A New York Paper publishes the following item of Interest:
I have seen several articles in regard to the divining rod. I know that
science does not recognize such a thing, but were not all the sciences
tested and proved by practical experiment before they were recognized
by the scientific world? There is a man in this country who believes
as strongly in the divining rod as the navigator does in the mariner’s
compass. He is not an illiterate, superstitious man, but is as well
informed on all subjects as any laboring man you ever met. He does
not claim that he is enabled to locate a stream of water or a vein of
mineral beneath the surface of the earth by any virtue contained in the
rod, nor is it by the art of hocus pocus, but it is in and through the
influence of electricity, with which his system is abundantly charged.
You will say: “If this be true why does he not go to some mining
country and make himself and others rich by locating mineral veins?”
He is a man that has had to labor very hard all his life. Now he is
old and infirm, and unable to travel. This discovery with him dates
only a few years back. His field for practice and experiment is limited
consequently he gains knowledge on the subject slowly.
I will mention a few of the things that he claims he can do with the
rod; He can locate a stream of water, and where the ground is perfectly
level, measure its depth below the surface as accurately as you can
measure it after the well is dug. He does not claim the depth within
less than a foot, because the surface is so seldom perfectly level.
There are hundreds of men in East Tennessee that will testify to this
fact from actual experience. Some of them are as responsible men as
there are in the State. He has never failed to convert any man who
would go with him, no matter how sceptical, and he has certificates
from a number of as intelligent men as there are in Tennessee. I cannot
give you, in this communication, any idea of the various means by
which he is enabled to demonstrate these things, but if you have any
curiosity on the subject, and will answer this communication, like
you do all others, you will elicit something from him that may be of
interest to you.
Another writer says: “The divining rod is only another exemplification
of a power not yet recognized. With a piece of witch hazel I discovered
the Witch Hazel Coal Mines. I told the number of feet a shaft would
have to be sunk to reach the coal, and even gave the thickness of the
vein. I got $5,000 for locating the Witch Hazel mines and am also
paid 12½ cents a ton for every ton of coal taken out of them.” John
R. Whitelaw, Superintendent of the Cleveland Water Works, says: “At
Geauga Lake, Mr. Latimer showed the power of the divining rod. After he
had cut one I asked him to go over a little stream that we saw running
from the bank. We knew that the water was there, and we wanted to see
whether the rod would work over it. It was surprising. He held the
prongs so firmly in his hands that the green bark twisted off in his
palms.”
Water witches are highly regarded in the far West. One man in
particular has the reputation in Colorado, of being a trustworthy
diviner, and he is always in request. By trade he is a well-digger,
but to this commonplace occupation he has added the profession of
water finder. And he is not exclusively employed by silly people, but
by practical men of business. Thus he is designating for a railroad
company all the wells along the new line which they are constructing.
The instrument of divination is a forked twig, by preference a mulberry.