St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-09

To this startling proposition he added
an IN. b." announcing that he had
ready for the press a treatise on 1.-The
principles of matter" that would prove
his theory. He closed with this appeal:
81 ask l@l brave companions we'll
equipped to start from Siberia in the
fall season with reindeer and sleighs
on the frozen sea. [ engage we find a
warm, rich land, stocked with thrifty
vegetables and animals, if not men, on
reaching one degree northward of lat
ltude 50; we will return in the succeed
Ing spring"
copy Of this circular was sent by
Symmes to nearly every learned insti-
tuition and town of large size in the
country, and to many scientific soci-
cites in Europe. In accordance with
the request of Symmes, Count Volney
laid it before the Academy of Science
of Paris. That body decided that it
was not worthy of consideration. Mr..
Symmes continued to fire circular after
circular at the public and then he
started on a lecturing campaign of ed
ucation. The evident earnestness and
enthusiasm of the man attracted large
audiences. He made many converts to
his opinions, and on one occasion, at
the end of an address. it was unani-
mously resolved that, I'VE esteem Mr..
Symmes' theory of the earth desarv-
ing of serious examination and worthy
of the attention Of the American peo-
pie" But capital for the enterprise
failed to materialiZe, and it was not
long before Symmes and his theory
began to be ridiculed by newspaper
editors and the wits of the period
Some one fastened on the mysterious
Polar cavity this epithet: "SymmeS
Hole" and it stuck from that day to
this.
WHO WAS SYMMES?
Suffolk county, over in Jersey was
the birthplace of Symmes. He was
born Nov 8, 1880. He received only
the ordinary education obtainable by
country boys at the time, but he was
of studiOus disposition and read ev-
erything that came in his way Math-
ematics and the natural sciences pos
sessed very great attractions for him,
and he lost no opportunity to add to
his stock of knowledge on those SUBJ
jects.
At the age of 25 he enlisted in the
United States army as an ensign. He
remained in the service ten years and
was promoted through all the grades
to be a captain. In 1916 he was re-
tired on the disbandment of the army
that had been called into existence
during the second war with England.
Synmes was a gallant, daring soldier,
and his name was honorably men
toned on many occasions in the re-
ports OF his commanding officers. He
was high spirited and quick to resent
what he considered a slight or an in
suit. Two affairs of honor" are set
down to his credit. In one of them he
severely wounded his opponent and
was himself hit in the wrist.
In these far-away 'twenties" of the
closing century the subject of Polar ex-
plorauon was one of the uppermost
thoughts in the scientific world. Great
Britain had then begun offering large
rewards for arctic discoveries. Symmes
In 1922 petitioned congress for aid in his
undertaking. He asked the govern.
ment to equip an expedition to ex-
plore this internal world" During
the next two years he continued to be-
siege the national legislature, and also
the legislature of the young state of
OHIO, but without avail Strict con
structlon' of the constitution was the
fashion and the statesmen could moi
Symmes' scientific ambition in Polar
Hole discovery.
About 1926 it occurred to him that he
might be able to do something witt
Russia. That country was then fittins
out Polar expedition. and through
the American minister at ST. Peters
Durg Symmes made application to ioir
u. Inc request was granted, but pool
Sylnmes was unable to purchase {
proper outfit and had to remain a
home in Ohio. But he did not DESPAIR
Beaten in congress- defeated in tn,
legislature of his own state. unsuccess
ful In his effort to find rich man OF
combination of them 40 fit out a,
expedition for him, he turned again t.
the lecture field in the hope of beine
able to raise sufficient money to reaIiz,
the dream of his life 1t was a hone
less struggle, and it finally came TO az
end with his death in Nav. 1890
Symmes was then only 40 wears old
His tomb is in Hamilton, o. On on,
side of the monument these words ar,
cut: Capt. John Cloves Symmes wa,
a philosopher and the originator q
Symmes theory Of concentric spheres
and Polar voids."
WHAT HIS THEORY WAS.
The theory of Symmes was that I'll,
earth is not a solid mass, thrown of
ages ago from from the sun in a mol
ten condition, which has graduall,
cooled from the surface inward III,
held on the contrary, that it is a hol