The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-08-05
END OF THE WORLD PANICs.
Stupid Prophecies That Once Found
Credenee in England.

Stupid Prophecies That Once Found
Credenee in England.
Thousands of people have. been ex-
pecting the end of the world for years
and have been disappointed. One
well known prophet has been foretell-
ing the end of the world for thirty
years or more. 1t is an awkward
thing to let the lease of your business
premises fall in anticipation of the end
of the world.
The latest date fixed by the prophet
for the last day of this age is either
Thursday, May 2, 1929, or April g., 1881
I-he is still uncertain which. But be-
tween now and then twenty-five king
doms or states are to be reduced to the
ten of Cars original Roman empire.
Before this continental transformation
| is completed there are to be wars and
earthquakes, troubles, commotions'
famines and pestlences.
In the later months of the end the
earth is to visited with plaques of
noisome sores, the sea, as we'll as the
rivers and fountains, is to turn to
blood, the sun is to scorch men for
| fifteen days, there is to be total dark
ness for three days and then earth
cakes are to shake down all cities.
At one time comets used to be the
grand terror. Even educated people,
including astronomers supposed that
one day a comet would bump against
the earth, and either set is ablaze or
shatter it into space. In the middle of
| the nineteenth century the greatest
alarm was manifested all over Europe
lest The comet which tn en- appeared
should crash the world to atoms. Men
and women and children came out of
their houses and watched with drawn
white faces the long, luminous tail
sweeping through the sky. In due
course the comet disappeared from
view, and nothing happened.
London has had several end of the
world panics. The famous Winston
once predicted that the world would
come to an end on a certain 18th Of
October. The destruction of the
mighty city of London, it was said,
was to mark the beginning of the end.
1.-The inhabitants were seized with ter
door. People thronged the street ter
ror stricken. They rushed to Isling-
ton, to Hamstead, and congregated in
all the adjoiningfields to watch and
wait, fearing the worst, hoping for the
best. Hour after hour they waited
until the dawn of another day. Then
they felt safe, and, tired and weary
went home, leaving the world intact.
On another occasion a panic was
caused in London by two earthquake
shocks. The first shock occurred on
the 9Th of February, and down went
several big chimneys in Poplar and
Limehouse. On the 9Th of March an
lother shock occurred, but was confined
mostly to the districts of Highgate and
Hampstead. The coincidence of the ont
shock following the other at an inter-
val of month exactly excited wide
spread comment. The it was that a
lcrazyheaded soldier named Bell rush
ed through the streets proclaimine
that the next earthquake, which would
occur on the corresponding day of
April, would destroy London as a pre-
limary to the end of the world.
People began to brood on the COM
ing calamity. From brooding they
frightened themselves into wild panic
Thousands made hasty preparations
for departing from London before the
great catastrophe occurred. Vast num-
bers crowded into the villages for miles
around as the doy of doom crept nearer
Fugities of all classes poured into Har-
row, Highgate, Blackheath, Islington
and Hampstead, paying extortionate
rates for lodgings.
The area of the panic quickly extend
ed. Rich. people who had laughted be-
gan to tremble. Beginning to tremble
they concerted measures for their safe
ty. Water seemed to offer greater
protection than land. They rushed to
1.-THE Thames and crowded on the mer-
chant ships there, waiting for West
minister Abbey and st. st. Paufs to
crash down The eventful day came
land passed, leaving London in it's nor
NAL state. Then there was great
rush home. Bell subsequently died in
a lunatic asylum.
| Some years afterward there was a
ipanic on a smaller scale at Leeds, ir
Yorkshire. This happened because a
hen laid an egg. 1t was not an ordinary
egg. 1t was an egg inscribed with
certain writing announcing the end Of
the world The fame of that egg was
noised abroad, and, strange to relate
that hen commenced to lay other eggs
inscribed in similar way.
The place Of miracle was soon be.
lsieged by crowds of people anxious to
leXamine the amazing products of the