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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1949-9-21, Page 2THUMIZ! FRONT k* 1?u• eU What do you think of water- witelhang--that is, the business, or maybe it's a profession, of locating wnderground water by means of a forked twig, sometimes called a "diving rod", or "dowsing stick?" Some folks say it's superstition. Others brand it as a fake, pure and simple, But there are thou- sands, perhaps millions, who be. live in it implicitly; and although this is a scientific age, science still hasn't found an explanation for the water -witch. Witching has come down through the ages, and has been traced back as far as the 1400's when the "striking rod" was used to find 'metal in the Harz Mines district of Germany. In Queen Elizabeth's day it was used extensively in the Cornish mines. Then, as mining declined in Cornwall, the system was used more and more for water finding, * * * Not long ago we ran across an article about George Ball, a noted water -witch out in the middle west —a man who believes in the witch- ing business, and who can offer proof of its efficacy which even the greatest skeptics find hard to laugh off. George contends that a true water -witch needs only a forked twig to find water; but he has "gone modem" to the extent of fixing up a steel divining -rod kr greater accuracy. * * * No doubt you /snow how the witching works. The forked twig, or rod, is grasped firmly at the outer ends of the fork, thumbs out. Then it's carried slowly over the ground where the water is wanted. 'A watet vein causes the tip of the twig to turn down sharply. Accord- ing to George the attraction is so great that the bark is twisted off where the twig le tightly grasped. * * 5 George has even tried to hold his steel rod upright with a pair of pliers; and, according to his chronicler, marks on the handles show where he failed when under- ground water pulled the tip down. * * * It was out in Colorado, near bhe famous Cripple Creek, that George Ball started witching, using the sod to try and find gold. His wife likes to tell of the time when she decided to test his divining powers. She buried her gold watch in the middle of a plowed, five -acre field aod told her husband it has been lost. George carefully went over the plowed ground with his witch- ing stick, and soort'found the miss- ing- time -piece, ' * * * Although the witching power frequently is handed down from one generation to another, George is the only member of the Ball family who ever had it. "Only about one person in twelve can make the system work, he contends. "You have to be born with the electri- city," * * * Most water witches use twigs from peach trees, although there are some who prefer willow, others hazel. A common belief is that a twig with bitter bark works best; but Ball claims that a witoh with strong attraction can get results with most any twig.' * * * He goes even .further, and says that many witches—including him- self can come very close to esti- mating the depth, as well as the location, of the water. Two differ- ent methods are used for this. One way is to approach the desired spot from several directions, By counting steps and multiplying by three for every step, you can figure the depth to the water vein. * * 5 Other witches stand right over the spot with the greatest attrac- tion and turn the divining rod again and again, until it gets balky and refuses to tip down any more. They count ten for each time the twig bends, giving an estimate of the distance to the water. * * k As I said before, the whole idea of water witching has been held up to ridicule, But relief in it still persists, and top scientists have studied the phenomenon without finding any reasonable explanation for it. That is, none but the theory thnt water witching, like the hom- :Mg inetlnat of certain birds and animals, comes from somewhere beneath the level of consciousness. * * * And whether you believe in witch - g or not, you can't get away From the fact that water -finders yuck as George Ball often travel d hundred miles or more to find a good spot for a, well, to locate a loan drain tile system, or to open tip almost forgotten springs. Per- sonally—well, we're moreor less on the fence. * * * Still, we can remember when "moderns" of a bygone day used to laugh scornfully at Grandma's belief that a poultice of mouldy treed was the finest thing ever for a hard -to -heal sore, We 1949 "mo n al wllcn our d erns don't laugh at 1 g doctors use the very same prin- ciple, and call it penicillin. Maybe the water witches should adopt a a..:$134 tag tea. "Dollar Crisis" Brings Them Together—These are the major figures taking part in the Anglo- American talks in Washington on England's "dollar crisis." Left to right are: Secretary of State Dean Acheson; Secretary of the Treasury John Snyder; British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin; British Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Stafford Cripps; and Canadian Finance Minister Abbott. py A StXBITC+ I'h tC 01 ail the various sports which we have watched, reported and— ander extreme presaure—even tak- e n part in, there are few that occupy suchh a deep-seated spot in our affections as the noble pastime of pitching horseshoes. When we get around to publishing that book of reminiscences—we are almost up to the middle of page one—Bic chapter on Horseshoe Pitchers We Have Mingled With will be written with extra loving care, and no fooling. * * 5 Few who ever attended them will likely ever forget the weekly out- inga of the Toronto chapter of the Pool and Polcer Club, largely made up of big league professional hock- ayista and big-time professional wrestlers. They used to gather at our former country estate — 3/ acres, 30 square yards of whhich were level ground — for the pur- pose of scoffing Russian delicates- sen, pushing horeeshoea and — It was rumored — imbibing keg brew, * * * There were times when we must have had, at a conservative esti- mate, half a million dollars worth of hockey and wrestling talent pres- ent — double that, probably, at present-day valuation. But outside of two or three, such as Harold "Baldy" Cotton, Roy "Squib" Worters, and the late Lorne Cha- bot, as horse -brogan heavers, they wouldn't have made many head- lines, * * * All this, and a whole lot more, came to mind when reading an ac- count of the United States national horseshoe pitching championships, recently held at Morray, Utah. There were 36 contestants—finalists from 18 states. They did their atuff in a brilliantly floodlighted, cement - surfaced arena, surrounded by thouwands of spectators seated in trim metal bleachers. * * * The steel target -pins were tilted an accuately measured three inches toward the pitchers. They were set in scientifically prepared clay pits. The shoes, weighing up to 2j; pounds apiece, were made of "spe- cial analysis heat-treated steel, ac- curately balanced and plated with tedium and copper." * * * But there were two items in the account which carne home to us with special vigor—reminding us of our own Pool and Poker Club con- ditions because they were so din• similar. At the aforesaid U.S. championships they had a loud speaker system to carry a minute report of the play, and on close Sealnaped — This month - old baby was sealnaped out of the water at Vancouver, B.C., by the , crew of the tanker J. L. Hanna. When they turned "George" loose, out of the kind- ness of their hearts, he barked r i to be taken on board again, Ile wasmet bypretty Rosamund p c ty Ro, slain 1 Wilfley with a bottle of warn? milk. Now he'll 'serve a stretch' in the Steinhart Aquarium, calls, the judges used calipers to aid In their decisions. * * * Heck, when our gladiators really laid into tlheir pitching, you didn't need any loud speaker aystem to keep you informed of how things were going. Although the country testate was in a fairly secluded spot, folks with good ears could tell who was winning 'way down in Hogg's Hollow, a good bolts miles away, * * * And as for calipers, we didn't bother about gadgets such as that. In fact, we had what you might tall a sort of "house rule," fre- quently invoked when the evening shadows were starting to settle and the athletes ' tended to become alightly weary and inaccurate. This rule "stated" that any shoe which landed within the limits of the estate was close enough to be counted. * * * 'Dhe only other rule we recall was one which said that anybody whose shoe vanished over the brow of the hill and landed in the bog at the bottom had to go and retrieve it direct, without any detour in the direction of the barn where the first aid station was located. * * -5 But for all their flossy surround- ings and up-to-date trimmings, the U.S. horses -hoe champions don't seem to be in any danger of amas- aing unwieldly amounts of wealth