Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-12
Educating the Manufacturers.

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Tennessee, Virginia aud Kentucky
with one sweep.
The way to tho bowldcr led through
tho town Of Cumberland Gap and then
up the steep mountainsidc past row
OF tumlAedown shacks and houses.
The two riders were Joined on the
outskirts of the town by colonel
who had worn the gray and who had
fought against General dIowartl's men
In several battles.
"Wo used TO call this Hells Half
Acre." said the colonel. referring to
the shacls on the mountalnsldc.
There was time when this cluster
was the worst spot In the mountains
No one knows how many murders
have been committed on this half
acre. and YOU could not count tho
robberies. Again and again tho rove
nue. men have pulled Illicit stills out
OF the cellars. You see the half acre
Is almost conveniently situated. 1t
Is an easy matter to get out OF Ton
nessec Into Virginia, or out OF Virgil.
MIA into Kentucky, when II Ia simply
n matter of stepping over the line"
We took the devil out of HELPS
Half Acre several years ago" went on
the ex-Confederate; ''jerked him out
bodily, along with the saloons. The
Gap is local option now. and n strang-
err would have as much chance of
getting a drink as wanderer in the
middle of tho desert"
a few rods further along he indicat-
ed the Virginia line and house which
was built across It,
I'VE had great deal of trouble
with this place." he explained. ut
was n saloon, and tho proprietor had
his bar just across the Virginia line.
One could stand in Tennessee and buy
drinks in Virginia. where our local
option was not effective, but we final
~ drove him OUT
General Howard led the way into
the mountains then. over road that
! was rough and strewn with rocks. Az
ter riding a quarter OF an hour through
scrubby timber the party reached n
clearing, In the centre of which stood
| cabin typical OF the mountains, 1t
was roughly built OF half-hewn logs.
held together by nitches cut In the
/ logs instead OF nails. The cracks
were plastered with clay from a neigh
boring bank II had peaked ROOF
Of shakes" instead of shingles. and
| at one end was log chimney with
n top built OF rocks. There was a
| rickety front porch made by contin.
! uing the shake" roof door and n
couple Of windows. A picket fence
surrounded 1t and Enclosed small
garden.
There is a story about this cabin, .
said the colonel. "In the cellar under
II was still OF which the revenue OF :
ficers had knowledge for years. yet
they were never able 10 arrest the
old woman who ran 1t. She weighed
four hundred pounds and was so fat
that she could not get out OF The door
| When tho officers came to arrest he,
she said they were welcome to her
but IL they injured her house she
would have the law on them. They
could not bring The court to the cab
IN and they could not bring tho prfs
oner to court without tearing out tho
side of the house. For years She
laughed at tho law and continued Il
distil moonshnc. She died finally
and in order TO get her coffin out o.
tho house they had TO pull down par
OF the back wall
Would you like to see one OF tn,
oldtime moonshinc stiils?" the colonc
asked when the party had ridden OH
The Tribune correspondent was en-.
thusiastic over the prospect. and Gen
cral Howard agreed 10 wait on The
main road. The colonel led tho wa,
into gulch to the right. In spite q
the Jagged rocks which projected her,
and there 1t was really. a befowerct
| glen. for vio!cts Of marvellous size
heavily weighed with perfume, grew
wherever there was the least sign 0
soil. AT the end of the gulch stoo,
a huge chestnut tree. to which tn,
horses were tied.
| An oIdtime Still.
A sharp scramble mp the hiIIsid,
aud tho ancient still WAS revealed. I
stood in little depression and wa.
without protection. The fireplace, O.