Evening star., 1921-12-12
BITTER FEUD RACES
|NCOUNTY ANDC|TY
Dispute Over Cheapside in
Lexington, KY, Awaits
Judicial Decision.
By the Associated Press.

LEXINGTON. KY, December TO-
Kentucky has had it's feuds in the
mountains and it's duels in the Blue
grass and the Purchase" but not for
century has a more bitter bloodless
feud been fought than that now be-
ing staged in the courts here between
the farmers of Fayette county and the
city dwellers of Lexington.
For the city dwellers have >decreed
that court day" on Cheapside. block
in the center of the city, an institu-
tion of a century's duration. must go.
And the farmers say that court day
must stay.
The courts have decided in favor of
the city dwellers once. but a mistake
was made in not including the county
in the suit to abolish the custom of
farmers bringing their horses and
mules and live stock of all kinds to
Cheapside for sale and OF the people
of the countryside gathering In the
shadow of the, statue of John Cabeii
Breckenridge, former Vice PRESIDENT
of the United States. to discuss the
political issues of the day. For. 1t
develops, Cheapside has for hundred
and sixteen years been the property
of the county.
An Ancient Institution.
Back in 1890 Cheapside was the cen
ter of the city of Lexington. then the
metropolis of the west. At that time
the city trustees ordered the first
market house erected on the square.
The pillory and the stocks. the public
we'll and the courthouse (as at pres
enD stood on Cheapside. There on
Wednesdays and Saturdays the coun-
try people brought in their produce
and the city dweIler and the country
dweller met and traded and swapped
tales and talked politics. In later
years James Lane Allen, Kentucky
writer. made Cheapside famous with
his description of the monthly court
day." the last of the ancient institu-
tions of central kentucky.
In 1905. it develops, the city OF
Lexington decided Cheapside to the
county of Fayette. Sinee that time
the county has been responsible for
it.
Deemed n Nuisance.
In late years the brick pavement
Of Cheapside has become pitted and
rough. On court days it Is crowded
with farmers, live stock and wagons
loaded with produce-this once a
month. On other days automobiles
filled the places. parked at all angles.
For many months there have been
complaints of the unsightliness of
authority by the city police. So action
was started in circuit court to force
the city tC "abate the nuisance" The
circuit court ordered the "nuisances"
abated. But the court did not count
on the county. Now the action has
been revived through fling of a petit
ton by the county declaring it alone
has jurisdiction over this plot of
ground, containing perhaps a quarter
of an acre, in the heart of the city.
Awaiting Court Action.
What the result will be cannot be
told until the circuit court again acts
and the court of appeals has it's final
say. But one thing Is certain. the
country folk are going to fight to the
last ditch to retain their plot of
ground in the city where they can
gather and sell their stock and talk
politics.
One custom of Cheapside that has
long passed but of which James Lane
Allen tells in his story was the set
tling of physical encounters and
drinking. OF the latter Mr.. Allen
says:
Another notable recreation Of the
day was the drinking. Indeed the
two pleasures went marvelously well
together . The merchants
kept barrels of whisky in their cell
lars for their customers. Bottles of
it sat openly on the counter"