Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-12-17
END Of THE WORLD
HOAX FOUND MANY
PEOPLE WORRIED.
PREDICTION or PROF. PORTA ANc
ITS ATTENDING BUBBLE RC
CULTS" CAUSED INSANITY AND
SUICIDES.

Chicago, Dec. II. To-day viii $ ~
the elimination Of he most gigantic
hoax In history the prediction Of the
end OF thc world By Or. Albert H.
Porta, astronomer Of the University o.
Michigan.
l.uicide and insanity followed the
prediction Of the astronomer that To-
day Il conjunction Of the. planets
would bring about the catuclysm.
According to Prof Portals original
statement, the coSmic upheaval is
scheduled IN take place about noon 10.
day, when Venus, Mars, Mercury, SAT.
urn. Jupiter and NEPTUNE are to line
up on the same side OF the sun us
our own planet. while he eighth mem
Der of the planetary group, Uranus,
will be on the same line on the other
SIDE OF the sun
Gravitatonal influences, according
to Prof. porta. will release several
stars from their regular places. ana
one OF these IS destined the profess"
said to destroy the earth.
Modiftes Prediction.
Pressed for details. Prof forta de-
MED making the prediction. He said
that what he did predict was Il series
of terrific stoms on the Pacific coasJ
between Dec Il and Dec. 81, the ei
fects of which may be felt for toward
the east.
Last nigh. Prof h, Il. Frost, famous
astronomer Of the Williams Bay OBJ
servatory. delivered some strong re-
marks on the subject.
ut is the sheercst and most mis-
erable nonsense he said, There is
absolutely no foundation for any such
tommyrot The planets nave been ~
the position they viii assume at lea Il
a thousand times as far as history
records, and no harm has ever come
of it,
Prof. Forrest G. Mouiton of the a..
Economical department Of the I'M
versity OF Chicago, one Of the fore
most authorities in the world was
equally positive in his Teiutation q
Prof. Portals prophecy.
The conjunction OF the planets may
possibly have some slight effect upon
the weather. but no serious disturb.
ance can possibly result he said
Savants in other parts OF the Conn-
try were of similar opinions.
Causes Many Suic ides.
Regarded mainly as humorous, tn"
prediction of Prof. purta has n"d som
serious effects. Numerous suicides
were reported in various aarts o. tn
world, traced directly to the b"iinl
OF those who killed themselves thai
they were merely an icipatlng certain
death Dec. ~.
The immediate result noted here
last night vas in the form OF Increase
church attendance. Ministers reror'
ed that since the prediction was mad" /
people who seldom attended churrl
have been regular worshipers.
Prof. Portals prediction was tha
owing to the strange grouping OF the
six mighty planets. such as he claim /
ed had not been seen in a score o
centuries, the United States today
would be swept by the most terrific
weather cataclysm experienced sine"
human history began.
Predicted Huge Sun Spot
He said that it would be caused by ,
the highest sun spot on records
sun spot that will be visible to tn
naked eye.
Prof. Porta said further.
The sun spct will be vaset wounH
in the side Of the sun. II Will be It
gigantic explosion OF flaming 2aSrr,
leaping hundreds of thousands oi
miles into space. Il " i'll have crntef (
large enough to engulf the earth. Slch
a sun spot will be rich enough IN elec'
trO-magnetic energy to fling the atmoS'
phere of our planet into a distur6anc (
without precedence or parallel.
"No Desire to Alarm"
There will be hurricanes. lightning,
colossal rains. 1t will be weeks before
the earth will regain it's normal con
diton There will also be gigantic
lava eruptions, great earthquakes. IN
say nothing Of Hoods and fearful cold
Il make this startling prophecy wit'
no desire to be merely sensational or
alarming. II is simply because Of my
study OF the planets has revealed GER
tain results with mathematical Ger
tainty.',
Noted astronomers, such as Dr. II,
T. Stetson of Harvard and DR.. Jacoht
Of Columbia, Immediately character
lied Prof Portals prediction as pre-