The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-02-01
SIGNALS THE MARTIANs
Plan of Camille Flammarion Dis.
cussed by Chicago Genius.
IMMENSE LIGHTS MUST BE USED.

Oh the AnnaDlt0ntn Oh the rarOm
Planet Described by Sam Fox, . Ma
chinist Philosopher-How Search
lights Will Look.
In one Of Chicago's big manufactur-
ing plants on the Northwest Side
there works queer genius-astrono-
mer. geologist, essayist and philoso-
pher, says the Chicago Times Herald
On the time book Of the shop he Is
known as "Sam Fox, machinist, time
check No. 3d." When he arrives at
the shop at Z o'clock every morning,
he assumes that role for nine hours of
daylight, but in the long hours of dark
ness, far into the morning, this man
studies, studies, studies. Earnestness
be simple problem In mechanics or
a complex astronomical proposition.
The subject Of astronomy offers a
field unlimited for such theories, and
this LEARNED machinist" has long been
q close student of solar mysteries, or,
as he calls them, the "hieroglyphics
Of the heavens" He has closely fol-
! lowed the researches of the celebrated
French astronomer, Flammarion, and
the publication few days ago Of the
latter's scheme for communicating
with the planet Mars has aroused his
enthusiasm. He gladly consented to
elucidate his Idea of Flammarion's
idea" as he aptly put it.
1T is a theory accepted among SCI
entists," began Fox, "that If Mars is
inhabited the people must be a very
intelligent race, as the planet is much
older than the earth. They are as in
telligent as the inhabitants of the
earth, undoubtedly more so. 1t there
| fore follows as natural conclusion
that there are students of astronomy
| on Mars as well as here, and it also
follows that, as their planet Is in the
same solar system as ours, they OBJ
| serve the same planets. suns and con-
stellations that we do. This is the
basis of Flammarion's scheme.
1.-THE appearance Of the earth to the
Martians Is somewhat similar to the
appearance Of the moon 20 us. The
earth shines with a reflected light only.
| A very powerful illumination on the
earth's surface would at night be no
ticeable to the inhabitants of other
planets. particularly If the illumina-
ton were in powerful parallel rays
and was directed toward any particu-
lar planet. Taking the two theories,
first, that the Martans observe the
same consultations and planets that
we do and of course the earth also
and that light can be projected to,
ward Mars, we come to a fuller realii
cation of Flammarion's plan-that is
to produce. by artificial means, a solal'
constellation by means of powerful
searchligEts properly placed on tn,
surface Of the earth with their rays
directed toward Mars. You see thu
ideai The next step is to select tho
constellation to be reproduced. Flam
marion has chosen that of Ursa Major
the Great Bear, or. as 1t Is commonly
called. the Big Dipper.' Why he chose
that | do not know, but 1t looks as II
he had been directed by some unseer
hand. The fact that the Great Bear
is one of the largest consultations
makes it likely that reproduction OF
II would attract the attention Of the
Marian astronomers and cause them
to examine into the matter further.
1.-THE next step was the selection of
the points. of which there must be
seven, as there are seven stars In the
Great Bear Here again Is seen the
guiding hand of Providence. In Eu-
rope there are seven large cities, CEN
tiers Of population, which are in the
same relative position as the stars In
the constellation OF Ursa Major These
cities are Bordeaux, Marseilles and
Paris in France, Strassburg in Ger
many, Amsterdam in Holland, Copen-
hagen In Denmark and Stockholm in
Sweden. Flammarion proposes that
in each of these cities there shall be
erected a powerful electric searchlight,
supplied with powerful dynamo and
mounted in the same manner as
large telescope, that il might follow
the planet as the earth revolves. The
lenses of the searchlights would be
made so that the light would be thrown
In parallel rays. and these seven Inn
mense searchlights would be connected
so that they could be operated from a
central station. probably Paris, and
could be lighted or extinguished
simultaneously.
Now, in order TO give a better illus
tration of this have taken this ter.
restrial globe. and on the dots repre-
senting these seven cities have placed
pins You will notice that they form
the Big Dipper. To get an idea Of the
appearance that these lights would
present to the Marian astronomers
paste a sheet Of paper over the front of
a small box, first puncturing the paper
with seven pinholes to form the Big
Dipper. In darkened room place
candle behind this, and you will see
how the seven points of light will
shine out, while the rest of the paper
is not so light That is the way the
searchlights will look to the Martians.
Their rays will be thrown directly at
the planet night after night and will
without doubt attract the attention of
her scientists. who will undoubtedly
investigate the phenomenon ut once.
They will see that we are trying to
communicate with them and will prob
ably devise some means Of reply"