There are, I am sure, others on the list more qualified to answer this than I, but my understanding is that a Texas Longhorn (and I am taking the leap to say that is the same as a Texan Steer) is a specific breed of cattle, defined by its horns and not its geographical origins. On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 11:18 AM Matthew Seybold <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Thank you for pointing out this possibility, Barbara. I will add it as an > update to the original post. > > Martin. Based on the reading I did in newspapers of this era, it seems that > driving cattle through streets of even large urban Northern cities was > still a fairly common, though increasingly controversial practice. As such, > reports of goring were not entirely unusual. Presumably the herds were > relatively small and were being moved from cattle cars directly to markets > or butcheries. I admit, this was for me one of those scholarly moments > where I came to doubt whether I could really imagine the 19th century. > > Also, “Texan steer” was a breed(?) listed in advertising and market > reports. Was a “Texan steer” necessarily from from the Alamo state or > merely the favored description for a bull with a bad attitude? Perhaps > Kevin M. could enlighten us? ; ) > > - MS > > On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 10:00 AM Barbara Schmidt <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > Thanks to Matt Seybold for posting an outstanding bit of research on "The > > Texan Steer." His assessment that the article might be an "excellent > > counterfeit" is also worthy of consideration. The time frame for this > > article would have been in the midst of the time period when Frank Manly > > Thorn was also contributing to the EXPRESS under the pseudonym of "Hy > > Slocum." More info on that controversy is available here: > > > > http://www.twainquotes.com/HySlocum.html > > > > Barb. > > > -- > Matt Seybold Assistant Professor of American Literature & Mark Twain > Studies Elmira College >