at their calling, The ultimate vic- tor, Fernando Isais, of Los Angeles . —a guy who scored as many as 91 ringers in I00 consecutive tries— won 34 out of his 35 matches in the tournament, which must be al- most par for the course, * * * But all he took home in the way of folding money was a mere $400. Why, there wasn't an athlete taking part in our Pool and Poker Club jousts who didn't earn far mare than that per month. * * 5 Although not, it must be sorrow- fully admitted, for his skill in pitch- ing horesshoes. The Healing Railway Electric trains, so people are apt to consider, are a fairly new method of transport but Ursula Eason writes interestingly of the very first hydro electric railway in the world. This, which is in Northern Ireland, was designed in 1879 and is now called the Portrush Electric Tramway. It still rune to the Giant's Causeway, a long line of octagonal rocks, stretching out to sea, The Causeway is one of the great geographical curiosities of the British Isles, for the natural rocks look exactly as though they had been hand cut, The antique railway runs along the edge of the cliff and the little open -sided carriages are roofed now, though they were not in the early days, when passengers got more than they wanted of the extremely bracing North Antrim air. The oldest employee of the rail- way is Robert Scott, who has been working on it for fifty-seven years, and he told Miss Eason about its early days. The main change since then has been the removal of the third rail which. carried the power. This rail was shun -tett between the railway car and the ditch andiwes supported on wooden posts about eighteen inches high. There was dif- ficulties and, according to Mr. Scott, the company was not allowed enough current for the little live rail, so that fifty years ago it was taken away and the overhead sys- tem adopted. Ursula Eason remarked that this was surely a good thing as a live rail in such a prom- inent position nnlat have been rather dangerous? Mr, Scott countered such a suggestion with the story of the old countrywoman from the district who used to sit on the rail every evening. She was warned that, despite her copious loin k' s s )its the habit , was a dangerorts one but she refused to give up her apparelhtly foolhardy prartire herause, she said, It eased Ler riherinatism. Rivers of Ink And Lemonade 4k French scientists have analyzed what must be the most remarkable river in the world—the so-called In'k River in Algeria. Its name is not symbolic, It merely states the truth, which applies not only to the eolo1ing of the water, but to its chemical composition as well. This is a stream of real ink. The Ink River originates front two sources, one of which contains a considerable amount of iron salts, while the other abounds in lead oxide. It is the combination of these two substances that makes ordinary ink. The liquid is thick enough to be used for welting. Another unusual river is in bile State of Nebraska. Its water tastes vary sweet and science is still searobing for the reason. There are no sugar plantations along its banks. Neither are there any near- by sources of saccharine, which sometimes does become dissolved in rivers from the soil. This sweet river cane into ex- istence quite unexpectedly in 1930, and since then has increased in ,, size. Geologists believe this rare, natural phenomenon was caused by an abnormal rise in the level of cer- tain subterranean waters, eventu- ally leading to the bursting forth of the new river. The Rio de Vinagre, a river whish marks the boundary between Chile and Argentina, is known as the Acid River because its water is almost as acid as lemon juice. By adding a small quantity of sugar to a glass of its water, a beverage can be obtained similar to lemon- ade. One enterprising American actu- ally started a company to transport thousands of gallons of water from the sweet river in Nebraska to the Rio de Vinagre. The idea was to supply aerated table waters for the thirsty Argentinians, but in the end it was found cheaper to buy sugar on the spot. The River Engari Niuki, in East Africa, has water which tastes like diluted bitter beer. Yet there is no alcohol in it. The natives boil it before drinking to get rid of the chemicals it eontains. However, it seems to have no detrimental effect on animals, who drink it as if k were ordinary water. There are black, brown, yellow, red and white rivers in many