Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1913-10-25

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 some
where"
Then one OF the older members OF the club who
was present remembered and told how when the
club house was being erected. the contractors lay
ing the foundations had great diniculty in con-
trolling the rush OF water from q vein that was
laid open directly under the spot where the bill
Hard room was aaerward located.
Another day the two friends were guests at the
American Yacht club. at Milton Point Rye. N Y.
The club has had good deal OF trouble recently
trying to get q SUFFICIENT water supply. Franzius
and Won Usar found this out when they turned
on the faucet In their bedroom on the second
floor and got no water. At the breakfast table
Franzus rallied his hosts bit, and then asked:
Why don't you get Won Uslar here to find you
some water"
IL was agreed that the Landrat not only located
subterranean vein OF water near by but dlscov
cred that It led almost under one corner OF the
club house. where 1t would be easily accessible
by boring
The so-called rod that Won Uslar uses is a
very simple device The metal rod IL merely two
pieces OF rather fine wire, each about foot long
held together by flexible joint. The divner
grasps the two free ends, one in each hand
which he holds palm upward. The wooden rods
may be two pieces joined or natural forked
twig. The flexible joint of the rod forms an an
gle the apex OF which projects forward or upward
AS the divner, walking about comes over the
the spot where subterranean mineral deposit
or vein OF water is located, the rod turns
violently In his hands, usually away from the
body. and continues to whirl rapidly a. 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 TO be involved
sort of closed circuit Thus. the Landrat says
II he holds end OF the rod in his right hand
and places his left hand on the back OF the neck
OF another person, who In turn holds the other
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, though the
second person does not possess the mysterious
power OF divination
The present deep interest in divining rods I'm
Germany is Of comparatively recent growth, yet
the use OF divining rods for locating minerals.
water and all sorts OF other things In all
probability practiced in very ancient times by
men who no doubt possessed the same strange
power. The art certainly practiced by men
OF the Middle Ages. who named it rhabdomancy.
There is evidence that the ancient Romans may
have recognized the existence Of some such pow
er by the use OF the so-called "vrgua dvina."
used in taking auguries by means OF casting bits
OF sticks descriptions OF which are found In the
writings OF Tacitus and Cicero
The schlageruthe (strking rod forked twig
OF the German miners of the Harz mountains was
by the merchant adventurers> OF Queen Eliza
beth's 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 satisfactory explanation for
such gift and that IL has generally been attack
ed and laughed at by science The American In
dians and the caravan drivers In Western Cobb
emSoy these rods even now to look for water.
just as the peasants In Switzerland and Schles-
wig-Holsten have done since time immemorial.
Prof. w. +. Barrett F. n. g., OF Dublin who Is
regarded as the chief modern investigator of the
subject, believes that its employment dating as
IL does from the revival OF learning, Is based on
the medieval doctrine OF sympathy" that Is
the dropping OF trees and the character OF the
vegetation give indications Of mineral lodes be-
meath the earth's surface by means OF sort OF
attraction.
The divining rod has however, been used also
In searching for any buried object. In the south
OF France, In the seventeenth century, 1t was
employed In tracking criminals and heretics. Its
abuse led to decree OF the inquistion in 1901
forbidding It's employment for purposes OF JUS
tice. In modern times the wooden rod has been
much used in England and other places for find
ing water. and In this connection either the rod
the diviner is caller "douser."
Sir w IT. Preece, a celebrated English electri
clan, taking part In a discussion of the douser's
power In January. 1905, repudiated the theory
that any electric force involved and record
ed his opinion that water-fnding by douser was
due to mechanical vibration, set up by the fric-
ton OF moving water, acting upon sensitive ven