The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-06-17
THE DIyTNING ROD.
Interesting Experiments nj unitiniore-its
U.s. In Locating Wells.

From Ne tNictJO y hume
BALTIMORE Md. June al am able 10 give
some account 81 The use Oi the AWNING rOu ~
well-knOwn g'ntiema 81 tins city. WHO'S ciiar-
actor ana reputation raisr tuonn above the sus-
piclOn OF chhriHtunry. And. cur OuSN enough,
the cnici practical USE to winch thor uagic Urts
have been 80 iai put Was IN the svrvicc OF the
Methodist Church.
Bunci in the potency of farkcd twc OF witch
hHz j stll llOus around tine rural ulstri'ts. ami
undoubtedly iVrkoi twg pl thus klnd wall
answer. but so wiil otnur matt rials. In using
tue iork"d tWi4 the mode is to take hold Ot tns
rod 10y the iOrk. one prong IN earh hnnd. tho
end vi tine rod ~. MT ng outward. Oiis ,scntie-
man vi tllis city. VINO poss,'sses the inruity of
uSlns the rod. uukt s. us' oi Two pieces oi rattan
united at ON cud by "a bra-s cap. H. takes the
irrc ends IN his uanuH ANA spreads them apart,
uroWihs Inc ahGi' formed ny tir Jun tIoh oil
the two pieces outward. 80 thnt his body forms
tnr base OI q triangle Oi Wii'h the brass cap rs
TIE point. ~ Is uiS proc tn- angie Wnl'h ny
It's dips and mOuOns affords tnc indications
upon winch the OWNER believes. Another gen
tIcinan of this city makes use Ot two pieces
OF whalebone similarly connected.
About seven years ago camp meeting ASSOC
citation purchased large trait Of wooded
ground about seventeen miles from the city, ON
the Western Marylnnd Rniroad, Tor the use ol
the Methodist churines oi the city. The En-
DRY Grove Camp ~ the largest held near tins
city. and !. part iciplted III 10y All tle consrcga-
tons OF the Methodist Church North OF TINS
city. Gen. John ;. Berry, II prominent luyinun
OF the church. was one of the DIRE ctOrs uut ~
he ~ gentleman Ol means. leisure. ana large
executive capacity. the work oil preparing tlic
grounds Tor use Tell chiefly to HIM. The natu-
raj springs Oi water on the ground were alto
gethcr Inadequate iOr the supply OF n large
camp, and he made arrangements Tor digging u
number OF webs. He knew that Cir. Joseph
Cushln.s had the reputation Ot beng able 10
find water 10y means Oi the divining rod. ana 50
he asked him to come out to try his power Oh
the camp ground. MIR. tushings went out upon
the grounds with Gen. Berry. prOduced his rod
and rs he walked over the grounds II would
every now and then dip. indicating points at
which water would be found. Not only did he
locate the spots, but he also enve the depths at
which tn. water would be found, his statements
b,l
made. In tins manner every one OF the pumps
now in use on Emory Grove Camp ground were
lO'atcd. Gen. Berry, ON making triaI Ol the
rod. found that II moved IN las hands also. and
experiments showed that he was endowed with
the faculty.
In or,rr 20 show that the theory Of uncon-
sciOus direction of the rod by the person hold
ing VIII not lit the case. the following Maria
tive Of the manner IN wni"n the most abundant
water supply on the grounds was struck viii be
Ol interest. In using the rod. the practice Is to
walk around IN a large circle. so that If the d.
S.ner chanc,.to pass over Il suDterraIenn stream
two points upon VIII be located thus showing
WIS surprised to lind that the rod dipped ut
tlilce points of the circle, almost equi-di-tunt.
He was puzzled to account Tor II. ana kept max
ing narrower circuits with tue same result until
he reached a spot az which the downward force
of the rod VIA unusually great. lie mad well
dug there. and the lact wis discovered maj two
sunst.rranc AN streams made a junction at that
point, thus showing thnt III MS circuits TIE rod
had pointed out the stream and both tributaries.
was once on tue grounds during the progress
of "A camp meet ng. ana Gen. Berry consented 10
show me the process We walked together in
the woods. aud the end OF tue rod dipped down
wards several times. but had no n ans OF as
ccrtaining whether there was. indeed, subi"r-
ranean waters at the spots indicated. Finally
We approached a. bridge across stream, and
had an opportunity - closely examining the
motions OF the rod. As Gen. Berry dpprOa he'd
the spring thu projecting angle gradually
reared up unit when directly over the stream.
when 1t dipped rapidly downward. finally point
ing directly downward 10 the water IN order 10
snow that the action OF the rod was not due
to any movement Impaired 10y AIS nanus, Gen.
Berry proposed that 1 should hold one OF the
free ends IN my hand, while he would allow the
other 10 rest ON his open palm. We did so. L
took a firm hold ot the end OF the piece Oi rat
holding Il st,nly and riEidly upright. did my
best 10 prevent the brHss-cdpped point OF the
angle from bending dOWnwar4s. But neNcrthe-
less II did So lulntln. directly down 10 the wa
ter. the elastic material II the rod being bent
into "A sharp curve. l could distinctly feel the
the rod. aud meanwhile Gen. Berrys hand was
open and supln".
Now. IL tAe motion Of the rod WIS commun-
Gated to il rom our hands. how was IL that force
operated IN Il direction directly opposite TO That
IN which applied ny manual strength
Besides Gen. Barry ana Mr. Joseph Cushings.
Mr.. {. Sydn, " Norris. prominent hardware
merchant OF tins city, now Al" -eased. possessed
the power. NJ. Cushlnss has experienced
with The rod. ana has a rule, winch he achnOw-
edges 10 be- en- rely empirical, 10y which he cal
culat-s the pin OF the water, from the motions
Gen. Barry. and can follow the course vi water
pipes IN the flooring of "A house or water mains
IN a street. Tn use Of the rod produces in him
great acceleratiOn OF the pulse. and. II pro-
lunged feelings OF nervous exhaustion. Gen.
Barry. who - very tail. lo0ust man, is III 10
Infected