coun- tries, and their bright hues may be due to the color of bhe river bed or to the reflection from the colored banks, Thus the Black River of Niassaland, in East Equatorial Africa, appears jet black because of the black lava over which is flows. In other cases, it is the contents of the river, such as Olay or peat, than give the river its characteristic coloring. Thus the Blackadder in Berwickshire, Seotland, is black- ened by its peaty °enteslte. Th. Yellow River of China, draining a vast basin of 600,000 square miles, owes its distinctive color to bhe yellow mud it carries down to the SM. But the Niger, in West Africa, fw molt so called because it is black, but because "N-eg-Ihlrren" is the native word for river, Thhe twins who had just celebrat- ed their 95th birthday were the wonder of the village. "And to what do they attribute their age?" a newcomer asked. "One to bhe fact that he's an early riser, and the other to the fart that he isn't!" CLASSIFIEI ADV ARMING a4fltNTS WANTED FOR MLR OILS, GREASES, TIRES Osmotialdos, ISteotrlo Pence Controllers, ranee and Barn Paint. Root Coating,, ata Dealers are wanted. Write waren Grease & 011 Limited, Toronto SELL SLIPPERS/ Hon* and retail agents wanted In ovary leer:My. Quality Ileeoa- llned fast selling slippers for mon, women, children. Just ono sample and ro an:ring hit neeesenry. Start soar own bu,hwsa. Write Tho Slipper Co., Box 192, Islington, Ont. DEVELOPING SENSATIONAL This ad Is valuable. Any 8 -exposure roll de- veloped and n 'Doubly -silo deckle-edno" en- largement Pram each negative all for 29o. Send this alt with roll and get :Modal prim Regular '50105 85e, Only ono to a customer. Photo Reeenrch Lab„ Department V, Drawer 370, Regina, Sneluttobel*nn, DYEING AND CLEANING HAVE rOU anythingseeds dyeing or clean Ing? Write to ue for lafnrmollon We are 8104 to answer rout g0eetlogs. Department H. Porker's Dye Werke Limited. 151 gongs Street. Toronto Ontario IA1t1IS Irian SALE • FARM', for Sale -06 Acres, gond house and barb bordering on Crow River, Hydro, 'telephone, (pen Roads. One m11e Cheese factors. School, Stores, Joe. Dickinson, 11.11. 1, lionarlaw, Ont. Phone 164)V8, Campbell - ford. —ton SALE ALUMINUM ROOFING & SIDING Crone -Crimped Corrugated and ribbed elytee 8 to 10 ft, lengths Immediate delivery tram stack. Write for samples and entlmtee Steel Distributors Limited. 500 Cherry St Toronto BATH tubs, toilets, washbasins, sinks, fur- naces, waterure sold,lnstaled. °airnlzdpine, fn h •15 ft„ 01 inch - 180 0. Artteles sent everywhere. Write for *Mem Ph111,, Verheyden, Aylmer, Ont. HAMSTERS: wonder animals from Syria. Pots or labo. Pair 56, Send money order. Poole, 68 Alma, St. Thomas. Ontario. Helpful Around midnight, the absent• minded professor left his berth in the sleeping car for a drink of water. Upon his return, he found that he was lost, He appealed to a porter for help. "Don't you remember the num- ber of your berth?" the porter asked. "l'm afraid not," replied the pro- fessor, "Haven't you any idea where it was?" asked the porter. "Why, yes," the professor bright- ened, "to be sure, I did notice one time this afternoon that the window looked out on a little lake. Barking Watchman People of a village near Munich would give a lot for dogs that don't bark. Reason: The night watchman, employed by the Council, can "bark" so much like a' dog that even the dogs are deceived. Every night he patrols the streets, yelping; when a doganswers he checks the house number on a list. People who haven't got a dog licence get the bill the next morning. 4414 Lowest -Cost Dop.endablo HEAT Ithat Money Can Buy: �lk�. _ '1!*p r,4 Start a Fire But Once a Year.' Enjoy an abundance of clean, healthful heat at lowest cost crud greater convenience with a WARM MORNING Coal Hest- , er. Amazing patented interior construction causes coal to burn slowly—saves fuel. Holds N)0 lbs, of coal, Heats ail day and sight without refueling, holds fire several days on closed draft. Automatic Draft Regulator. Re- quires less attention than most furnaces, arms All Kinds of fits,d Dad soft cool, coke, briquets, or wood. Your Lone. Is WARM every MORNING regardless of aLc weather. The only hooter of Ito Mad beetle world. More than a million Intoe, Ask your dealer. Write for free folder Mam,taceured and Distributed by BOON-STRACNAN COAL CO. Ltd. Oon4*l m Square Bldg. Montreal 2, Qua. Mc*treet Trott Bldg. Toronto, Ont. ISSUE 38 — 1949 FREE BOOK ON ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM Excelsior Springs, Mo.