Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-10-02

WAYE are this week issuing a special
publication to our members on the
subject of geOphysics in Montana.
There is no question about the Importance
of geophysics to the oil industry at large.
Most of the important new fields of the
last five years have been brought in as
result of geOphysical surveys. But this
fact means nothing to MOntanans unless
geophysics are applied in Montana. This
bulletin tells something of the application
of geOphEsics to Montana.
The tremendous success of geOphysics
has given an odd turn to the oil industry.
having given birth to a great number OF
doodle bugs" doodle bug is me
chanicaI instrument, commonly known as
a divining rod, that works on the same
principle as a Ouigi board or planchette-
a device that is supposed TO answer ques-
tions. Only certain people can operate
Ouigi board and likewise only certain
people can operate a doodle bug.
The modern doodle bug looks nothing
like THE old fOrl1ed willow wand of years
ago. 1t is now q stainless steel OUTFIT
with impressive-lOOking gadgets. NO
matter how shiny they are, there is only
one answer:
THEY ARE ALL FAKES.
The Securities and Exchange Commits
sion at Washington, ID. c., is not cOnduc-
ting a crusade against dOOdlebugs but Is
definitely heading off every promotion
which is based on such mechanical oil
finders" as come within the category Of
dOOdlebugs The members of the COM
mission have gone extensively into the
subject. They have had demonstrations
of all kinds, with geophysical and other
experts present. In every case a 'forked
stick type of doOdlebug has been found
fraudulent, even If it is inexpldcable.
Recently the commission headed off
the Herman Hanson Oil syndicate of
North Dakota Said the commission or
the company: ut places reliance upon
the use of a pseudO-scientific div1ning in
strument described in the evidence as a
doodle bug such that considered IN
La Luz Mining Co., s. E. c. 217 (19S5).
However much this registrant or any
other registrant believes in the reiiaD1i1-
tT of a doodle bug we hold that any
registrant which bases predictions upon
such an instrument must clearly and with
out camOuflage show that the diV1nmg
instrument is not considered by any re
cognized authority to be of any use
whatsoever in locating oil or other MIN
erals
The dOOdIebug i'm this case was that
of George w. Perry, whose letterhead
identifies him as Inventor ana sore
owner of ''Perry's Mineral Indicator,
proven scientific instrument of unlimited
scope and utility" He reported: Taken
altogether I have never before surveyor
such remarkable petroleum deposits as
the instrument shows this entire area Oh
land to contain and / predict tEht de-
yeIopment will quickly prove these LANDS
tile greatest oil field the world has ever
known
vt is a strange fact that competent
business men who will refuse TO IN
n vest in any speculative enterprise OF
ordinary merit win plunge into q company
which has a doodle bug" pool. The ul-
vining rod operator never finds an ordfn-
airy pool: he always finds the mother
pooI'' where hundred-thOusand barrel on
wells are to be the rule. Those seem 70
be the odds that appeal most TO certain
type of speculatOr.
Nor is the mild insanity confined TO
business men. We know competent OIL
operators in both Kevin-Sunburst ana IN
Ont Bank who rely a doodle Dug'
In those fields it is not bad idea none
van see into the ground, and one location
is about as good as another, so long as