Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-04-06

THE MEN OF MARS.
An Arizona Astronomer Thiuks They
May He Nineteen Feet Tall.

may BE Ntnetccn rect IalIs
Percival Lowell has completed q
series of lectures in tho Lowell Insti.
tutc course which IRE full Of food for
thought and of inspiration for fancy,
says the Boston Post. In these lectures
he told his audiences what he had seen
through his telescope on the planet
Mars. and what opinions he had form.
ed from what he saw. MIR. Lowell has
had opportunities for making acquajnt-
ance with our ncighborlng planet
eQualed by few men on this earth. He
has established, and maintains, at his
own expense and for his personal use,
an astronomical observatory at Flag.
stan, Arizona, Mt an elevation and In q
section where the clearness of the at
mosphere and other favorable condi.
lions offered great advantages for oh.
servation. And there he has scrutinised
Mars during the recent approach Of
that planet to the earth
What Mr.. Lowell has gained from
these observations IL clear conviction
that the planet Mars Is Inhabited. And
not only this, but he reasons from what
he has seen that the men Of Mars are
fur advanced. at least In some respects.
beyond the present development Of the
human race upon the earth. Without
attempting TO follow Mr.. Lowell
through the very interesting account Of
his observations and the deductions
which he draws from them. his cxplana.
ton Of the phenomenon known as the
"canals" may be mentioned as an ex.
ample. These famous canals" appear
ing and disappearing on the surface OF
the planet, have been the subject OF
hopeless speculation ever since the 1tal
ian astronomer. Schiaparelli, noticed
them. II seemed impossible to regard
them as the work Of men, because OF
their magnitude and the rapidly with
which they sprang into existence. Nc
men, II was thought, could dig SO fast
But us Mr.. Lowell sees It, solution Of
the puzzle Is ready. The marking,
which we call canals, he holds. are moi
the trenches themselves, but the broad
belts Of vegetation which spring up, ant
again fade away. along the borders OF
the vast irrlgating bitches which tho
men Of Mars have built
This Is the basis of Mr.. Lowell's mes
snge regarding Mars. The canals may
have been built years ago; they certain
~ are not dug year by year rs the,
seem 10 be: and It IL the recurrence o.
vegetation. season after season. which
brings the markings Of these fertll,
belts within the vision of telescopes OF
the earth. Then tho question comes
TO what use IRE these canals put? The,
are seen to converge ut spots whlcl
show a dark green color In the telescop,
ut Flagstaff. These spots Mr.. Lowell
calls "Oases;' and here fancy may pic
ture, ~ analogy points out, the inhab
itants Of Mars congregqting during til,
long winter Of that planet to live II
luxury upon the stores laid by durinI
the season OF vegetation.
What sort of men IL II who hav,
built this vast system of irrigation an,
transportation and have created case
Of refuge In the midst of barrcnness
BY mathematics, Mr.. Lowell shows tina
the men Of Mars may be nineteen fee
In height and of corresponding physlca
strength; the attraction OF gravitatiO
there being not more than one.thir
what 1t Is upon the earth. And II, q
we have the right to infer. their inte
lectual development matches that Q
their bodies, 1t IL not difficult to cor
ceive Of the production of such work
AZ those which Mr.. Lowell's telcscOp
dlsclOses when pointed toward the re
planet In the clear air Of Arizona.
1t may be said that this Is fancifu
that the observed facts do not sustai
the deductions. But the facts at Leaf
do not contradict the belief which Nj
Lowell holds. The men Of Mars ma
claim our confidence as existent being
until some one arises to show MOI
plainly that they do not exist.