United labor bulletin., 1913-10-04
Kow QIknlnsR Rodls led
by 0efafor

SE|C1 o< Os
traI diaphragm of certain exceptionally delicately
framed persons
About the middle OF the nineteenth century
Professor Won Riechenbach, of Germany, believed
he had found the source of the power exerted
by any one using a divining rod in the radiation
of very fine gas given off by many bodies and
which he called 'odyllic force" The Frenchman,
NJ E. Chevreul. on the other hand. explained the
whole phenomenon being self-deception of
the persons holding the rods, their arm muscles
becoming excessively irritated by the peculiar
way OF holding the rod. and their nervous system
likewise by the strainng desire of the diviner
TO find something
1t was In the midst OF this somewhat general
skepticsm concerning the actual power of the
OWNERS and rather listless search for some real
explanation OF the phenomenon that Herr Won
Buelow became Interested In a search for sub
terranean water supply the imperial wharf
at the harbor of kiel Won Uslar who was called
upon TO make the experiment, achieved such con-
elusive results. actually piercing water
veins that Won Buelow brought the matter to the
attention of the emperor. and 1t then that
Won Uslar was by the government to south
west Africa
For two years and a half" said Herr Fran
zius to the writer Won Uslar traversed that
country in the midst of the hostile Hottentots in
order to find at constant supply of water
for the troops and for the farmers in that region.
where for the most part water was lacking.
When he returned in the spring of 1905 he
had designated subterranean water courses in
500 places and according to the official report up
TO tina, time 1853 OF those places had been investi
gated by borings- Seventynne per cent of his
designations had proved to be correct The bor
ing continued, and up to June. 1911. according to
fcial government report which was issued at
that time. total OF 2Oe of the 500 places had
been investigated and in III Of then. about
So per cent. water had been found.
In Germany many scientists became interest
ed in the art. Beyerhaus believed he had found
the explanation Of the phenomenon in electricity.
Blom pinned his faith TO radium- Professor ".
Kubler in Dresden. found that confined steam
or great masses OF ice had just the same infu-
ence on the dviner. The physicist DR.. G. Rothe.
attributed the influence 10 Reichenbsch's 'odyllc
force the physician. Dr. A. voll. TO electricity.
DIR. Aigner. in Munchen, also practicng physi-
clan. devoted himself closely to an investigation
OF the question and is inclined to presume an
altogether unknown kind of rays. terrestrial
currents. probable sources OF the power
Meanwhile OWNERS in various parts of Ger
many devoted themselves TO practicng the art
quite independently of one another. and contin-
ued TO meet with pronounced successes until in
1909 an effort was made to bring them and all
those interested in discovering the secret OF the
power together in sort OF convention at Dres-
den There carefully recorded experiments were
made before number of professors OF the tech
nical schools OF Drnden and Munchen by the
OWNERS Won Buelow. Uslar and Or. voll.
Not only were the experiments conclusive. but
each of the three named working indepen-
IDENTIFY of another. located in the same spot,
near Dresden, an extensive subterranean coal
field. After this the use of the OWNERS by mine
owners rapidly increased. and in 1911 another
convention. lasting three DAYS. and marked by
more startling successe. held at Hanover.
Potash is very abundant In this region. and the
discoveries OF deposits OF II made by the eight
OWNERS appearing before the convention were so
astonishing that the formation OF a permanent
society to collect all available facts concerning
divining rods and. II possible. discover the secret
OF their power was at once undertaken.
The society is seeking to gain the interest of
wider circles for the Investigation of the riddle
of the rods and Herr Uslar and myself have
met with fair success in efforts TO arouse the
interest OF scientists In this country"
Herr Franzius was modest in his claims as to
the accuracy with which the designations OF sub
terranean water and minerals could be made
but declared In response TO question that this
accuracy quite remarkable
Not only" he says. 'can the dviner by walk
Ing about in circle. that IL he crosses a vein
once he mast necessarily 1t at least sec
ond time. determine the location OF a substratum
OF mineral or water. but he can also determine
In most cases the depth OF the stratum below the
surface. even when 1t is several hundred feet
and also the direction In which the vein extends
Herr Won Usar. speaking through his friend
Herr FranEius. cited case after case where mine
owners had employed OWNERS to locate
veins In Germany and railroad directorates had
employed them to nnd suitable water supply
at their various stations
The two visitors hope that their return
after the Landrat's findings In Wisconsin and
Michigan, have been Investigated. the results of
their discoveries in this country OF new deposits
of coal, iron and petroleum will rouse as much
interest In the mysterious power possessed by
Won Uslar as has already been manifested in
Sermany. II is only by rousing such interest
among scientists everywhere. the Landrat be-
iieves. that the answer be found to the riddle
that vexes and tantalxes him day by day: What
is the true source OF the OWNERS powerT