by Prince Tsai Tseh sent to study the political and trade conditions of United States and European countries.

[19] On the return journey during her third trip, Dakota beat the previous speed record held by the Empress of India being able to cover the distance from Yokohama to Cape Flattery in 9+1⁄2 days with 2,000 tons of cargo and 199 passengers on board.

The ship was travelling at about 16+1⁄2 knots (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h) at the time and was sailing very close to the coastline contrary to an accepted practice as the area is known to be full of underwater rocks and reefs.

[23][22][24] At about 08:40 on March 5, steamer Hakuai Maru arrived at the scene to embark the survivors, but again found it impossible to complete the task due strong wind and rough seas.

Instead, the passengers and the crew, with the exception of captain Francke and some officers who stayed behind, travelled overland to the nearby town of Tateyama where Hakuai Maru embarked them all and ten bags of mail and departed at 16:30 for Yokohama and reached the port at about 21:00.

[26] The wreck was subsequently examined by divers who claimed the bottom had only four holes on the starboard side and the prospects of refloating the vessel were not as bad as they originally thought.