Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-09
A Mathematical Marvel.

We have quite marvel of man IN
our community, a natural mathemati-
clan. His name is Reuben Fields. Hav-
| ing heard of him frequently through
farmers and others, who get him to dc
their counting, [ determined short time
| ago to make him visit and to ascertain
for myself if the remarkable stories told
of him were true.
| am free to confess that at first [ was
fully as incredulous as many readers OF
this paragraph will be, in fact would not
have believed statements made concern
ing him had not the authority been in
disputably good.
Proceeding to Fayetteville, the small
village in which he lives, inquired for
Reub.," and was told that he was in
town and was shown his residence, to-
ward which [ made my way. When
nearly there | met a young man appar-
emily about twenty-five years of age
walking a little lame and who seemed to
be leisurely and vacantly gazing about,
and accosted him with: "Does Reuben
Fields live in that house yonder?"
Eyes, sir" "Well, I've heard that
Reub. was a great calculator and l must
go and see him." and | started forward,
when he stopped me with" I'm him."
"Well, Reub.," said /, Il have a few
questions [ would like to have you an
swer, and will make it worth your while
to do So"
Gazing around he answered: "That's
all right" and remarked that he could
count" anything he could understand.
[ may mere remark that he cannot read
or write a letter or figure; he says if he
could he should lose his gift. He cannot
explain anything, but says he has nu
meration table away on beyond the
books" He remarked: "You commence
at the bottom and work up-I commence
at the top and work down; it is easier
falling out of a tree than climbing one"
He frequently observes: eff l could
read and write, I shouldn't know any
more than you do" 1t is said he never
makes mistakes. Of all the questions [
gave him he made but one, and he cor
rected that on recounting. The follow
ing are some of the questions asked him !:
If to the time past noon there be added
its One-half, one-third and two-ffths the
sum will be equal to One-siXth of the
time to midnight, what is the hour?
Divide $11.50 between two persons so
that one shall have seventy-tive cents
more than the other.
A tree 1876 feet long fell and was
broken into two pieces; two-thirds of the
longer piece equals threefourths Of the
length of the shorter. What is the length
of each piece?
What is the interest of one cent for
one day at per cent per annum?
What is tie exact length of one side of
a square acre?
These questions were all correctly an
swered, his answer to the last being, " 1t
can't be told"
l then said: "Reub., hear that you
can tell what day of the week any given
date was, or will be-is that so?" Yes,
sir" What was July l, 1862" Wednes-
day" Correct" What was the
22d of January, 1882" Sunday"
" What day will the Fourth of July come
on this year," Saturday" New
Years." " Friday" "All right" 4
have also heard, Reub, that you can tell
the hour at any time of day or night. Is
that so?" Yes, sir" What time is it
now" 1t is II minutes past o'clock,
railroad time-sun time is thirteen
minutes slower" We walked around
town and he gave me the hour several
times, correctly each time, within two or
three minutes. Several times he called
on citizens of the place to attest the truth
VI Ills stdleuneHls, WHICH Jney ulQ- OuC
of the leading citizens of the place told
me he had tried Reub" on the time
question on both clear and cloudy days,
and also on dark nights, and he always
gave the correct time. Reuben asked the
gentleman we were talking with to write
| down column of figures, which he did;
| they were then read to him, thirteen
numbers, two figures in each number, and
| he at once gave their sum, and then could
repeat the numbers in the order in which