The Stray Horse of Fourth and Terrace
A mysterious black mare, unclaimed and alone, faces the gavel at a police-led auction in downtown 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.
Impounded Stock at Auction—Tuesday, January 13. I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder, to pay expenses of impounding and keep, at police headquarters, corner of Fourth and Terrace streets, the following described stock, to wit: one black pony, about seven years old, saddle marked. The owner of said described animal is to me unknown. George C. Monroe, Chief of Police.
“The owner of said described animal is to me unknown.”
This 1891 notice from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reflects the era when Seattle’s downtown streets were shared spaces for humans and livestock. Today, while the streets are no longer used for public auctions of stray ponies, the struggle to define public space and manage the city’s 'unclaimed' assets remains a central friction in Seattle politics.
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