The herald., 1893-08-13
LETTER BAG.
The story of rwo Panics.

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EDIToRs HERALD: AZ the bank run
Of few days duration in June last has
passed into history and the Iunacy SUBJ
sided 90 far as Los Angeles is sconcerned,
no harm can come FROM comment. That
the insane raid on tho banks during
those memorable three days was wholly
inexcusGble and species Of lunacy
which attacks people at periods when
least anticipated, as rabies does dogs, is
generally conceded. A repetition of the
experience ia not desired in this COM
munity, but the contagion aeems to
strike nearly every active town through
out the country much the same AZ it did
Los Angeles, and like smallpox, yellow
fever or cholera, runs it's course when
ever it breaks out. Human beings get
panic stricken and stampede at slight
provocation like cattle, and are equally
as irrational.
The unseemly demonstration Of q few
weeks ago calls vividly to mind scene
which transpired on the plains in what
Is now Montana, then Washington terri
tory, in 1862. The two occurrences have
relative resemblance.
A large caravan Of emigrants was
making it's way over the plains in the
year named. and the motive power was
the patient, primitive OK.
AT night. when camp was formed, the
long line Of wagons was formed into q
huge oblong corral, the wagons placed
as closely together as possible. the
forward end inward. This for safety in
case OF attack from hostile Indians; and
in dangerous regions the cattle were
driven into this enclosure after feeding
and closely guarded after night. One
bright, beautiful morning in June q
scene and tragedy took place at one of
these camps VIII ch beggars. description
and will ever be remembered by the
witnesses. The camp commenced to
stir at an early hour preparatory to
driving the cattle out to feed, when q
few OF them became excited from some
unknown cause and a scene of fury fol-
lowed. One old OK jumped up suddenly
and snorted, and then another and an
other tails went into the air, and the
whole baud, numbering about 200, be-
gan to surge and crack their horns to-
gether, and pandemonium commenced.
A ruah was made for narrow opening
where wagon had been removed and
a stampede, new thing to the members
OF that company, was in full swing. A
yOuhk ih0y, oho0o 40 JOhA6 VIM WOO
sitting on the tongue of the wagon which
had been run out, combing her hair.
She WAS caught by the maddened brutes
and literally trampled into a mass OF
fine bones and mu ddy paste, and the
wagon and contents completely stove
into nothing. When the mad rush
passed portion of this muddy mass, q
few moments before q living human
being, was gathered up and given a
decent burial. with every available form
and Christian ceremony. The mad
cattle ran as only such animals can,
until thoroughly exhausted. and fell
one by one along the road, IL or 10
miles, until the last old bull tumbled
over, winded and painting, and the
stampede had ended. These animals
bad patiently toiled and tusged
through deep and scalding sand. under
a pitiless sun, q distance of more than
1000 miles, with scant feed and water;
were foot sore, worn and ready to wander
away and die, as many did, yet became
terrified at nothing and stampeded in a
panic, performing just about as human
cattle do under like circumstances. 1t
took several days to get the cattle to-
gether and be ready 10 move forward
again, men, women and children used
up, worn out and heart sick, and they
did not fully recover from the wild
excitement for the rest Of the journey.
II it be true, as advocates of evolution
contend, that the human family started
from the lower order of animals .nd
have but evoluted along up to such
degree of perfection and intelligence as
each may enjoy, there 10 abundance evi.
dence to show the unreasonirg animal
may be but little higher bred animal
after all; liable to get panic-stricksn
and stamped like band of mad steers,
with as little cause, and trample into
the dirt everything before them. asd
paralize everything, whether it be
peaceful emigrant train or run on the
banks and wrecking the business OF an
otherwise civilized community.
X. H. HEWITT.