The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-07
A CURIOSITY OF HISTORY.

Closing Yenrs of Each Century Marked by
Grcnt Misfortunes.
NtV FORK tribune.
History teaches that tho closing years
OF each OF tho bygone centuries have
been rendered memorable by n more
than usual amount OF the SORROWS,
troubles and ills 10 which mankind is
heir. Alarmed lest the century should
pass away withou. the human race re-.
cGiving its full quota Of suffering, the
Powers OF Nature appear to have crowd.
cd into its concluding yearB all the I'm.
spent hoard OF pcstilence, famine, war
and c~atastrophies Of every kind. Nor
does the final decade OF the nineteenth
century seem destined to prove any ex.
ception to the rule. 1t has opened in A
manner that cannot be regarded as
otherwise than omiuous. Cholera has
once more deserted the Oriental head.
quarters and invaded Europe from sew.
eral points, bearing death and desola.
ton in its train. Famine is again cast.
ing its blighting shadow over the sorely
stricken inhabitants OF the Emerald Isle.
In Italy the misery is so appalling that
starvation is depopulating entire dis.
tricts, and from every quarter OF the
globe comes tales OF ruined crops, de-
stroyed herds and devastated homes.
While no one country or district can
be eaid to have escaped, it would appear
as il the forces OF nature had concen.
lrated their principal efforts for evil upon
the central portion Of Europe. Ger.
many, Switzerland, and a part OF France,
and in particular Austria, are at present
the principal sufferers. The phyloxera
has for the first time on record secured a
foothoid in the vineyards OF the Cham.
paign and OF the Rhine, and threatens
completely to destroy these productive
industries; and while in one portion of
Austria the drouth is so intense that the
cattle and horses are dying by the thou.
ands for want OF fodder, the remainder
OF tho Empire, as well as Southern Ger
many and Switzerland, is suffering from
terrible foundations. So appalling have
the latter become that q special depart.
ment Of the Government has been or.
ganized in all haste at Vienna for the
purpose OF dealing with the danger. The
principal rivers have burst their banks
in n number Of places, flooding
the surrounding districts, arrest.
ing railroad communications and
running the crops. The Lake OF Con-
stance has rigen 10 the highest level
known for more than a hundred years,
and many Of the inland seas have fol-
lowed suit, rendering n suspension of
imperative. And what in
the eyes OF the superstitious is worse
than all, the Carlsbruecke a. Prague,
which for half 4 Thousand years has
withstood the %onslaughts OF the Moldau,
has just crumbled away into the river,
carrying with it tho famous and yener-
ated statue Of St. John OF Nepomuk, the
saint Of the ancient City of
and OF the Bohemian nation.
Without attaching any undue impor-
lance to the fears and terrors Of the b.
hemians, who regard as the worst OF
onens the disappearance OF the statue OF
St. John-a statue which was visited
every year by thousands OF pious pill.
Grims-it must be remembered that many
Europeans have every reason to view
the approach Of the coming winter with
fear aud apprehension.