Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-05
srx1fxs's QUEER noBBr.Hosss.
Rides y psssh b. s,mmes senior, syum..
jsaier now Bearide. II.


ffouhyihe courer-Iourna,.I
A veuerabIe-lookin old eentlern., w;,,
fast.whitentng iiil beard. thick yrav hair.
eyes shrouded ny speciaces. and the re.
spectacle dress OF well.to-do farmer. Ice.
trred nj Liederkranz Hall last evening.
The old gentleman was the exponent OF tbs
most visionary OF theories In regard In the
Arctic regions lie was Mr.. Americus
symmcs, soil oil John Cleye Symmes. who
In 1884 published little book pronuIeatiny
A theory. Tbe multitude know IL only In
connection with "Symmes's Hole. - the
prptesqueuess OF that idea fastening II firm
" upon the popular mind. lie spoke az
follows:
~ come before you In obedience 10 my
fathers dying request, lh,t | would keep
an eve on Arctie explorations and see how
they would bear out his thesry. have
done so. i have watched the explorations
O! Lieutenant Greedy, and they certainly
bear cut what the world OF scientists has
long called visionary idea. According
10 my fathers theory the earth Is hollow,
globular, and open at the poles. The shell
OF the earth Is about 1000 miles thick aud
the distance from verge 10 verge OF the
she'll at the openings is about 1850 miles.
The edge OF the verge is ut about 70o north
latitude, aud 1t Is the coolest place on the
earth. When you advance over that you
can see very Clearly, and the temperature
becomes much warmer. AZ about 50 de-
grees north latitude il the true magnetic
pole, and when you get at 81 degrees the
pole is behind you. You are then going
south. and will see large flocks 81 wild
birds aud great numbers OK wild animals.
This Is very different from the Newtonian
theory, which places the magnetic pole at
90 degrees north latitude. which is now
supDosed to be surrounded with eternal
fee. and Is the coolest spot on the globe.
"Now for the proofs. Greely in his eN-
plorations found the weather 10 be grow
Ing warmer as he went further north.
Greely made several excursions. The
further north he went the mildcr became
the climate, and once he saw a valley SKY
nj e wide, and full OF game. Don't tint
compare with Symmes's theoryy Newton
saws the pole l. surrounded by tue ice;
Symmes by an open sea. Explorers didn't
know what TO do when they found the
magnetic pole. On Captain Parry's third
voyage he took reindeer, aud thought 10
gaia the North Pole over the ice
or PERISH. lie found the weather grow
ing warmer, the ice thinner, aud
streams Of water abundant. At 500 he
found the water flowing with a stiff
current. How could that be il ii didn't
20 in at one pole aud ont at the osheri
Lock At the fish always going south ard
never returning. Where do they %! At
SOC 20 Captain Parry couldn't find cake
of lee strong enough to bear him up, aud
the sun was so hot that it melted tha pitch
In his boats. When he got past So tdc
compass nicktred and pointed behind him.
lie was passing the magnetic pole. AMI
50 !. was with Captain Ross, Dr. Kane.
Captain Hull, and others. All iouat an
open sea-"
The lecturer went on 20 describe what a
pleasant land this SymmesZ0nia must BE-,
with elephants, mastodons, and cigi!-teet
men and women.