Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-27
CALAMITY PREDICTIONS.
The Time Is Ripe for War and Horrible
CatacIysm.

| Cataclysm.
| A paper by DR.. Joseph Eodes Blu
chanan on The Coming Cataclysm of
America and Europe printed in The
Arena ten years ago, contains some
prophecies which may be read with in
terest at this time. The writer says
that he is an optmist, q full believer
in the noblest destiny of man, but he
cannot maintain his optimism against
reason, against evidence. against
science and against the teachings of
history" and these point to calamity
and catastrophe.
The twentieth century," he says,
will be ushered in with increasing
agitation and discomfort, not because
the reasons therefor are increasing. but
because men are becoming inilamed by
brooding over the social condition, the
contrast of princely wealth and abject
poverty. How high the agitation will
rise in the next eighteen years it
would not be safe to predict but dur
ing that time it will be increased by
the war in Europe which will come on
near the beginning of the twentieth
century, and end in the destruction of
monarchy. Nineteen years hence war
or quasi war will appear in this coun
try, and the CONFUSION will not be ar
rested until about 1916. The six years
prior to that date will be by far the
most calamitous that America has
ever known"
Then the writer pictures the tri-
umph of the destructive elements, the
horrors of a war between capital and
labor interminsled with a religious
element of discord. The church as
power" he says. will be thoroughly
shattered, for the power of this revolu
ton has outgrown the old Bible. The
letters of the past will be shaken off,
the marriage relation approXimated to
freedom. for the drift of the future is
that way and beyond. The cycle of wo-
!. man is approaching, and that will be
full compensation for the horrors
through which we are to pass. The
twentieth century will witness the ex-
istence of a religion in which all that
was good in the past will survive"
Earthquakes Prophosied.
After speaking of the destructive
changes that will follow the cutting
down of the forest he says: In the
midst of all these horrors Of war and
floods. a terrible climax will be reached
in geological CONFUSION compared
to which the earthquakes of New
Madrid, OF Java, of Lisbon and Cara
cas- will seem unimportant.'
| DR.. Buchanan gives an elaborate
description Of the causes Of earth
quakes, and predicts that such dis
turbanCes will occur in the time of ca
lamity, from 1910 to 1916.
| That we are floating in a perlous
proximity to death was shown in the
New Madrid earthquake in 1911. and
the recent Charleston earthquake.
do not think that any able geologist
would dare to assert the safety of our
Atlantic coast, and l hope there will
be no crazy investment of millions iE
forts and cannon on that coast, for
they would line the bottom of the sea
long before any hostile fleet shall APP
pear. What shall become of the
millionaire palaces is not distressing
question. except to their owners. but
the huge buildings for manufacturing
industry are a public concern, and
hope the enterprising will not be
tempted to locate any more on the dan
gerous lowlands. I believe it is con-
ceded that New York, or Manhattan
Island, is very slowly sinking at pres
emit and the subsistence is greater on
the Jersey coast, as an intelligent citi
zen of that state. an observer and
traveller. told me that a subsistence of
three feet had been recognized at At
lantic City. But it will be no such
slow subsistence that will destroy the
coast. 1t will be a sudden calamity.
Permit me now, without giving my
chief reason. after showing the posi-
blities and probabilities l have men
toned, to announce my firm convic
ton that in the midst of our coming
civil war the Atlantic coast will be
wrecked by submergence and tidal
waves from the borders of New Eng
land to the southern borders of the
Gulf of Mexico. There will be no safe
ty below the hills.
II is with great hesitation and re-
luctance that l have consented to pre-
sent this horrible panorama, but truth
should be our paramount aim. Every
seaboard city south of New England
that is not more than fifty feet above
sea level of the Atlantic coast is deS-
: tined to destructive CONFUSION.
s Galveston, New Orleans Mobile. ST.
g Augustine, Savannah and Charleston
e are doomed. Richmond, Baltimore
/ Washington. Philadelphia. Newark,
S Jersey City and New York will suffer
3 in various degrees in proportion as
they approximate the sea level Brook
Ign will suffer less, but the destruction
at New York and Jersey City will be
the grandest horror. The CONFUSION
will probably begin on the Pacific
coast. and perhaps extend in the Pa
oific toward the Sandwich islands The
: shock VIII he terrible. with great loss