United labor bulletin., 1913-10-04

know what's going on here-there are SO many
pipes and wires underneath your streets in New
York-but think there must be water here
where"
Then one OF the older members of the club who
was present remembered and told how. when the
club house being erected. the contractors lay
ing the foundations had great difficulty In
trolling the rush of water from vein that was
laid open directly under the spot where the bill
Hard room afterward located
Another day the two friends we're guests al the
American Yacht club. at Milton Point Rye. " Y
The club has had good deal OF trouble recently
trying TO get sufficient water supply. Franzius
and Won Usiar found this out when they turned
on the faucet in their bedroom the second
floor and got water. At the breakfast table
Franzius rallied his hosts bit. and then asked:
Why don't you get Won Uslar here to find you
water?"
1t was agreed that the Landrat not only located
n subterranean vein of water by but discov-
cred that It led almost under corner OF the
club house. where IT would be easily accessible
by boring.
The so-caIied rod that Won Usar uses is a
very simple device. The metal rod is merely two
pieces Of rather fine wire. each about a foot long.
held together BY flexible Joint. The diviner
grasps the two free ends. one in each hand.
which he holds palm upward. The wooden rods
may be two pieces Joined a natural forked
twiE. The flexible Joint OF the rod forms an an
sle the apex of which projects forward or upward.
As the dviner. walking about comes over the
the spot where subterranesn mineral deposit
or vein OF water is located. the rod
violently In his hands. usually away from the
body, and continues to ~hirl rapidly as long
the diViner remains the spot and holds the
rod in position.
One very curious feature of the rods move
ment, TO which the writer's attention was called
by Won uslar. is that there seems 10 be involved
n sort OF closed circuit. Thus the Landrat says
II he holds one end OF the rod in his right hand
and places his left hand on the back of the neck
fh.rr -
end of the rod in one of his hands. the influence
will still be felt and the rod will turn when held
over water or mineral deposits. even though the
second person does not possess the mysterious
power OF diyinaton.
The present deep interest in divining rods in
Germany is OF comparatively recent growth yet
the use of divnng rods for locating minerals
water and all sorts OF other things in all
probability practiced In worry ancient times BY
men who no doubt possessed the strange
power The art was certainly practiced by
of the Middle Ages. who named II rhabdomancy.
There is evidence that the ancient Romans may
er by the use of the socalled "virgula saivina'
used In taking auguries by means of casting bits
of sticks, descriptions OF which found in the
writings of Tactus and Cicero.
The schlageruthe (striking rod or forked twig
of the German miners of the Harz mountains was
brought to England by miners who engaged
by tho merchant adventurers OF Queen Eliza
beths time TO emigrate and work In the Cornish
mines. The art In general has been in use all
over the world in spite OF the fact that no one
has SO far found a satisfactory explanation for
such a gift and that II has generally been attack
ed and laughed at by science. The American In
dams and the drivers In Western Cobb
employ these rods to look for water
Just as the peasants in Switzerland and Schles-
wigHolstein have done since time immemorial
Prot. w. F. Barrett. F. r. s. of Dublin who is
regarded as the chief modern Investigator of the
subject, believes that Its employ ment dating as
II does from the revival OF learning. is based on
the medaeval doctrine OF sympathy" that Is
the dropping OF trees and the character of the
vegetation give indications OF mineral iodes be-
meath the earth's surface by means-of n sort of
attraction.
The divfning rod has. however been used also
In searching for any buried object In thu south
OF France. in the seventeenth century II was
employed In tracking criminals and heretics Its
abuse led to decree OF the inquisition In 1901
forbidding its employment for purposes OF Jus
tce. In modern times the wooden rod has been
much used In England and other places for find
ii'g water. and In this connection either the rod
or the diviner is caller n "douser"
Sir w II. Preece csiebrated English electri
clan, tahag part In discussion of the douser's
power In Jsssnary. 1905. repudated the theory
that any electric force was involved and record
ed his opinion that water-hndlng by a douser was
due TO mechanical vibration. up by the fric-
ton OF moving water acting upon sensitive ven