The Search for a Missing Horse
A classic 1876 plea for the return of a stolen or wandered animal highlights the reliance on equine transit in pioneer-era Seattle.
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.
STRAYED FROM THE PREMISES OF THE UNDERSIGNED, four weeks ago, a black mare, about seven years old, branded on the left shoulder, and shoe-shod. The brand is the letter 'S'. The hair on the tip of the tail is cut off, and the other side has the hair worn off. The owner will pay a liberal reward for their return or for information as to their whereabouts. J. N. SMITH. At Miller's Bakery, Seattle, W. T., Jan 14, 1876.
“The owner will pay a liberal reward for their return or for information as to their whereabouts.”
In the 1870s, the loss of a horse was a significant economic and logistical blow, often requiring a public notice in the newspaper to recover the animal. While today's residents struggle with the loss of parking or modern transit, this notice is a quiet reminder of an era when the 'infrastructure' of Seattle was literally tied to a hitching post.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.