Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-11
THE CLOSE OF CENTURIES.
History Shows That Each Winds Up
With Periods Of Calamities
From the New York Tribune,

From the New York Tribune.
History teaches that the closing wears Of
each OF the hygone centuries have been rem
dered memorable by a more than usual amount
OF sorrows, troubles and ills TO which mankind
is heir. Alarmed lest the century should pass
away without the human race receiving it's full
quota Of suffering. the powers OF nature ap-
pear to have crowded into its concluding years
all the unspent hoard OF pestilence, famine,
war and catastrophes OF every kind Nor docs
the final decade OF the nineteenth century
seem destined TO prove any exception TO the
rule. 1t has opened in manner that cannot be
regarded as otherwise than ominous. Cholera
has once more deserted the oriental head
quarters and invaded Europe from several
points, bearing death and desoiation in its
train Famine is again casting its blighting
shadow over the sorely stricken inhabitants
of the Emerald Isle. In Italy the misery
is appalling that starvation is de-
populatiDg entire districts, and from every
quarter of the globe come tales of ruined
crops, destroyed herds and devastated homes.
While no one country or district can be said to
have escaped, it would appear as if the forces
of nature had concentrated Their principal ef-
forts for evil upon the central portion Of Eu-
rope. Germany, Switzerland, a part of France
and in particular Austria are at present the par
ticuar sufferers. The phylloxera has for the
| first time on record secured foothold IN the
vineyards of the Champagne and OF the Rhine,
and threatens completely to destroy these
productive industries; and while in one portion
of Austria the drought is SO intense that the
cattle and the horses dying by the thou
sands for want OF fodder, the remainder of the
empire, well as southern Germany and
Switzerland is suffering from terrible inunda-
tions. So appalling have the latter become
that a special department of the government
has been organized in all haste at Vienna for
the purpose of dealing with the danger.
The principal rivers have burst their
banks in number Of places, food
ing the surrounding districts, arresting railroad
communications and running the crops The
Lake OF Constance has risen to tn. highest
level known for more than one hundred years,
and many OF the other island seas have fol-
lowed suit, rendering a suspension OF naviga-
ton imperative. And what in the eyes Of the
superstitious is worse than all, the Carlsbruecks
at Prague. which for five hundred years has
withstood the onslaughts OF the Moldau, has
Just crumbled away into the river, carrying
with il the famous and venerated statue OF st.
John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of thean-
cient city of Prague and OF the bohemian
nation. Without attaching undue importance
TO the fears and terrors of the BohemiRns, who
regard as the worst Of omens the dissppearancs
of the statue OF st. John-a statue which was
visited eyery year by thousands of pious pill
grms-it must be admitted that many Euro
peans have every reason 20 Wow the approach
of the coming winter with fear and Apprs-
hension.