St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-04
HUMAN OWNING ROD.
A Man Who Always Feels an
Electric Shock When Near Min

Electric Shock When Near Min
erals.
st. Louis Globe.
Il read an article entitled The Divin-
ing Rod with considerable interest, !"
said Mr.. John Holmes, of South Meal
ester, Ind. Ter. yesterday, especially
as am myself gifted with the phenom-
email powers of which the article treats.
My first experience with this power was
thirty-two years ago. when was boy
of ten years. and it is not likely to be
ever forgotten by me. L was sent
by my father one day to look
for some stock, and as 1 was
crossing mountain not far from
my home / felt a strange sensation all
through my body something like an
electric current. AS l proceeded it
grew stronger. until at last / stood
rooted to the ground. 1t took all my
strength to tear myself away from the
spot, and when did / lost no time in
getting back home, and for months aft
erwards / could not be prevailed on to
go near that mountain. Two years later
a rich vein of copper was discovered OH
the mountain where had my first ex-
perience with the mysterious power,
The superstitious people of the neigh
borhood loved to relate my adventure,
they believing that the fairies had
guarded this treasure for centuries, and
had tried to abduct me; they also pre-
dicted terrible ealamitieS to befalf those
who had broken into the fairy treasury.
But the miners kept on, and all of them
are rich men now.
'.This power. fer which I know no
name, seemed to develop in me with
years, until became so accustomed to
it that paid but little attention to its
manifestations, and it was not until
about three years ago that | became
aware of the fact that was, so to speak,
a living mineral rod. Since that time,
however. have experimental with and
made study of this gift of nature, and
am convinced of its virtue in locating
nil erals or water. Singularly enough,
in locating minerals l am as helpless
without the twig of hazel or peach as a
surveyor without his transit. l may
walk over the ground and feel the cur
rent all through my body. yet without
the indicator am unable to define the
exact locality of the mineral. But the
hazel tWig has never failed to locate
even coin or piece of metal hidden by
parties desiring to test the powers of the
diyining rod.
about year ago my work was so
situated that had to walk about one
mile to and from my field of labor. At
one point on the road I always felt the
electric current. Finally 1 concluded
to try the hazel and learn the cause of
the sensation. l found that the pro-
truding ledge of lime rock was the
agent. l had never heard of mineral
existing in lime rock. but l broke off a
few pieces and sent them to the school
of mines to be tested. l was surprised
to learn that the rock contained 151a
troy ounces of silver to the ton. This
seems but small quantity of mineral.
but still its presence attracted my
nerves. have often been asked why |
do not cast my lot among the miners of
the far West. but | am not familiar with
mining, and am sensible of the fact
that it requires money to succeed.
Some day. however, may take my
hazel twig and seek my fortune in the
Rockies"