The evening world., 1894-09-28
He SAW GRASS ON THE MOON.
Or, at Least, he Took the Green
Tint for Vegetation.
Gathmann's Sectional Telescope and
Astronomical Theories.


CHICAGO, Sept. 2S.-Refore n compa-
ny OF twenty-five or more friends and
neighbors. who met at his residence last
night, Louis Gathmann exhibited a
model of his sectional lens telescope.
He also answered the objections made
by Astronomers Hale and Burnham to
his announcement that he had discov-
ell ed what seemed to be signs of vegeta-
ton on the moon. In answer to the OBJ
lection that astronomers with excellent
telescopes had never seen green spot
on the moon. MI. Gathmann said:
There can be but two reasons for
this fact. First. no first-class telescopes
were In use for making observations the
night l saw the spot. Second. II obser-
vations were made the telescopes were
inferior to mine"
Mr.. Gathmann said his sectional lens
had been examined by Prof. Colbert. who
said 1t had excellent definition and
would prove Of great interest to the
whole scientific world Many eminent
engineers had pronounced the sectional
lens instrument superior to any instru-
ment OF the same size.
"A 20-inch-built-up lens" said Mr.;
even density. will be equal in proven 10
any telescope that has 4O-inch solid
lens"
He then spoke of his observation OF a
green spot on the moon as follows:
About o'clock In the evening OF Aug.
IL, in sweeping my telescope over the
face OF the moon, ! saw spot Of vivid
valley OF the Sinus Roris. Green is a
color hitherto unknown to me among
the shades OF the moon. thought there
might be an error somewhere. but after
han uri M a a 81 times
there each time-a well-defned space OF
green"
telescope is out OF the question because.
when allowing the moon to pass through
the whole field OF the glass, the strange
spot kept stationary on the moon with
every magnifyins power used seven
Is not to be suspected that all OF us
were color blind. II Luna has a fora 1t
must be far different from ours. be
cause the conditions on the moon are
vastly different from ours on earth.
Science has not progressed SO far as to
know the atmosphere prevailing on the
moon; In fact, all the elements OF the
earths atmosphere are not known.
ITO say that vegetation cannot exist
or such large planet Is TO make an
assertion which cannot be proved:
Lunar vegetation must be very different
than that OF the earth. That Lunar
should be without animal life cannot
understand. on earth, in the Arctic re-
zion, "ntIt iIlt NOlI Is INTENSE ANt car
round, we find the polar bear, the
whale and other animals suited to the
climate and the conditions. II men had
never known OF the existence OF these
animals. and II we common men were
asked II such animals could exist there.
we would say, We do not know But
universities, would simply say NO
Because scientific men did not know OF
their existence. they would conclude
that such animals could not exist there,
That there is vegetation on the moon
10 highly proba BILE. but IL does not follow
that the color should be green, The
nave been a rare execution"
In conclusion. Mr.. Gathmann said he
believed the inhabitants of Mars were
making signals to the earth, and he
thought communication between neigh
boring planets by means OF signals
would eventually be established,