The Wild Cow That Ran Amok: Seattle’s First Public Menace
A runaway bovine terrorized the streets of Pioneer Square before being shot dead, sparking a bizarre legal battle over who owned the carcass and whether rotten beef could be sold to unsuspecting diners.
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.
WILD COW SOLD TO A BUTCHER.
Peterson Accused of Selling Bad Meat—Lake Union Sewer.
The wild cow which met her death by a revolver last Wednesday, at the corner of West and Madison streets, after running amuck through the streets of the city, is again making trouble. It will be remembered that the owner did not appear to claim his beef after her fierce behavior on the streets, fearing, it is thought, that he would be held responsible for the damage and injuries she may have committed.
The carcass lay in the street all day, until Chief of Police Monroe gave it to a man named Peterson to get it out of the way. Peterson claimed that he had a rendering establishment in South Seattle, and that he wanted the carcass to convert it into soap. Instead of doing this he found that a bigger cash result would be netted by dressing it for the butcher's block. The four quarters of this identical row were found yesterday on the hooks in Lampson's market on Main street.
A complaint was made to the board of health about the matter, which was considered at the meeting yesterday. The meat was condemned by the board for two reasons: First, it was killed while in a maddened and heated condition after a long chase; and second, it was reported that a leg was broken and in an infected condition, either fact rendering the meat unfit for food. Peterson was summoned to appear before the board this morning to explain why he sold the carcass for food. The meat was examined by Drs. Shannon and Noble yesterday. Lampson admits the identity of the meat, and that it was sold to him by Peterson.
The board also at its meeting yesterday declared the city pound, at the corner of Fifth and Virginia streets, a nuisance, and recommended its removal.
This 1893 incident highlights early Seattle's chaotic urban planning and public health challenges. A runaway animal causing traffic chaos and subsequent food safety scandals mirrors modern concerns about livestock escapes in urban areas and the importance of strict meat inspection protocols to protect consumers from contaminated goods.
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