Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-19
"eoNE DOWN sYMMEs' HOLE"
Curious Monument I'm Ohio Town Re-
calls Demolished Arctic
Theory.

Standing In the city park at Hamilton,
o., is a queer-looking monument. Upon
a marble plinth stands a globe followed
at each pole and marked with the lines
of geographical measurement. 1t was
erected by Americas Symmes before the
civil war out Of respect to the memory
Of his father. John Gloves Symmes, author
Of the remarkable Theory OF Concentric
Spheres, Demonstrating That the Earth Is
Hollow, Habitable Within and Widely
Open at the Poles"
The monument and the countless books
and pamphlets that we're written following
the PRONUNCIATION of this theory are testi-
monials to what may be accomplished by
mere persistence in any cause even though
II be faulty and entirely erroneous, as was
the Symmes theory. The discovery of the
north pole by DR.. Frederick Albert Cook
and Lieutenant Shackelton's near approach
to the south pole have forever settled the
previously admitted absurdity OF open or
concave poles. II is interesting to recall
the fact that there was a time when this
geographical doctrine had many supporters.
Symmes, who was a nephew of the first
landlord Of the country on the Ohio river
between the Miami rivers, first announced
his discovery CD in 1918 at St. Louis. In
his short brochure he asked for 100 brave
companions, well equipped, TO start from
Siberia in the fall with reindeer and sleighs
on the ice Of the frozen sea; l engage we
find a warm and new land stocked with
thrifty vegetables and animals, IL not men,
on reaching one degree north of the lati-
tude of 50 degrees. We will return the
following spring"
After a series OF public lectures he peti,
toned congress in 1922 through the famous
Richard NJ. Johnson OF Kentucky for q
subvention in order to equip An expedition
The canny senate unanimously rejected thi,
appeal, and two years later the genera
assembly OF Ohio took similar action. On,
of his converts, jeremiah n. Reynolds o.
Clinton county, with the cooperation o.
Messrs. Rush and Southland, members O.
President John Quincy Adams cabinet
and DIR. Watson, a wealthy resident o.
New York City, In 1893 fitted out the shiI
Annawan and set sail In October for IN,
warm and fertile ~concavity they believe,
to exist at the South pole. They reache,
a latitude OF 81 degrees south and thu.
fully demonstrated the lncorrectness OF Ia,
Symmes theory.
It's author died in May, 1879, fully be
lieving that his calculations were correct
II Is interesting to note that he was tn,
first to select the winter season fOt TIA
polar journey, an idea which Peary an,
Cook made part Of their scheme of ex
ploration.
As far as can be ascertained, John Cleve
Symmes was never nearer the North pol
than lower Canada, in which he fought a
a soldier in the war OF lSl2. His polar re
gions existed only in his imagination. bu
so ingenious were his pleadings that thou
sands Of otherwise sensible men firmly be
lieved In ~"Symmes's Hole" as the vernacu
lar OF that day had It. Thai nickname be
came part OF the slang of-the period be
tween 1880 to 1880. When a man disappeare,
under suspicious circumstances he was &C
counted for by saying; He's gone dow
Symmes' Hole"
SO has this ludicrous theory effeetuaI.
demolished by the practical me physica
work OF a hardy line Of brave men!-Cin
oinnau Enquirer.