The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-03-16
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ADVISES
THAT PROFESSIONAL WATER
FINDERS RE LET ALONE.
IS ONLY SUPERSTITION
Oil And Other Minerals Cannot he
Correctly Located With Divin-
ing Rod.

ure. or detecting criminals Is a cur
ious superstition that hes been sub
ject of discussion since the middle of
the sixteenth century and still has
a strong hold on the popular mind,
even in this country. This is evident
from the large number of inquiries
received each year by the United
States Geological Survey, Depart
nent of the Interior, as to the efiica-
cy of such n twig. especially for To-
eating underground water. To fur
nish reply TO these inquiries the
Geological Survey has published a
brief paper, by Arthur J. Ellis, on
the history of water witching, with
n photography that includes a truly
astonishing number of books and
pamphlets on this unoanny subject.
!. In summary the paper states: II
yis doubtful whether so much inyos-
tigation and discussion have been
bestowed on any other subject with
such absolute lack OF positive re-
suits. II IS difficult TO see how for
practical purposes the entire matter
I could be more thoroughly discrcdit-
ed 1t is by no means true that all
persons using a forkcd twig or some
device for locating water or other
minerals are intentional deceivers.
Some of them are doubtless men OF
good character and benevolent in
tentions. However, as anything that
can be deeply yelled in mystery af-
fords n good opportunity for swim
dlers, there can be no reasonable
doubt that many of the large group
of professional finders of water, oil
or other minerals who take pay for
their Service" or for the sale OF
their Instruments are deliberate
Iy defrauding the people and that
the total amount of money they oh
tain is large. To all inquirers the
United States Geological Survey
therefore gives the advice not to ex-
pend any money for the services of
any water witch" or for the use or
purchase of any machine or instru-
ment devised for locating under
ground water or other minerals.
History Of the Superstition.
In tracing the history of the sub
ject II is found that divining rods
have been used Cd to locate ore de-
posts, (2) to discover buried OF hid
den treasure. CD to find lost land
marks and reestablish property
boundaries, 90 to detect criminals.
co to analyze personal charaster.
CD to cure diseases, CD to trace
lost or strayed domestic animals, (S)
to insure immunity against i'll for
tune by use as a fetish, 90 to locate
well sites. G0) TO trace the courses
OF underground streams, 11) to de-
termine the amount of water avail
able by drilling at given spot, (12)
TO determine the depth at which wa
ter or ores occur, (13) to determine
the direction OF cardinal points, and
The origin OF the superstition is
lost in antiquity. What is believed
TO be the first published description
of the divining rod Is contained in
Georgians Agricola's 'Do re metalli-
ca" which was published in 1856.
The device became common first in
Germany as means for locating
mines and also for discovering bur
led treasure, matter of rather COM
mon interest i'm those days, when the
practice of burying money and plate
for safe keeping was very general.
IL was introduced into England by
German miners during the reign or
Elizabeth U55S-160S, and before
the end of the seventeenth century
il had spread through the countries
of Europe. Everywhere II aroused
controversy. The rules prescribed
for the cutting of the twig partook
largely of heather sorcery and as
trology. There were indeed. to
some extent, unconscious reminis-
censes of the old Scandinavian and
even OF the Aryan mythology. But
this heather influence was onset
when the rod was duly Christianiz'
cd by baptism. being laid for this
purpose in the bed Nth newly bap-
tized child, by whose Christian nar'c
Il was afterward addressed. II Is
readily conceivable that the motive
for surrounding this practice with a
religious atmosphere might not have
been altogether telief in its divine
character, for at that time anyGne
found engaged in mysterious works
was in danger of being charged with
sorcery and burned to death.
Its Use In Detecting Criminals.
The divining rod continued to be
a fayorite subject with alchemistie