The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-01-10


River Thames Panic OF 1924.
j Men. IL has been well said, think In
herds. IL will be seen that they go
mad in herds, for innumerable In
stances can be given OF whole people
suddenly shaking of the tranmels or
rcasOn ana running wild under the de
lusion OF some impending calamity.
A panic terror OF the end OF the
world spread over London I'm 1886 by
the prophcsy OF the famous Winston
who predicted that the world would
be destroyed on oct l3 IN that year
Crowds Of people went ont on the ap-
pointed day 10 lslIngtOn. Highgate.
Hampstead and the intervening fields
10 witness the destruction OF London
which was TO be the beginning OF the
end
Again In the year 1861 the citizens OF
London were plunged into excitement
by two earthquake shocks. and the
prophecy Of a third which was 10 de
stroy them altogether The first OF
these shocks was on Feb 3 and threw
down several chimneys; the second
was on March 5 Public notice was
directed TO the fact that there was ex'
actly months interval between the
two shocks and u crack Drained fel-
low named Bell was 50 impressed with
the idea that there would be third IN
the forthcoming month that he com
pletely lost his SENSES and ran about
the streets predicting the destruction
Of London ON April >.
As the awtul day approached the ex.
citemcnt became intense. and great
numbers OF Credulous people resorted
TO all the villages within a circuit OF
twenty miles. there 10 await the doom
OF London. Bluckheath, lslngtOn.
Hlghgate. Hampstead aud Harrow
were crowded with panic stricken
fugitives who paid exorbitant prices
for accommodations I'm these secure re.
treats such as could not afford to pay
for lodgings at these places encamped
IN the surrounding fields.
As Is usual In pauics, the fear be
came contagious, ana hundreds who
had laughed at the prediction week
tells when they saw others doing so
and FASTENED away The river was
thought TO be place OF great security,
and accordingly all the available mcr-
chant vessels and barEes were packed
with people, who passed the night be-
tween the lth and 9th on board, eX.
pccting every moment 10 see st paul's
totter and the towers OF Westminster
abbey rock and fall amid cloud or
dust But on the following day the
greater part OF the fugitves returned.
convinced that the prophecy was a
falls, one few months afterward
Bell was confined in luuauc asylum
where he died.
Great CONSERVATION was caused i'm
London i'm 1924 by prediction that on
the LIST day OF February the waters OF
the Thames would overflow the whole
city OF London and wash away 10000
houses The prophecy was implicitly
believed, and many families packed up
their goods and removed into Kent and
Essex. As the time drew near the
numbers OF these emigrants increased
In January droves OF workmen might
be seen. followed by their wives and
children, trudging ON foot TO the vii
lagos within dtteeu or twenty miles TO
await the catastrophe People OF
higher class were also 20 he seen I'm
vehicles bound on similar errund
BY the middle OF January ut least
10000 persons had quilted the doomed
city. leaving nothing but the bare wallis
OF their homes to be swept avAy 10y
the impending foods Many ot the
Weather class took up their abode on
the heights OF Hampstead, Highgate
and BHckhegth, and some erected tents
as far away "a Waltham abbey on the
north and Croydon ON the south OF the
Thames
On the fateful morning the wonder.
ing crowds were astir at an early hour
10 watch the rising OF the waters. IL
was predicted that the inundation
would he gradual, not sudden, SO that
they expected 10 have plenty OF time
20 escape us soon as they saw the wa
ters rise beyond the usual mark
The day grew older. and the Thames
flowed on quietly rs OF yore The tide
ebbcd at It's usual hour flowed TO its
usual height and then ebbed again, just
/ rs n twenty aStrologers had not pledg-
+ ed their word TO the contrary
+ Blank We're their faces as evening
approached. and as blank grew the
/ faces OF the citizens to think that they
had made such fools OF themselves
/ Night set IN. aud the obstinate river
would not Hft It's waters to sweep
away even one home ont of the 10
+ 600 Still however. the people were
afraid Co go tu sleep Many hun
dreds remained up tili dawn ot the
next day. lest the do'usr should come
upon them likp % tnlet iu the night
On the morrow e was seriously dis.
cuSsed whether jt would not be advis
able 70 duck the false prophets IN the
river IucEliN tut them they thought
~ an eNprdiput which allayed the
popular fury lhey asserted thar by
nn error They nul fXed the date of