Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-01-07
THE "wATER WITCH"
A Test Which No Dowser Ever Sue
cessfully Wtthstood.

| A Test Which No Dowser Ever Sue
cessfully Wttbstood.
Fred Telford, in Farm and Fireside.l
There are few country communities
without man known as "water witch.
A "water WITCH is popularity supposed
to have the power to locate streams or
lakes of underground water, and is fire.
quently employed by those putting down
wells to locate the most favorable spots.
Though minor details differ, all "wster
witches" work in essentially the same way.
The witch first selects a peach or hazel
fork, trims it carefully, and then holds it in
both hands and walks about in various
places suitable for we'll. Whenever he
passes over water the fork is supposed to
be attracted, and instead of remaining
upright it turns downward. The more
water below, the more violent the turn
ing. Often the "witchn traces what he
calls underground streams, and his fav-
orite device is to have his employer dig at
the crossing of two of these streams.
just how much faith is to be placed in
the ability of ''water witch" to locate
underground water? Many farmers have
been confident to the extent OF twenty
five dollars; many more to the extent
off ten dollars; and it would be Diff
ficult to tell how many have given up
smaller sums TO these men. Certain it is
that many farmer has followed their di-
rections and found plenty of water. But,
for the matter of that, it is likewise true
that many have secured good wells with
out their aid. So finding water proves
nothing.
An incident that occurred in southern
Illinois goes far to show the worth of
"water witches. A farmer had put down
several wells to considerable depth with
out finding sufficient amount OF water.
Finally he decided to call in witch"
who had located many of the best wells in
the community.
The trial was made before a large num-
Der of neighbors and visitors. The
"witch", with a fork from peach tree,
held in the approved fashion, walked
about in all sorts of likely places. In a
short time he had traced two underground
streams, and had marked the place where
he claimed that they crossed.
dig there" he announced, ''and you'll
find plenty OF water. You won't have to
dig very deep either"
Perfectly satisfied, the employer was
preparing to turn over The fee, ten dollars.
But one OF the visitors who had made a
study of soils and who owned an sdjoin-
ing farm was skeptical.
"You're sure the fork will always turn
for you at that spot, are your" he queried.
''Not doubt of it," was the confident
reply.
"Iou wouldn't object if / tested you
furtber?"
''Not at ALL"
''Not even if l blindfolded you and
tested you?"
81 tell you that fork will turn for me
whenever it is above a good stream of
water, no matter what you do or say"
Then came the test. Sure enough, the
fork turned in the blindfolded "witch's"
hands; but, strange to say, it turned err
ratically. 1t turned in places he had la
beled dry. 1t sometimes turned above the
underground streams he had traced, but
usually it did not. 1t failed to turn even
once at the crossing, though the
switch" was led over it again and again.
And it never turned twice in the same
place.
This test only showed that there is
absolutely no reason for believing that
water attracts peach or hazel forks in a
peculiar way. Moreover, scientists assert
that the weight OF the earth is so great that
there cannot be the underground steams
and lakes of open water that "witches"
profess to believe in. One thing is abso-
lutely certain, the switch" who fails
blindfolded has no ability to locate good
places to dig wells. And there is no
record that any witch" ever withstood
this test.
The explanation of the apparent success
of many witches" is not hard to find.
As matter of fact, much Of our country
is underlaid with water bearing gravel
and sand, and il well is put down to a
moderate depth it is usually impossible
to escape finding plenty of water. Those
"witches' who honestly believe they have
the power to locate underground water
(as was the case with the one mentioned
above) merely deiude themselves. The
fork, as 1t is held, turns very easily. ANY
misstep, such as might be caused by I'M
evenness in the ground, may result in the
slight pressure that causes turning. Then,
when the witch" approaches the spot
again, he expects the fork to turn, and
unconsciously he makes it do SO, just as
the person who is sure burglars are in the
house is always able to hear the noises
they make.