River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-09-18
HUMAN OWNING ROD.
A Man Who Always Feels an EIectri
shock When Near Minerals.

Man Who Always Feels an Electric
shock when Near Minerals.
81 read an article entitled The hi.
vining Rod with considerable interest"
said Mr.. John Holmes, of South Meal.
ester, ]. T., yesterday, especially as
am myself gifted with the phenomenal
powers of which the article treats. My
first experience with this power was
thirty-two years ago, when was a 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,
aba as | was crossing a mountain not far
from my home felt a strange sensation
all throu gh my body something like an
electric current AS | proceeded il
grew stronger, until ut last | stood
rooted to the ground. 1t took all my
strength to tear myself away from the
spot, and when | did / lost nc
time in getting back home, and
for months afterward | could moi
be prevailed on to go near that
mountain. Two years later a rich weir
of copper was discovered on the mount
ain where / had my first experience
with the mysterious power. The
superstitious people of the neighbor-
hood loved to relate my adventure, they
believ ng that the fairies had guarded
this treasure tor centuries, and had tried
20 abduct me; they also predicted ter.
rible calamities to befall those who had
broken into the fairy treasury. But the
miners kept on, and all of them are rich
men now.
This power for which / know nc
name, seemed to develop in me with
years, until i 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,
living mineral rod. Since that time,
however, j have experimental with and
made a study of this gift OF nature, and
| am convinced of its virtue in locating
minerals or water. Singularly enough,
In locating minerals / am as helpless
without twig of hazel or peach as
surveyor without his transit
/ may walk over the ground and
feel the current 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 a coin OF
piece of metal hidden by parties desir
ing to test the powers of the divining
rod.
about a year ago my work was sc
situated that had to walk about one
mile to and from my field of labor. Al
one point on the road / always felt the
electric current Finally l 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 / had never heard of mineral
existing in lime rock, but / broke off a
few pieces and sent them to the School
of Mines TO DE tested. / was surprised
to learn that the rock contained 1514
troy ounces of silver to the ton. This
seems but a small quantity of mineral,
but still its presence attracted my
nerves. 1 have often been asked why
/ do not cast my lot among the miners
of the Far West but i am not familiar
with mining, and am sensible of the
fact that it requires money to succeed.
Some day, however, l may take my
hazel twig and seek my fortune in the
Rocki as."-St Louis Globe-Democrat.