Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-05
The Old Willow Switch Sup
planted by Science.
A Man Who Can Find Infallibly
Wells of Water.
Chemical Affinity Points Out Where
to Dig Wells.
as that of Water by Using Other
Chemical Compounds.

All readers of papers have heard of
the fellows who cut a switch from a
willow tree, and by the way it tips
points out where water may be found
by digging. A great many practical
old farmers are firmly persuaded that
this thing can be done, for the simple
reason that they are persuaded they
have seen it done, and all know that
seeing is believing. But it would not be
easy to find scholar or student of science
who will accept this theory of willow
switch held across mans thumbs
pointing out the presence Of stream OF
water 60 or 100 feet beneath the
surface of the ground. The scholar or
student will not believe it, because he
wants to know the rationale of every
thing, despite the dictum OF Ham
let, that there are more things in heaven
and earth than are dreamt OF in our
philosophy.
Well, it has remained for a physician
now resident of Pasadena to do by
scientific means, and much more GER
tainly, what the country people have
done by means of the willow switch.
Some time ago thoughtful, professional
looking gentleman entered the yard OF
the Los Angeles gas company and asked
permission to walk around there for
few moments. The employees thought
him to be some harmless crank, as he
had a queer looking little instrument
resting ON his fingers, and kept looking
at it as he paced the yard in the mood of
Baron Won Humboldt stduying the
theory of earthquakes. Pressing him
for some account of himself, the man
with the machine said: ooh, l am
merely prosecuting bit of philosophic
inquiry, and this is the best place to test
my theory. I understand that there
are in these yards pipes under ground,
some of which conduct water, some oil
and some gas. / want to see If | can
locate them by this little machine
The men all laughed at this and felt
surer than ever that they were looking
at crank. But they promised if he
should point rightly to tell him SO. The
man with the machine moved about
the yard, in course much like that OF
wandering Ulysses on his return from
Troy. As he moved he made a mark
here and there with his heel in the dust,
and when he felt sure OF his position, he
said "Here are three pipes. This one
carries water sure; this carries oil or
gas, and this gas or oil. 1 am not sure
about the gas or oil, but think they
are as l say-this one probably oil and
this probably gas" The maps from the
office were produoed =. and sure enough
these pipes lay right where he marked
the places. So runs the story.
Well, the oil men got wind OF this
yarn, and they have had the man with
the machine all over the country. He
has prospected the Puente hills, and
| those who came to scott at the business
watched him perform, and were won to
give full credence to the scientists
claims. He is reported to have pointed
out infallibly the best spots to bore for
oil. He has been all over the Cahuenga
country, and claims to have found ga
lore of oil there, and to have pointed
out Just where to bore for it. He has
also indicated the line down which
subterrane streams of water flow
from the mountains. Fred Hanni-
man, OF the Los Angeles Fish
ing company, has nice ranch
out there just below Carlin's place. The
man with the wonderful machine has
|
Fred is said to intend to follow the
pointer. He will begin to bore at once,
and this will test the accuracy of the
machine. Tests have been made for oil
in the Pco cation and over in the Ven
tura oil fields, and the machine is said
to show surely where the oleaginous de-
posit lies beneath the surface.
The inventor and possessor of this ma
| oh io nh
dena. He is Doctor Crandall. When 6
medical student it fell to his lot to study
vital forces in their relation to the inor
ganic or partially organized matter or
the earth. In doing this he naturally
paid close attention to the electric cur
rents, and chemical action and reaction
Water, too, came in for large share o.
his attention. He gets at the secrets
locked in the arcanum of nature by
purely scientific methods. His instru
ment is bit of light flexible whalebone
at one end OF which is knob charged
with chemicals. He holds this in hi:
hand, grasping it within a sponge in
each hand, the sponges being charged
with some sort OF chemical agents anC
reagents. The scientific principle in
volved is the universal one OF affinity
The attraction of the minerals for water
or oil acts along electric currents, the
earth and the body of the holder form
ing the connection. The chemicals are
attracted to the water, or the water
to the chemicals, and as action, and re-
action are equal in physics, the water
not being able to come to the rod, the
rod attempts to get to the water, ant
the instrument goes bobbipg up ant
down as soon as it comes over tht
stream. 1t is like the mountain tina
would not go to Mahomet. Any how
if the instrument does what is claimed
for it there will be no more boring il
the dark for water or OIL
=. rITU ETNYhNCEC