The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1913-03-01
SCARES IN LONDON
When Cranks Predicted the De-
struction Of the City.
TERROR RULED THE PEOPLE.

lstion In a Frenzy Of Fear Awaiting
the End BY Earthquake In 17e1-Ths
River Thames Panic Of 1924.
Men. 1t has been well xaid. think In
herds. It will he seen that they go
mad in herds. for innumerabe III
stances can be given of a whole people
suddenly shak king Cd the trammels OF
reason and running Wild under the de
iusion of some impending calamity.
A pnnic terror of the end of the
world spread over London In 1876 by
the prophesy of the famous Winston.
he destroyed on Oct. 10 In that year.
Crowds Of people went out on the az
pointed day to lsiington. Highgate.
Hampstead and the Intervening delds
to witness the destruction of London.
which was to he the beginning OF the
end
Again In the year 1901 the citizens of
London were plunged Into excitement
by two earthquake shocks. and the
stroy them altogether. The first of
these shocks was on Feb y and threw
down several chimneys: the second
was ON March y. Public notice was
directed to the fact that there was ex-
actly months interval between the
two shocks. and crack Drained fell
low named Bell was SO impressed with
the Idea that there would be third In
the forthcoming month that be COM
v,In nj lp.t nd al
the streets predicting the destruction
Of London on April 8.
As the awful day approached the ex-
element became intense. and great
numbers of credulous people resorted
to all the villnges within a circuit of
twenty miles. there to await the doom
of London. BIackbeath. lslington.
Hlghgate. Hampstead and Harrow
were crowded with panic stricken
fuGitives who paid exorbitant prices
for accommodations In these secure re-
treats. Such AZ could not AFFORD to pay
for lodgings at these places encamped
In the surrounding fields.
As Is usual In panics, the fear be-
came contagious. and hundreds who
had laughed at the prediction week
before packed up their goods and chat
tells when they saw others doing so
and hastened away. The river was
thought to be place Of great security,
and accordingly all the available mer-
chant vessels and barges werc packed
with people. who passed the night BE-
tween the 4th and 5th on board. ex.
pecting every moment to zee st. Paul's
tottsr and the towers Of Westminster
abbey rock and fall amid cloud of
dust. But on the following day the
greater part Of the fugitives returned.
convinced that the prophecy was
false one. A few months afterward
Bell was confined in a lunatic asylum.
where he died.
Grent CONSERVATION was caused in
London in 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
b. seen. followed by their wives and
children. trudging on foot to the VII
lagos within fifteen or twenty miles to
await the catastrophe. People OF a
higher clnss were also to be seen In
vehicles bound on similar errand.
BY the middle Of January Mt least
20.OOO persons Ind quilted the doomed
city. leaving nothing but the bare walls
Of their homes to be swept away by
the impending foods. Many of the
weather. class took up their abode on
the heights Of Hampstead. Highgate
and Biackheath. and some erected tents
az far away as 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
to watch the rising Of the waters. 1t
was predicted that the inundation
would he gradual. not sudden. 80 that
they expected to have plenty of time
to escape III soon as they saw the wa
tiers rise beyond the usual mark.
The day grew older. and the Thames
AS"So WI ShiSe'y &c VI yStSs uC ttuS
ebbed at Its usual hour. flowed to its
usual height and then ebbed again. just
as II twenty astroIogers had not pledg-
ed their word to the contrary.
Blank were their fac.s 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. and the obstinate river
would not lift its waters to sweep
away even one home out of the TO-
600. Still. however. the people were
afraid to go to sleep Many bun.
dreds remained IN till dawn Of the
next day. lest the deluge should come
upon them like thief In the night.
On the morrow II was seriously dis
cussed whether 1t wonld not he advis.
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