Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-05
THe eMEAT AAHUA sf1nM,
Oh what the Prophet Virgins
Bases Hts Predictions.

OTTAWA, December 26.-"I wish l
could ieel 10 certain Of heaven as l do
that a greal torn will pass over the
country 90 The 9th-llth March next"
remarked Professor Virgins, when
speaking 60 your correspondent about
his recent predictions.
u observe that the Chief Signal
Omeeg OF the Washington Meteorolog
ieGl Bureau discredits your ptedic-
ton, and says 1t is impossible for you
TO foresladow the storm you say will
sweep rom ocean to ocean next
March, What have you to say 90 the
subject
Nothing but that the storm will
come unless the planets stop in their
orbits, and that the Ghiei Officer Of
the Signal Bureau talks Of What he
knows nothing about opinions never
change natures laws"
HOW HE PREDICTS A STORM.
Admitting that will you tell me
why you believe, or, to be more posi-
tive, why you know a great storm will
occur in March2"
YES; in the same way | know when
there will be a lunar or solar eclipse
by the heavenly bodies. The d ia
on which the storms period and force
are calculated having beea heretofore
unobscrved By astronomers and found
ed partly on observation, would not.
even if given, convince the public
People in general are less credulous in
believing what they know than what
they do not know
"Why not enlighten them, them
Because | wish them to believe te
save life and property, The chief
reason, however, why they will be
iIeye is that they have known me fire.
quently to feretell storms which have
taken lace exactly as predicted"
1T s stated that your ~iorecastes
have net been made from your knowl-
edge Of astronomy, but by second
sight and communion with the spirits;
what have you to say to thar
FORMER PREDICTIONS.
Il will not refer to the many storms
| iOretOld years ago, but to those which
YOU yourself will remember Of recent
late. Last year | published a letter
in the Canadian papers, which was
subsequently, republished in the press
Of the United Stetes, announcing that
q great storm, accompanied by hail
would pass over the American cont.
cent from the southeast nr4he 25tl
If June OF that year. 1t was ol hanC
at the hour named, many proofs O
which may still be found in a larg,
lumber of United States cities. |
unrOofed houses in Washington, blew
trains from the railway track, threw
Town churches and public building
in PENNSYLVANIA. Ohio, Indiana, Iii
nois and Iowa, and was very destruc
tive in Western Canada. In GeorgiI
and Memrameook, New Brunswick
he hail lay for twenty-iour hours 81,
inches deep upon the ground. TIL.
press, both in the United States an,
Canada, were loud in their praises
and the Toronto Mail said that m
prediction was fulfilled to the letter.
IL remember the storm to whicI
you refer as well as the prediction yor
made of its coming. What other hav
you anticipated within the past yea
or so?"
Loss OF TIE ASIA.
"Early in July last | warned tn
public through the press that a gres
storm, with nigh tides, would fall upo
the Atlantic, crossing westward on th
18th Of September. The storm OF tha
date is still, and ever will be, painful
remembered by many readers of III
Herald. Her Majesty's man. of. wa,
Phoenix, was stranded on the coast {
Prince Edward Isla I'd, and the prC
peller, Asia, ioundered in Lake Huro
with over one hundred souls on board.
Why did the Asia leave Collins
wood il, as has been stated, the storl
signal Of the meteorological seryic
was raised at that port before she lei
her moorings?'
"The storm signal was not raised
A hurricane was blowing at the tim
aad the pass sngerS implored the car
tain not to leave port until the storI
sbated. Many of them had read m
representations and we're anxious {
give me the benefit of the doubt an.
accept them as likely to be realized
To their appeal the captain pointed I
the signal tower and said, The sigma
is not up; there wi ! be no storm ~
Have you pred cited auy othe
heavy storms, Profe Jsor2' asked you
correspondent.
Several others. In July last
published a warning Of q heavy storr
which would cross this meridian fror
the east on the 18th Of December. an,
it came, as you know, to the minute
| see by the Herald that the tides o.
the Newfoundland coast were highe
in that storm than ever before known
tie damage all over the Atlantic beiu
very great. | only fortell great storms
for it is only in these that the publ,
especially seamen, are interested, an
l never predicted one that did nc
come within a few hours Of the tim
stated. On the seacoast, where thel
are no mountain chains to obstruc
| can give the true time to the mil
ute"
IS NOT EMPLOYED BY INsuRANc
COMPANIES.
ut is said that 6 new departure h,
been taken by some marine insurauc
companies and that you have bee
employed by them as a weathC
|, prophet to give timely warning Of al
preaching storms, while Others char
, you with endeavoring to play upon Il
credulity OF whoever will listen
, your representations, hoping therel
to get up q sensation out Of which Va
+. might make money. What have "a
to say in refuting the Indictment"
!. Some people will say auythin
. My appointment here is for life an
/, my salary places me in comfortab
circumstances. My only Objects
serve the public; TO trade upon the
/. ignorance and superstition | ha,
always regarded as a crime. l am ava
/, that many persons do not belive m
|. but that is always the case with
thinking people and itiswell."
(; WARNS THE PRINCESS LOUISE.
! You say we are in the midst of