The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-09
A MYSTERIOUS ROD.
Singular Story Concerning Western Mans
Gift in Discovering Gold and Silver Mines.

Gift in Discovering Gold and Silver Mines.
The San Francisco Daily Stock Re-
porter tells OF a mysterious divinatlon
roc owned by man named Peck, and
with which he claims to he able to ma
mines OF precious metals. II says: The
rod, so called, is an oblong rounded
| wooden box, something like one of the
| old-fashioned serew-top needle-cases,
and is about three inches in length, with
about the same exterior circumference.
1t terminates In point at the end, aud
is heayy tor it's size.
1t is hermeticallY fastened, but by
striking it close to the ear the presence
| of some loose substance inside can
readily be detected. Tire apparatus for
| its application is simple. Two pieces OF
whalebone are fastened together at the
top, aud between these the point at the
end OF the box is screwed. The rod Is
now ready for its duties as an indicator.
Grasping the two pieces OF whaiebone
firmly in either hand, Mr.. Peck held tue
apparatus in an upright position, when
the index instantly Tell, with apparently
Irresistible force, to a nearly horizontal
position, and pointed steadily toward
California street.
| We could not detect any motion OF the
operators wrists, and when others were
allowed to share his grip and oppose all
their force to resist the motion OF the
| implement, the result Was the same.
| The rod fell invincibly into the line in
| which, certainly, the greatest mass oil
metal in the vicinity lay. BY holding a
piece of gold in one hand MH Peck ex.
planned that the attraction OF that meta
would be cut off; and on testing this the
Index of the machine deviated Slightly
from The former line and pointed stlll
| th oil hi
wards the Nevada bank and its immense
deposits oil silver.
The metal, too, having been cut oil
California street was again Indicated
but in feebler manner, and on adding
a piece of cinnabar to the metals airead,
in the operators haud, the rod refused
to act. On removing these substances
however, the index al once fell power
Iully into the direction OF Its former al
traction, and the same result was at
Uained in whatever reiative position t.
California street Mr.. Peck assumed. Tn
rod would only act in his hand, bu
| it is fair to add wo are unable to detec
!any manipulation of the whalebones
and he freely allowed any one to resist
. as tar as possible, the pressure OF tn
index, so long as the eXtremeties Wer
retained in his own grasp.
r He SAYS there are very few in who's
/, hands the rod will act. With SUCH
tyulde as this it would not be dl fflcul
lor MIR. Peck to locate every ore bouy 1
> | Nevada, and he claims to have alread,
diagnosed (it we may use the term til
prime lpai ones. the method OF measui
, ing hidden ore bouies, as ne describes II
= is as follows: Having been notified {
Il the presence OF minerai mas
s In the vicinity, he walks on Il
81
:, did when he held gold, silver an
cinnabar to his handy by which h
t knows he is directly over the ore bod.
:. Continuing to walk. as soon as the IL
:, dictator points backwards, he kno vs. h
J has stepped off il SO The exact dinner
!, sions are easily secured. The depth t
l. which the ore will be struck can only b
o Judged approximately, by calculatio
OF the angle at which the imp,emeI
+ rests when pointing doWnWafus, at
It point where The VEN lies.
e MIR. Peck states the history OF this e,
. traordinary implement which he give
The name of the electro magnet) as 10
q ows: IL first came TO the possession
}. Sir James Ash, Of London, in 1872.
"A came into the possession of the presel
owner py marriage With neice OF gram
10 peice of Sir James Ash in l6A5. d
le Peck claims to have used this instr
nent tor it's present purpose since 1se
~ aud to have correctly described and d
~ curately located many OF the princip
y hedges of Nevada by its aid since til
Of veriod. Actual Developments ha'
O. proved him correct Cue says)
such OF those mines as hal
ID been already developed, and in the OF
sr ers ne asserts he is equally eonyInc
I'd OF the results, and he refers 10 maj
:, well-known mining men in support
~ his assertions. lie As ignorant OF tue su
rs stances inclosed ia the diviniHg DO
il and has Intellectually experimented WI
ia uuiek silver and other substances to &
tain the same result. He refuses, on Il
le ground that IL might injure the oper
j; lions OF the macnlue, TO nave the D'
IT, opened, and asserts that any one w
-. mas seen the machine work knows
much OF the cause OF Its singular pro
erty as he does. For ourselves we C,
a. assert thai, snorant as we are of /
ID cause, the power and effect OF the sing
lar Instrument perpiexed Us NOT litt
" and tnat We are absolutely INCLINED
ar think it must be eiLAef dIaDlerie or
re yining rod. Ii there be hoSus-pocus
g failed to detect 1t.