The Portland daily press., 1895-01-12
To the Editor Of the Press:

To the Editor of the Press:
The article in Fridays PRESS relating
to the "divining rod"recalls letter writ
ten to the Transcript by me several years
ago. and giving an explanation which seems
to me much more reasonable.
Ifyou will find the Report of the Com
missioner of Patents for the Year of 1857
/ think that he will no longer be in doubt
as to the mystery. referred to.
On the fourteenth page you will find an
article headed, "Wcll Digging" signed by
Alfred Burnson, from Prairie Du Chen.
Wis, Jan. 1st, 1852. sent to Hon. Thomas
Ewbank, G. U. S. Patent Office
In the extract referred to it is scientifical-
ly called "Bletonism.'',a Bleton was the
first to discover the work of the rod in find
ing water.
The article referred to is an interesting
one, and would like to see the whole arti-
Gle in your paper. as it was tested in the
days of Adam Clark, the Methodist preach
er, as he considered it "humbuggery," and
by his proceedings, one will think that he
was in earnest, as Mr. Bleton was brought
as a member to trial for such humbuggery,
and attempting TO humbug or impose upon
the people, 1.-The trial was interesting
one, =" too long to insert here.
The law which governs in this matter is
thus explained:
Ist. That wonderful fluid called electric
ity is distributed throughout the whole
earth, but some bodies generate, or imbibe
more of it than others. Those that con-
tain more than their natural proportion are
said to be positively, and those which CON-
tain less. to be negatively charged.
I'd. Oae of the esta blished laws Of elec-
tricity is found in the fact that two bodies.
both positively or both negatively charged.
invariably repel each other, while II one is
positively. and the other negatively charged.
they uniformly attract each other.
Sd. 1t is we'll known that the best sub
terranean conductors are beds of ore or
native metals. and veins of water. 1t Is
in their nature to extract the latent fluid
from surrounding objects, and absorb 1t
themselves; hence where these exist, there
will be the most electricity.
4th. In general. the human body is also
good conductor. but there are some excep-
tions. Some lnen usually generate or i'm
bibe the negative and positive In such
equal quantities as to maintain an equili-
brium in theil system; the rod in the hands
of such will not be sensibly affected.
Others are surcharged, and have more than
their share, and produce positive electricity.
Such. it is said. if they have black hair.
will, if rubbed in cold weather. emit sparks.
5th. An individual containing very
small amount of electricity, or who is highly
negatively charged, (only such can operatel
if he takes the rod in his hand and passes
over a surface beneath which there is
stream of water, or a stratum OF ore, by the
unchanging laws of nature, the ROD must
be affect ed. and, consequently, a sensation
will be produced in him who holds 1t. The
person making the experiment Is highly
negatively charged-that Is. he has but
little of the auid in him; the water beneath
his feet has absorbed the electricity of the
adjacent bodies in the earth; tile elastic
twig in his hands forms a part OF the con-
nection between the positive and the
negative poles: and two bodies. the one
positively, and the other negatively charged,
by law of nature, always attract each
other, and, under such circumstances. most
unquestionabl y.the twig will be attract
ed downwards towards the water, and the
operator will feel it as well as see 1T.
9th. If the experimenter is positively
charged, like the water below, his system
having produced or imbibed large portion
of the latent fluid by the law already re-
ferred to. there will be repulsion; the
twig, instead of bending downwards
towards the water, will bend backwards
towards himself, and the result will be
equally perceptible.
The above six rules are laid down as the
correct theory of Bletonism, and the laws
of nature, so have oopied them.
Among my neighbors in Vermont the
divinjng rod is much used. and always with
success when the man using it is in prop
er electrical state.
NATHAN Way.