Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-07-27
THE ROMANCEOF CRACKERS NECK
pv COLONEL GEORGE W. sYMoNDs.

ny COLONEL GEORGE W. ~ MoNpS'
That turbulent and tortuous stream
the Little Sandy river coils itself com
pletelv around rocky plateau OF abou
10000 acres area, in the Western corne'
of Elliott county, Kentucky, the waters
of the river being divided by a narrow
strip of crumbled cliff. From time I'M
memorial this peninsula has born tht
'euphonious name Of Crackers Neck.
1t is a wild and gloomy spat, II yot
follow the boundaries OF the plateau
and view it from the opposite bank o.
the river. Walled in on all sides by
frownns cliffs, rising nearly perpen.-
dicular to the height of 800 feet, theii
upper edge fringed by heavy grown
of stunted frs and laurel bushes, 1t Ger
tainlv has a forbidding look. If you
have the curiosity to explore the plateau
and climb the summit of the crumbllne
cliff at the point Of jointure with the
mainland, the aspect changes LEI
wears ago their was thick growth Of
heavy timber on the meek" but IL mas
all been cleared away, and vista OF
fertile fields and neatly fenced planta'
tions sweep away on all sides to the
cliff edges, which are still bordered by
the laurel and fir growth. Evidences
of civilization in the way of comfortable
houses and stables and sheep Hooks
cropping the succulent heritage areseen
on every hand. The country surround-,
ing this plateau is rocky and sterile and
the fertile neck rises up like an OASIS Ia
the mountain desert. 1t lnstlnchvely
strikes the imaginative beholder as a
fine spot for romance, and the "Ro-
nance of Crackers Neck" now pur-
pose to tell.
Immediately after the close OF
the late war man named
Peter j. Livingstone, VINO had com
manded regiment of guerrllas ON
the confederate side, purchased the
neck for n nominal sum, cleared away
the timber, laid of fields, built roads
and erected houses and opened store
Just on the verge of the crumbling
cliff, down which you clambered 70
reach the mainland. He cut down
this cliff and graded road to the far
Their edge of the plateau, with lateral
feeders running of on either side. He
brought hie family here, installed them
in a luxurious home, and began a
flourishing business, the basis of which
was timber, great tracts of which were
owY,ea by him on the mainland. The
geographical situation of the meek
was an admirable one for business pur-
poses, i. being a sort Of hallway. sta
4, 10 Il vn1 DA
OF wild Kentucky and capital which
stretched out eager hands toward the
new old country from the other side OF
the Ohio river. He speedily q rev
about him an, enormous. trade aud
acted as n factor for the whole of
the back country. He WAS an afiable,
pleasait-mamerea man and made
friends. .,,., ...s............. .... ,r...
"Atthistime Mountain Kentucky was
in astate of anarchy. Law and order
were but little regarded, and the woods
were filled with armed men engaged
in those terrible family feud, which
have made the dark and bloody ground
famous. II was'athe famous rendeZ-
vous, too, for much worse class OF
criminals. Thieves and countcrfeiters
made their headquarters among the
wild gorges and deep forests from
which they emerged, ut frequent in
tervals, to prey on the the fairness OF
the rch-grass country but few miles
distant. R.bberies were of frequent
occurrence, and stolen hores and cattle
were stampeded out of the low coun-
try by the hundred head. They would
be secreted here until the hue and cry
was over, and then conveyed across
the Ohio river and sold. 1t WAS known
to the authorities that the desperadoe s
were we'll organized, and all efforts to
break up the gang were fruitless. Dur
ing all this time Colonel Peter J. Liv-
ingstone tlourished and waxed rich
and no one suspected that he had a
hand in the lawless acts which were
fast driving honest people out of the
mountains, and lettering others from
coming in to take their places.
Peter ]. Livingstone's business pros
pered so well that it was not long be
fore ne had competition, Two Virgin
ians, father and son, named Malone
set up store on the mainland, directly
on the road to Livingstone's store, anC
much of the trade which hitherto o
necessity had gone to him, WAS directed
to the new establishment. The falling
OFT III his business enraged Colono
LivingtoHe beyond measure, and he
had an open quarrel with the Malones
After this quarrel the two firms tried tC
injure each other in the way of trad,
as much a. possible Livingst lle mad,
threats that he would break up tn,
Malones, and drive them from Ia,
country. In the spring of 1877 Ma
lone's store was broken into and robbe,
of several hundred dollars worth o
goods, and Colonel Livingstone glorieC
in the discontinue Of his rivals owe,
their loss. A few months afterwards
fire broke out in MalOne's store, bu
was happily extinguished before mucl
damage was done. After this secon,
misfortune one of MulOne's clerks ,