The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-22
OWNING RODS.
Electricity Is Now Suppianting the
OId-Time WitchhazeI Branch.


From the Chicago Record.
The most notable patent for diving rod
or mental finder was issued in March last
to F.. H. Brown. Several patents had
previously been granted for mocha meal
and electrical contrivances designed TO To-
cate gold, silver and other ores, and a
great many applications have been re-
jected for various reasons.
The commissioner of patents would not
for example, issue patent for witch
hazel divining rod, because that has been
in common use for centuries and compar-
atively few of the devices that have been
offered in this line involve original or
mertorious features. To secure a patent
the usefulness and practicability, as well
a the novelty of an invention, must be
demonstrated, and the divining rod in
rious forms has been in use ever since
the time of Jacob. Few people realize
the extent to which the divining rod and
its substitutes are used at the present
day to locate minerals springs of water.
subterranean rivers, hidden treasure, etc.
There are people in New England VINO
still earn a living that way and that is
supposed to be the seat of our highest
civilization and greatest intellectual at
tainment although, as l have frequently
stated, the statistics show O higher de-
gree of education in Iowa, Kansas aud
Nebraska. Large numbers of successful
oil wells in Pennsylvania. Ohio and In
diana have been and still are bored q
points designated by "oil smellers," as
they call them; prospect tors in the min
ing regions use magnets and all sorts of
electrical appliances. and in almost every
county of the United States in the agri-
cultural districts you will find farmers
who still believe in the efficacy of split
rod of witchhazel.
AS late as 1876 Mr.. Charles Lattimer OF
Cleveland, well known engineer wrore
a book to demonstrate its usefulness in
determining subterranean water passages.
The "dowsng rod" for the same purpose,
is made of two prongs of whalebone, with
one end of each fastened firmly in an
empty cartridge shell. Similar divnins
rods were used in the times of Moses and
Aaron. Marco Polo found them in China.
Philip Melancthon, the religious reformer
and friend of Martin Luther testified to
their efficacy and defended them from the
inquisition, by which they were denounced
and prohibited. Divining rods have COM
manded the faith and confidence of all
races in all countries in all times. and
there has been little improvement in the
design
Electricity is now used, however, for
such matters more than the ordinary rod
of witchhazel, and, as in the recent pat
ent granted to Mr.. F. H. Brown, the
operator usually connect with an ordinary
battery two wires which are attached -
two stakes. When he reaches a place
where he suspects minerals may be found
he drives the stakes in the earth. turns
on the current, and if the circuit is com
pleted by a body of ore in the earth a
bell or some other annunciator connected
with the battery will announce the dis
covery. Springs of water and subterra-
mean streams can be located in the same
way.
simple device consists of a rod with
on electrical battery and a wire on the
top and a wire running down the center.
This rod is driven in the ground, and if
the end comes in contact with ore or min
erals of any kind the result is felt by
the opera tor.