The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-17


chemical changes are taking place. Such
persons complain of nausea and diZZine ss
when in the midst Of the exnalattOns OF
mines He thinks that all animals are
sensitive TO and more or less affected by
the effiuvia of large mineral depOs is.
Both the dog and the horse show signs OF
uneasiness when passing through eXhaia-
tiOns from su bterranean depths. The
susceptibility of these animals to such in
fiuences is so marked that through them
some valuable mines have been found in
Germany and other European countries.
Also there are legends Of rich mines hav
ing been discovered in the HartZ Noun
tains through their vapOrous eXhalations
becoming visible in the night as a blush
flame playing along on the surface OF the
ground.
Now, Mr.. Norrie claims that his mineral
indicator is more sensitive TO both cleo
trical currents and evolved gases than are
the senses of any person or animal, and
asserts that II is so dellcately balanced
that its eQuipoiSe is disturbed by the faint
est shade of an emanation from subter-
ranean depths-by the sigh of the smallest
laboring nodule
Judging from what NOrrle reports of his
| observations with his instrument am OF
the opinion that an apparatus similar TO
Inc mlcrophone might be constructed by
means of which the sounds produced by
chemical and dynamical changes in min
erai deposits might be detected through a
great depth OF I0ck. One might thus be
enabled 10 0ftcate at the birth of a crystal
at the depth Of 100 feet below the surface.
Until such an instrument is brought out
shall continue to thinK better of the pick
and shovel than of anything else as i'm
plements by means of which 10 discover
deposits OF the precious metals.
Besides these chiefs in metalloscOpy-
Al Peck and Norrie-the Comstock mines
| have been visited by a score or more of
aVyf xUifb hal l-aA cti
and other apparatus for spottiDg bnanZas.
| Ii is curious fact, and one that shows in
the human animal an inherent leaning
| toward the occult and marvellous, that
many man who diSclaims belief in the
| "dOWser," yet finds good deal of comfort
in the circumstance of the little joker"
! having indicated great and rich body of
| ore when operated over his pet mine. Ii
will be found that thereafter his opposi-
| ton TO dowsers is merely passive. On the
other hand, let the magic fork" fail 10
hnd anything OF value on mans fayOrite
claim and his anIagonism TO ''dOwsers"
and the whole beggarly tribe of swIndling
'douster-swivels" becomes active aud
vehement.
While the masculine ore-fnder invari-
| ably operates with the old-time mineral
| roo, or soma similar mechanical cUntri-
vance, his female counterpart nearly al
ways claims to be $50 constituted" as to be
peculiarly sensitive to the Yaporous eX-
halatlons of minerals and to the magnetic
ore electric currents from ore bodies. These
female 'dOuster-sw iyels" are affected in
various ways, mentally and physically,
and their antics, which range from the
Seml-trance TO mild Mysteries. are often
decidedly ludicrous. Some have trem-
biings, others mild commissions, while the
majority exhibit much writhing of the
facial muscles and wild rollings of the
eyes when under strong mineral iD flu
ence." These are the natural magnets"
the "ore-smellers" and the ''clairvoyants"
all persons peculiarly constituted"
| Though these hysterlcal demonstrations
On the part of the natural magnets" NAV
be well calculated to awe and iavorably
impress the feminine beholders, they do
not, as a rule, very greatly affect the mas
cullne mind. The sturdy and matter-Of-
fact miner Is not awed.
We of the Comstock have been visited
by several women calling themselves mat
ural magnets" To be taken into the laby-
rinthian workings of one OF our leading
mines and led about through a confusing
mass OF drifts and crossculs is severe
test to be undergone by even the most ex-
perienced and 'shifty" of the male "dOw-
sers"; for the female natural magnet
the ill-cOncealed grins and significant
coughs of the miners, who know eyery
streak and bunch OF ore in the workings
as we'll as mother knows her children,
are absolute torture, and few care to re-
peat their first experience in that line of
| dlvinatloD, for all soon come to grief in the
maZes. They contradict themselves at
every turn.
once went into one of our mines with
q woman who called herself the Mineral
Queen"-a woman peculiarly cunst-
tuted." With us went the superintendent,
foreman and two or three others con-
nected with the mine. After the lower
! levels were reached the Mineral Queen"
| evidently feeling that there was ore about
| W. IN ha off nd
to "stiffen." Her eyes seemed set in her
head. SAID she: II feel an influence. 1t
Is mineral wave. 1t comes from this
direction" pointing. 1T comes from a
large body of rich ore," proceeded the
woman. She was led around another way
and halted. Again she felt the influence.
The metallic wave was so heavy that it
made her tremble in every joint ut is
| getting richer and is now near, very
near" cried she.
The fact was that the woman was con-
| stantly pointing away from the ore and
when led past the largest and richest de-
posts OF ore in the mine with both eyes
| wide open saw nothing, was free from
| agitation and was struck by no metallic
wave" When shown the ore and the
| barren regions to which she ad pointed
the Mineral Queen" was so disguised that
she would never again go into mines that
were eXten svely opened; she took TO the
| hills in the outside districts where rich ore
| was still hidden and unknown quantity.
| There she caused a considerable amount of
| money to be permanently invested.
When we were in the dressing. room of
| the mine, preparing to descend to the
| lower levels. Boston man, who was on n
visit to the Comsioek and was going with
US, became very curious when he found
| that In another room preparing 10 make the
! descent was woman called the Mineral
Queen" "How could she tell abou. the
ore? How Is she affected in the presence
of ore" he asked.
| WELL" said the foreman. who was In
the humOr to guy the BostonIRn, "the
woman is so constituted that she weeps
| very eopiOusly whenever she is taken near
big body of rich ORES
"Oh, ys, sir; that is So" said an old son
Of Erin, who had charge of the dressing
room and wished 10 help along with the
| Joke. That is so, sir I've been wild her
In dh-ift where there was vara rich ore
when to folla afther her was loike walkin'
at the tail av a sphrinklin' cartW
Mrs Sandy Bowers, once mistress Of the
Bowers Mansion" Washoe Valley. and
Of almost untold wealth in mines. when
she lost all was obliged to take I'D the
trade OF fortune-teller. This was not hard
for her. as she came of Scotch family.
claiming TO possess the gift OF seeond-sipbt'
and mad ali her life been dabbling more or
less in things occult by means of a "peen-
stone" brought from the old country.
Being naturally interested in mines and
lining, the old lady was wont-for n oo,,