A hole supposed to pass through the earth from pole to pole. Captain John Cleves Symmes (1780–1829), served in the U.S. Army. He propounded his very curious theory in 1818; lectured on it at Cincinnati, at Col. Carr’s, at the Cincinnati Hotel, and at the Vine Street Church; [See Liberty Hall and Cincinn. Gazette, Feb. 20, 1824]; and in 1826–7 at Union College. In 1826 “Symmes’s Theory of Concentric Spheres: demonstrating that the earth is hollow, habitable within, and wholly open about the poles” was published by one of his followers; the preface bearing date Aug., 1824, and being succeeded by ‘An Apology to Capt. Symmes.’ See also the Atlantic Monthly, April, 1873
1824. “Terrestrial spheres CONSTITUTE Magellanic Clouds.—John Cleves Symmes, Cincinn., March 30, 1824.”—This notice, without any comment, occurs in the Cincinn. Gazette, April 9, p. 3/2.
1824. On Saturday evening Mr. Matthews will lecture on Capt. Symmes’ theory of Concentric Spheres.—Cincinn. Emporium, March 4, p. 3/4 (Advt.).
1825. I should have been glad to have found any hole to have hid myself in; the very centre of Symmes’s would have been welcome to me.—Daniel Webster in G. T. Curtis’s ‘Life’ of him, i. 70 (1870).
1835. May I be shot if you mightn’t run with this same craft of yourn down, through, and out of Symmes’s lower hole, and back again, afore I could get through half what I’ve seen.—‘Col. Crockett’s Tour,’ p. 145 (Phila.).
