The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-04-24
SECRETS ARE REVEALED
THIS MAN GAN TELL WHERE TO
DIG FOR WATER.
Details the Exact Depth and the
Number of Gallons That VIII
spring Forth.

There are a great number OF people
who claim to know natures secrets
and will talk to you by the hour about
the wonderful things that you don't
know and they do. There is 6 man in
England-a west countryman-who shows
you how he knows the secrets nature
has hidden beneath the earths surface.
He has no idea what 1t is that enables
him to know what he does. Nevertheless
he can tell every time he tries whether
water can be found or not, just where It
can be found, and the extent of the flow,
even to the number Of gallons that can be
counted on every minute This young
mans name is= Lancaster Gataker. People
know him as the water finder.
The first thing that an experience with
Mr.. Gataker demonstrates Is that he is
no charlatan. Were he that he could
claim that he could locate gold and silver
and other things that the earth contains
Whioh are valuable to man. He lays
claim to nothing Of the sort, however.
He says that he can find water and he
always proves his assertion. / had the
pleasure not long ago OF witnessing a
sample Of what Mr.. Gataker can accom-
plish To me 1t seems to approach the
marvellous, To this man, the mystery of
1t all apparently is as nothing at all.
His hrst action when beginning his
search, is to cut q small forked branch
Tradition has favored hazel wood for
such experiments, but this water finder
thinks little of the woody adjunct any
way. AS a matter of fact, he says that
the wooden fork is but a dramatic detail
OF the situation, and that he utilizes 1t
because 1t sometimes makes 1t easier by
preventing people from asking him too
many questions. The fork once in his
hands he finder stands absolutely still
for a moment and then sets out at an
exceedingly rapid pace in whatever dlrec-
tion the mysterious something may inn
pei him to take.
Soon he stops and the fork whirls
around in his fingers after the fashion in
which the Irishman whirls his black
thorn. On this occasion he looked at me
as the fork turned and said: you see
have been following up a stream which
is beneath US. Now have found the
spring" Pointing downward, he con-
tlnued: 1T is exactly beneath us from
20 to 100 feet beneath the surface If our
friend viii dig down he viii find that the
spring win rise about 100 gallons an hour
The stream which / followed to this
point Is not the only one which this
spring supplies. See? There Is another
which goes OF that way
Saying this, Mr.. Gataker left me at so
rapid a gait that / was unable to keep
up with him without running. One of
the workmen who accompanied us was
wooden pegs, which were driven into the
ground at points Indicated by the finder
as being suitable places to dig for wa
ter. On the occasion OF which have
spoken, he located Ave such spots on the
farm at various points and often at most
unexpected places. At tho particular
point at which my host and the finders
employer most wished to find water, Mr..
GatalIer said that excavation would re-
suit In water being found, but that 1t
would prove TO be only surface water
and that the supply therefore, would be
so limited as to practically make the
search for 1t Improbable.
1t was interesting to observe that when
the twiR which Mr.. Gataker was using
broke or short. apparently worn out by
the violent usage to which 1t had been
subjected, he entirely dispensed with the
use OF any twig at all. He assured us
that, as before stated, the twlg was
wholly unnecessary, inasmuoh as he did
not rely upon Il In the least, but upon
the sensations In his arm and fingers. l
noticed that when making a search for
water, the finders hand hung down, the
fingers being extended little outward
Closer observation showed a vibration in
the middle finger which appeared to be
drawn downwards after the fashion in
which the apex of the twig had previous
~ pointed to the ground. At no time
was the slightest hesitanoy visible
on the part of the find
er. He worked with the greatest
rapidity, his actions were decisive in the
extreme. and there was none OF that air of
mystery about him with which some per-
sons who claim TO be possessed OF strange
powers are fond of cloalking their move
nents.
There can be no question whatever
about Mr.. Gataker's ability to locate wa
ter underneath the earths surface, In
fact so Arm hold has he obtained upon
the confidence OF the people In the west
country, who best know him, that his
time is taken up ahead just as a theat-
rical company's engagements are booked.
Withal he Is unassuming and never, in
appearances, would lead you to believe he
differed In any way from the ordinary
specimen OF his sex that you see so often
among the English middle classes. He
gives absolute proof OF his honesty of
purpose by invariably declining to &C
cept any remuneration for his efforts un-
less they meet with the success for which
those who engage him hope. This is car
rying out the famous mercantile principle
OF satisfaction guaranteed or money re-
funded with a vengeance.
Mr.. Gataker first discovered the power |
which is his little over three years ago, |
but has been following up the use of the |
strange gift only since early In 1895. He |
has received applications for his services |
from north and east Africa, western Aus