The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1921-12-10
Feud Between City
And Country Dwellers

Lexington, KY, Dec. 1O.-Kentucky
has had it's feuds in the mountains
and it's duels in the Bluegrass and the
purchase but not for century has d
more bitter bloodleSs feud been fought
than that now being 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 Cheapsidc, block
in the center of the city, an institution
of 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 mis-
take was made in not including the
county in the suit to abolish the Gus
tom of farmers bringing their horse
and mules and livestock of all kinds
to Cheapside for sale and of the peo-
pie Of the countryside gathering ir
the shadow of the statute Of John Ca
bell Breckenridge, former vice -prcsi
dent of the United States, to discuss
the political issues of the day. For
it develops, Cheapside has for hun
dred and sixteen years been the prop
crty of the county.
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 mar
ket house erected on the square. The
pillory and the stocks, the public well
and the courthouse (as at presently
st9od< en .c4eapside. There on We'd
nesdays and Saturdays the countr,
people brought in their produce and
the city dweller and the country dwell
er met and traded and snapped tales
and talked politics. In later years
James Lane Allen, Kentucky writer,
made Cheapside famous with his de-
scription of the monthly "court day."
the last of the ancient institutions OF
central Kentucky.
In 1906, it develops, the city of Lex
ington decided Cheapside to the county
of Fayette. Since that time the coun-
ty has been responsible for it,
In late years the brick payment of
Cheapside has become pitted and
rough. On court days it is crowded
with farmers and livestock and wag-
ons loaded with produce-this once a
month. On other days automobiles
Sllad Tho plooos oaclyod Of oil oroloe
For many months there have been
complaints of the unsightliness of
Cheapside and the apparent lack of
authority by the city police. So ac-
ton was started in circuit court to
force the city to "abate the nuisance" i"
The circuit court ordered the "nui-
sances" abated. But the court did not
count on the county. Now the action
has been revived through filing Of a
petition by the county declaring it
alone has jurisdiction over this plot Of
ground, containing perhaps quar-
ter of an acre, in the heart of the
city.
What the result will be cannot be
tOld until the circuit court again acts
and the court of appeals has its final
say. But one thing is certain, the
country folk are going to fight to the
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
ting Of physical encounters and drink
ing. Of the latter, Mr.. Allen says:
Another notable recreation of the
day was the drinking. Indeed the two
pleasures went marvelously well to.
gether +. The merchants kept bar
rels Of whiskey in their cellars for
their customers. Bottles of it sat op-
enly on the counter"