Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-10-09
TERMS--S2. 90 PER YEAR
wIGGINS' PREDICTIONS SECUTED.
Proctor, the Astronomer, gives the Wealth.
er Prophet a Severe scoring.

ef IFopntt u severe scoring.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. Sept 2G.-Tbe English as
tronUmcr Richard \. Proctor In an article con-
tributed to ,he Globe Democrat entitled Mr.
WigEins' P:ophecy,' saws: ut appears 10 me
shameful that any man. even though he be a
student OF science and therefore fully aware
OF the mischief he IS doing should spread
abroad predictions OF coming disaster Of such
Il sort that foolish folks are likely To be dis
turbed and terrified. Mr.. Wiggius, a half
educated and wholly Unscientilc emplOye Of
the meteorological office in Ottawa, has long
cndeavored TO acquire a cheap reputation by
weather predictions of that kind, which Of
itself assures the student of science that the
weather prophet is utterly ignorant or exceed
ingly knOwsh' -
After noting several instances Of the failures
II former predictions made by Niggins. Mr..
Proctor asserts that the formers alleged dis
cOvery of II second moon is but a re invention
An adopted discoyery-aud sustalns his
statement from quotations from lice aud VI.
Petit of second lunar body similar 10 tle
visible moon is an impossibity.
Mr.. W Igglns continues the writer claims
TO have predicted the earthquake Of August
81. But. truly, he has so continuously threat
encd storms and earthquakes, no great dis
turhance Of either sort could steer clear OF
ON the 18th inst there will be another great
earthquake, one of the most terrific subter-
ranean uphcvals ever known on this con-
tincnt He knows that such prediction will
attract attention for awhile Ia his name, and
that II no disturbance should take place on
the 29;h or near enough 10 that date 10 seem
like fulfilment Of his prediction people will
soon forget the failure of bis prophecy and be
a5 ready rs ever 10 listen 10 him again. II
NAV. however, be, perhaps, asked whether there
Is not some reason FOR regarding September %
rs a day Of danger. Even WiggiIs, it may
be suggested, at least imagines reasons for his
pred ctOus a. 1ices, the Nenors and others of
the mischievous tribe have imagined for theirs
in the past
Mr.. Proctor then shows that certain well
known astronomical facts have probably in-
duCCd Mr.. Wiggins ~ make his latest pre-
dlction, one being the slight tendency OF
earthquakes 10 increase during the months OF
August and September and another that
earth h-thrues are more apt to occur when the
moon Is ia or near her point Of nearest ap-
proach 10 the earth and In or near the line
connecting earth and sun than at other times.
The moon will be in such position during
the latter part of the present month.
But such conditions, Mr.. Proctor observes,
recur year after year, aud resulting earth
quaSes are no more liable TO occur this year
than in any September Of the coming century.
On the contrary, he argues that there has
already been one great earthquake and It is
exceedingly probable that the imprisoned
forces OF the earth beneath the American
continent have for while found relief and
that no great eartnquake will occur in the
same region for many years, possibly cen
turies.