Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-02-12
NUMBER 13.
A OWNING ROD.
A MichiRan Water.Finder--The Forked
Wand.-A Curious and Interesting
Statement.

the help of forked twig of hazel, g
other wood, called in France Bletonisn
from one Bleton famed in that way. !
few days ago was at the farm house Q
my old friend Cyrus Fuller, III Livonis
three miles east of Plmouth, Wayn
county, and some 20 miles west of thi
city. He has lived on this farm 40 year
and is well known. knew him as al
early abol;.ionist, fearless and true,
man always frank, decided and out
spoken in his opinions, or unquestione,
integrity, intelligent and of clear judg
ment. He told me his experience in tn
matter of finding water, but objected
decidedly to its being made public il
any wide way, as he did not want peopl,
to trouble him by visits or application
to go from home. All he had done hat
been for his neighbors, and in most
cases without pay, never taking more
than the small sum of a dollar. His
consent to any publicity was only given
on my suggestion that facts 30 remarka.
BILE should help to increase the common
stock of knowledge and to stimulate in.
quiry and thought.
For forty years he has exercised that
gift, and has found some sixty or eighty
wells in that region seldom If ever fail.
ing. When sick or much fatigued the
wand will not turn at all. He has q
peculiar sensation in the arms, like q
magnetic current, reaching sometimes
through the whole system, when he ap.
proaches an underground stream OF
water, and this is enough often to make
him know its proximity. He considers
his power no miracle. or supernatural
endowment, but the natural result of
peculiar magnetic conditions of his sys-
TEN, which serve to bring him into sub
tie rapport with the water flowing be-
meath the earth. Often, not always, he
can tell the depth below the surface
of springs or streams. He has been a
healthy and hard.working farmer, Of
Quaker birth, and with the temperate
habits of that class, and yet bears well
the weight of sixty eight years, although
not as strong as in his prime. Mentally
there is no sign of weakness or decay.
When finding water he must be undis-
turbed, and keep his mind on his work,
quietly and steadily, doing best when
alone, but very we'll with others present
if they do not disturb him. He uses q
forked twig of peach, willow or witch.
hazel, cut wherever he can find it, about
two feet long, grasping the forks in hand
firmly, with the palms Of the hands up
ward, the thumbs cutward, and the fork
held upright. Wa.king thus slowly the
forked end turns down forward as wa
ter is approached, turning up and then
turning backward, or toward the water
and toward him, as the underground
stream il passed by.
In this house he brought out forked
peach-twig, cut a month ago, held it
upright as above described, and held
then the end of one prong in my hand
and watched the process to see that
there was no slight turning of his hand.
As he walked toward the door of the
next room the upright fork twisted
down, pointing toward the floor, and
turned up and back as he passed on.
This was repeated as the room was trav-
ersed to and fro. Beneath, "a feet deep,
was stream of water reaching to CO.
pious flowing spring, back of the house,
which had gushed up for 20 years to my
knowledge, and which he found. Going
out and crossing and recrossing the un-
derground course of the water toward
the barn, the same motion of the wand
was decided and constant, stopping, and
the fork being quietly upright at any
distance from the water. Soon after we
went up the road north in his sleigh,
driving slowly and the wand in his
hands turning occasionally. Thus much
of what saw and heard. / give a list
of we'll known farmers and others, mostly
his neighbors, for whom he has found
water, they sending for him usually
when they were ready to dig or to bore,
and following his directions.
Luther Briggs, Plymouth, three wells
found, two flowing above ground.
David Madden, Plymouth, two wells
found. He had poor we'll, and Mr.
Fuller found another, only six feet from
the old stream, which is good.
Thomas Smitherman, Plymouth, three
wells, about forty feet deep, and water
up to near top.
William Riddle, Plymouth, found in
barnyard; used for time to water eight
or ten head of cattle, and then chOked
up carelessly.
Grant Josly, next reighbor, flowing
we'll, three quarter inch tube.
Ransom Alexander, son-in-law, next
farm; old well seventy feet deep, and
sulphury water; new we'll near it forty
four feet deep; sweet water abundant.
Mrs. Alexander, his daughter, can find
water too, but seldom tries.
Charles Potter, Livonia, well sixty
feet deep, water fourteen feet from top,
and cannot be lowered by pumping.
John Everett, neighbor to Mr.. Pot
ter; we'll so feet deep and abundant;
wells near by Potters 70 and 80 feet
deep, but Mr.. Fuller said tho new well
would be but 60 feet, and was right.
Worthy Blanchard, Liv0nia; well Z:
feet deep. Fuller put it at 25 feet and
was mistaken, as he told me.
Laban Snewer, Plymouth; old vel
deep and poor. Fuller found new ont
some 40 feet distant; said water was Il
/ feet from top, and it was found at IA feet
Samuel Linden, Canton; two flowing
wells. Mr.. Linden used to find water
but had lame hand and cannot, and went
| for Mr.. Fuller.
These names Mr.. Fuller gave me u
some of those he had helped in this way
He 10 half brother of Efastus Hussaye
well-known pioneer citizen of Battle
Greek.
Here is some help for study Of ths
subtle forces and delicate influences o.
the inner realm of nature.
a Fable.
"There was . gathering together o
things hurtful and terrible to man, Il