The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-08
PEOPLE or orHEn woRLDs.
If Jupiter Is Pcopled the Men There Are
Sixty Feet Tall.

II Jupiter is Peopled the Men There Are
Baltimore suG sixty f''' -a--'
A great deal has been said and much
speculation INDUCED in with reference
to the question whether the celestial
worlds are inhabited by intellectual
beings similar to the earth-lnhabiting
man. 1t scarcely admits OF doubt that
this interesting question will ever re-
main a mere matter OF speculation, but
let us suppose that being resembling
mon in stature were dwelling on those
glorious orbs We sec in the vast vault OF
the heavens, and let us investigate what
proportions they would bear to US, pro-
vided the length OF their bodies was in
the same ratio to the diameter OF their
respective globe rs ours to the diameter
OF the earth. For this reason We have
chosen the largest orb OF our solar sys-
TEN, the central body of that system
itself, and the most brilliant fixed star
in the sky.
The average inhabitant Of the planet
Jupiter would stand about sixty feet in
his shoes Were such Jovian to visit
our earth he would be able, without the
danger of dislocating his neck, to look
into the topmost stories OF our metro
politan buildings. A Jovian infants
cradle would be considered by us very
comfortable bed to rest in. The huge
soldiers OF Ariovistus, whose mere sight
struck terror into Caesars legions would
dwindle into very pigmies were they to
DO compared with the Jovian soldier;
nay, the latter would cody pick up
King Ariovistus himself, with three or
four OF his body.guard, and put them
into his knapsack to keep them as ami
mated toys to play with during the hours
OF rest.
The solar inhabitant OF average size
would measure height OF over 600 feet,
SO that, wore he to visit the earth, the
most capacious building ever erected by
man would be too small to offer him
hospitality. Three or four dozen fat
tened oxen would form but meager
breakfast for that capacious cavern-h
stomach. On the palm OF his hand n
whole company OF terrestrial soldiers
would have sufficient room to 90
through their military drill and evolu-
lions. What deafening sounds would
emerge from those enormous bellows
salar mans lungs-even if he were to
keep the pitch OF his voice within the
limits OF ordinary speech, not to mem
ton the hurriance that would sweep
over the land were solar congressional
senate to indulge in their favorite pas
time OF blowing of rhetorical gas.
Would not the speaker'sgavel calling an
obstreperous member to order break
the windows within radius OF consid-
ernble length.
The distances OF the fixed stars from
us are so enormous that, as yet, no
absolutely reliable means have been
found OF ascertaining the real magni-
tudes of those colossal orbs. Still it is
to be presumed that some OF them, by
dint Of frequent observations, and by
plying to them that powerful lever in
the hands OF the astronomer, spectrum
analysis, may be with certainty consid-
cred as being at least n certain number
OF times rs great as the sun. To most
oil us the sun is the quintesSence OF
what is large, but compared with most
fixed stars it becomes small, for were it
removed to the distance OF the nearest
fixed star it would shine with the brill
nancy OF only staE Vi the seCOH0 mug
nitude.
Sirius, the king among the fixed stars
OF our armament, is at least so large
that, if it were inhabited by beings
similar to men, one of average size
would attain to the dazzling height of
one and one.half miles-that OF re-
spectacle mountain peak. Here we
leave it to tho Imagination Of the reader
to picture to himself world peopled
with such gigantic beings, compared
with whom we poor terrestrial mortals
sink into utter insignifcance. Still
there is one consoling thought-viz.,
that in a small body there may dwell
large soul and vigorous mind, the one
immortal and the other capable Of
graphing with the abstrusest questions
of philosophy and science.