The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-03
VIEWS UPON EcL1PsEs.
An Aged Man Disputes the Deduc-
lions of Astronomers.
(From az Chicngo News.

| (From the Chicago News.)
| While scientists were making prepara-
lions to view from the most advantageous
| point today's eclipse of the sun and the
inhabitants Of the earth generally were
| interested. there sat quietly in a little
unpretentious house on the north side an
| old man. Antoine Gateau by name. who
says the men Of learning are all wrong in
| their theories of the planetary system
Furthermore. he has decided views Of his
OWL on other subjects. which do not agree
with what are recognized as facts. He
contends that there is no such thing as
electricity, no such thing as the circulation
of blood in the human body and that the
bright spots one sees in the heavens at
night commonly termed stars are nothing
more or less than points of contact of
etheric currents" which. so to speak.
make the wheels go round
The real planets, so states this man who
makes no pretence of high scientific at
tainments, are never seen, never can be
seen, excepting at the poles of the earth,
and all the storms, cyclones. tornadoes,
and other strange happenings which some
times bother the people of this sphere are
caused by these '-etheric currents"
Gateau is the author of a work entitled
"A New Theory Regarding the Source of
Spirit and Matter Duplicating the Forma-
ton OF the Worlds which is the result of
ten years of his thought. He is also the
author OF another book. deducted from the
above, on THE REPUTATION of the Theory
OF W. Harvey Regarding the Circulation Of
Blood in the Human Body" DR.. Harvey
being the great English physician who
nearly three centuries ago advanced what
the world has generally accepted as the
correct theory regarding blood circulation.
If scientists want to rush around like
NAL hoping to learn something new about
the skies and the planets in them, that
doesn't annoy Antoine Gateau. for he
knows all there is 20 know about it and
he simply thinks the men of science are
wasting time and brains. His theory of
solar eclipse is quite elaborate. and to
some people might be q trife dense.
Since our planet has acquired its move
ments Of rotation. says this strange as
tronomer. caused by the displacement of
the liquid matter or seas. the portion of |
the etheric current in proximity to the |
planet participates in the rapid movement |
CT the planet over wide extent OF its |
orbit. BY this means is occasioned irrcgu- |
larity in speed Of circular motion over all |
the course OF the etheric current OF our |
planet. CONSEQUENTLY the point of contact |
OF the moon. located upon the etheric ctr |
rent OF our planet. is animated by circu- |
lar movement without correspondence with |
the velocity of the movement of rotation |
of our planet nor with that OF its point Of
contact.
For these reasons the point OF contact |
of our planet and that of the moon do not |
meet on straight line with our planet |
except at irregular periods. When they 40
there takes place m0mertary inteTpOsi- |
ton Of the point OF contact of the moon be-
tween our planet and its point of contact, |
occasioning the so-called eclipse Of the |
sun And that is Mr.. Gateau's idea as
against that of the astronomers OF all the |
countries of the earth. who he insists are |
sadly misguided personages.
or the planetary system, Gateau says /,
it all springs from second planet or what
he sometimes terms central planet. which |
by means of its etheric currents gives the |
planets of the third fourth. fifth, and sixth |
class their motion. he planets themselves. |
SO he asserts, being stationary.
Gateau, who is Frenchman. is a |
strange, quaint character. He is over |
seventy years OF age. and lives in modest |
dwelling in the rear of SO Beethoven Place |
Among other things he is one of the old
timers in Chicago having come here in !
1867 direct from France. He YVES the |
pioneer in bringing to this country new |
industry. that of the stamping of zino |
roofing and ornamental works, and his |
first plant, at Franklin and Madison |
Streets. was destroyed by the great fire. |
Several years ago he retired from active |
business life. and to while away the time |
presumably. took to attacking the recog
nized theories OF science.