The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-01-24
SCARES in LONDON
When Cranks Predicted the De-
struction Of the City.
TERROR RULED THE PEOPLE.

Bell, Lunatic, Had the Entire popu-
lation IN q Frenzy Of Fear Awaiting
the End BY Earthquake In 1761-The
River Thames Panic Of 1924.
Men. 1t has been well said. think in
herds 1t viii be seen that they go
mad in herds, for innumerable in.
stances can be given OF a whole people
suddenly shaking OF the trammeIs or
reason and running wild under the de-
fusion Of some impending calamity.
A panic terror OF the end of the
world spread over London in 1876 by
the prophesy Of the famous Winston,
who predicted that the world would
be destroyed on Oct. IS in that year.
Crowds Of people went out on the APP
pointed day to lslington. Highgate.
Hampstead and the intervening fields
to witness the destruction Of London,
which was to be the beginning of the
end"
Again in the year 1761 the citizens Of
London were plunged into excitement
by two earthquake shocks, and the
prophecy of a third. which was to de-
stroy them altogether The first Of
these shocks was on Feb. 8 and threw
down several chimneys; the second
was on March & Public notice was
directed to the fact that there was ex-
actly months interval between the
TWO shocks, and crack Drained rel
low named Bell was so impressed with
the idea that there would be third IN
the forthcoming month that be COM
pletely lost MS senses ana ran about
the streets predicting the destruction
o. London on April o
As fne aWIui DAY approached the e.
citenaenr became intense. ana great
numbers OF creoulous people resorte0
70 al tue villages Witnin circuit Oh
twenty miles. there 20 aWalt tne doom
OF LONDON. Blackneatn' isllngIon'
were crowded Wild pane strlcaen
Lueauves VINO paid exorDirant Prices
ZOE accol nouatiOns ~ these secure -
sreaes' sucn a. couio nol aHoru 20 pay
.oe iouslnes e. THESE places encanpeu
- ene surrounding ne,us'
as y usua. u pan.cs, tue IeaI pe-
came contaglous. ana nundfeds VINO
hau iausneu at tue preuicIlon Wees
Deiore packeu up tneir goous anu cnat-
1els wnen tney saw oLners doing SO
anu naseeneu away Ane river was
snousnt " % place OF great security,
anu accozuansly an tne avanaple mer-
cnant VESSELS anu Darges were packeu
WIN people, VINO passed inc nignt pc
tween Ine arn ana otn on board ex-
pecung every monenI 70 see St. raufs
Aotter ana the lowers OF westminster
aDpey rocK ana Iali amlo a CLOUD OF
dust-r4 on Ine Ioliowing Gay tne
greater part OF the lugiuves returned
convinced tnat the prophecy was
zaise one. a rev months arterWard
beii was connhed 70 iunauc asylum,
Wnere ne cleo.
Great consternauon was caused IN
LONDON IN 1919 Dy q preolctlon tnal on
me lst Gay OF FeDruary tne waters OF
ene Lnames Wouid -oVernow the Wnoie
c1fy or LONDON ana WASH away lO'OOO
nouses. Tne prophecy was lmpncatiy
Deileveds ana many Iamaiies packed up
Enear goods ana removed INTO Kent ana
hssex- AZ the ume drew near Ine
numbers OF these emigrants increased
In January droves OF workmen might
pe SEEN followed by their wives ana
cniloren, truuglng on loot 20 tne VII
iages wlrnin ufteen OF twenty miles %
await the catastrophe. People OF q
Mgner class We're also 70 De seen II
vehicles bound on similar errand
BY the middle OF January at least
z0,OO0 persons mad Quilted the doomed
city, leaving nothing but the bare walls
AqS their homes to be swept away by
u1e impending foods. Many OF the
weather class took up their abode on
the heights OF Hampstead. Highgate
and Blackheath. and some erected tents
IS far away as Waltham abbey on the