By Danny Crownover
Visitors to Gadsden in the past, especially those who were reared in sizeable cities, wished to know why the city authorities back in the 1880s did not pass a law prohibiting cows and hogs running loose on the downtown streets.
Gadsden was not much different from most other small town in America, as most of the city’s families kept cows to supply milk and butter. Many also raised pigs and maintained gardens. It served as the pattern for economy all over town, and residents could not buy milk or vegetables from their neighbors.
Practically every cow in town was turned out in the morning to range for grass and water. Most of those cows roamed south of Broad Street and east of Turrentine Avenue, wandering through the bottoms of Black Creek and Big Wills Creek. On the north side of Broad Street, the cows ranged along Town Creek up into Owl Valley, while on the west side, they could be found in the woods and abandoned fields along Black Creek.
However, some cows were allowed to run at large at night, and they played havoc with flower and vegetable gardens. In addition, several cows defiantly strolled through the downtown business section to steal fodder and oats from farm wagons that were parked in the middle of the street.
Almost always the cows could be counted upon to come home on time. When the cows failed to do so or were very late, it was the duty of Johnnie, Willie, Georgie or Jackie to go out and look for them. Frequently, these same youngsters had to “mind off the calf” or to otherwise help with the milking.
George Bachus, who resided at Fourth and Duncan streets, had to milk a bobtailed cow named Sal. Morning and night, Sal’s neighbors could hear him scream, “Saw, Sal, back your leg!”
The behavior of the mischievous cows and filthy hogs brought about a constant protest from a small section of the public. Since almost every family kept a cow and a pig, it would have been political suicide for any mayor or alderman to even hint at a stock law. The standing argument was that it was necessary for a poor man to keep a cow and a hog in order for his family to have food.
The state legislature eventually passed a law making it mandatory for cities of 5,000 population or more to adopt an ordinance prohibiting stock from running at large. It was then up to the mayor and aldermen of Gadsden to choose between a stock law and possible impeachment.
Contact The Vagabond at dkcrown@bellsouth.net.
