Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-21
ITTLkIlI

that can be counted on every minute.
This young mans name is Leicester Gaia
ker. People know him as the water-hnder.
The first thing that an experience Win
Mr.. Gataker demonstrates is that he Is
no charlatan. Were he that he would
claim that he could locate gold and silver
and other things that the earth contains
which are valuable TO man. He lays clam
TO nothing of the sort, however. lie says
that he can find water, and he always
proves his assertion. l had the pleasure
not long ago of witnessing sample Oh
what Mr. Gataker can accomplish. 10
me II seems to approach the marvellous.
To this man, the mystery OF 1t all ap-
parentiy is as nothing at all.
His first action when beginning MS
search is TO cut a small forked branch
Tradition has favored hazel wood for sueh
experiments, but this water-fnder THINKS
little Of the woody adjunct any way
AS a matter OF fact, he says that the
wooden fork Is but dramatic detail OF
the situation, and that he utilities 1t be-
cause Il sometimes makes II easier by
preventing people from asking him too
many questions. The fork once in his
hands the finder stands absolutely still
for a moment and then sets out at an
exceedingly rapid pace In whatever d.
rection the mysterious something" may
impel 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 u.s. Now l have found the
spring." Pointing downward. he con-
tInued: ut Is exactly beneath us from
70 TO 100 feet beneath the surface. II our
friend will dig down he viii find that the
spring will rise about 120 gallons an hour
The stream which / followed 70 this point
IS not the only one which this spring sup
plies. See? There is another which goes
of that way"
Saying this Mr.. Gataker left me at so
rapid a gait that l was unable to keep up
with him without running. One Of the
workmen who accompanied us was told 10
run after him and carry some wooden
pegs, which were driven into the ground
at points indicated by the finder as being
suitable places TO dig for water. on the
occasion OF which i have spoken he To-
Gated FIVE such spots on the farm at va
rious points and often at most unexpected
places. AT the particular point at which
my host and the finders employer most
wished 10 find water. Mr.. Gataker said
that excavation would result in water be-
ing found, but that It would prove to be
only surface water, and that the supply,
therefore, would be so limited as TO practi-
cally make the search for ii Improbable.
II was interesting to observe that when
the twig which Mr.. Gataker was using
broke of short. apparently worn out by
the violent usage 10 which II had been SUBJ
5ected. he entirely dispensed with the use
OF any twig al all. He assured us that.
as before stated, the twig was wholly
unnecessary. inasmuch as he did not
rely upon II In the least. but upon the sem
sations In his arm and fingers. / noticed
that when making "a search for water
the finders hand hung down, the fingers
being extended little outward. Closer
observation showed vibration In the
middle finger which appeared 10 be drawn
downwards after the fashion In which the
apex Of the twig had previously pointed
TO the ground. At no time was the slight
at hesitaney visible on the part OF the