—So sue- cessful has a specialized system proven for treating rheumatism and arthritis that en amazing new book will be sent free to any reader of this paper who will write for it, For those who suffer with aches, pains, stiff or sore joints, nervous• bees, over acidity, systemic tox- emia, colitis, or other rheumatic syrnptons, this book entitled, "Rheumatism," fully explains *hy drugs and medicines give only tem- porary rc ief and fail to remove the causes of the trouble. The Bail Clinic, Excelsior Springs, Missouri, hes perfected it, sure to write today. specialized system of treatment for rheumatism and arthritis combined with the world famous mineral waters and baths., This system of treatment is fully described in the book and tells how it may be pos- sible for you to find freedom from 'rheumatism. You incur no obligation in send- ing for the instructive book.. It may be the means of saving you years of untold misery. For writing promptly, the Clinic will send their newly enlarged book entitled, Rheumatiem, Address your letter to The 13a1f Clinic, Dept, 5243, Excelsior Springs, Missouri, but br HAY PRESSES FAMOUS Moody "Steel Queen" Promos :Wail - able for prompt delivery, mounted On rub- ber time, Mao potato dlCeore, WM•ite for free olrcolars, MATTHEW MOODY ,5 BONS, Com- pany, Terrebonne, ()Wham (Established 1246), ASBESTOS SHINGLES & SIDING MILL 5ECONDS' Shingles, Skiing rued Root- ing Papers. Send for our price flute. Davie W. Armstrong, 109 Van Horne Ave, Montreal 14, RECONDITIONIOD TRACTORS -2 Massey- Iiarrlo "151 Supers" on rubber; 1 51,55, Pacemaker on steel; 1 10.20 International on rubber; 1 need 10-00 on steel; also 1 slightly used 0 H,P. Empire Garden Tractor with hn- Piemonte, Prlcod to sell. See thane at 57 gongs Street. Richmond Hill. Harold 1V. Morten, Massey-IIal•hie Dealer, Telephone 55, FOR SAL10—Btodel A Ford sixteen passenger school bas. Nicholson and Pelton, Ton na'e Point. Ont. PLANTS FOR SALE n10SNRVE now ror ideal antu0i11 plannngl Chinese Ehn Fledge -12 inches to 20 Inches high when ahlnped—n•ill grow 2 feel 1110 first year -26 plants for $0.08—sufficient for 26 feet. Giant Exhibition Flowering Paoontoo In Colours red. white or pink — 0 for 51.50, Br0okdalo-Iiingeway Nurseries, Bnwmanvllle, Ontario. 10002) and Ferguson Tractor Owners—when 1011 require a loader YOU want the brat, nom hydraulic loaders and ntlachmento 10050 by the world's largest manufacturer of loaders offer you the latest improvements. Write us for literature, I3, L. Turner Co., Ltd„ Blen- heim, Ontario, HARNESS: Buy direct from tumors' and save, 11'o can now ship harness Lula parte 11n1*0- (nataly. Write for our new complete 1049 catalogue, North West Nail Order Company Limited, 175 MCDrl•Inot AVO, Enat, Winnipeg, Manttobe.• HOMESPUN YARN Blade of selected long virgin Wool—very strong, extra long wearing, suitable for socks, sweaters and other woollen garment,, 2.8.4 ply, White, grey. 2-8 ply coral blue, paddy green, scarlet, maroon, yellow, brown, heather, black, fawn, all suitable for Siwaoh sweater'. $1.90 lb. —10 lbs. or over $1.80 lb, de1'd. Northland sweater patterns 28o each, Adults—deer, bear, Indian design, Child's—deer, boar, dog and squirrel, dancer, M5r7 Moslm, Sifton, Mani- toba, COTTONS Printed and plain, 28" wide, 1 to 4 yards, $1,96 pound, Ashley',. Box 188, Place D'Armes, Montreal, HELP WA19TE1) REGISTERED NURSES and Certified Norms' Assistants required for Lady Minto Hoe. Pitnl, Chapleau, Ontario, Apply Superin' tendent. 51EDI051 DON'T WAIT—Every sufferer of Rheumatic Palms or Neuritis should try Dixon's Reme- dy Munro', Drug Store. 836 Elgin, Ottawa. Postpaid $1.00 PEP or: TA1tal C.C. & B, Tonle Tablets tot low vitality, nervous and general debility, 00c and 31.00 at druggists. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED—Every sufferer of Rheumatlo Paine or Neuritis should ttry Dixon's Remedy. Munro's Drug Store. 365 E1 - ale, Ottawa. Poetpald 51.00 PATENTS FETHERSTONHAUGB' & CompanyPatent Solicitors Eatabllehed 1890. 850 Bay Street. tomato Boogied of 'Information et requests SAFES Protect your BOOKS end GASB Item PIItE and THIEVES. We have a else and tree of Bate, or Cabinet, for any Purpose. TIM us or write for prices. eta,. to Dept. W. J,&J.TA`,. UR LIMITED TORONTO SAFE WORKS 042 tweet Bt, E.. Toronto E.ctnhlIshrS 1866 OL'Pe11yiUNa'I4ES tar WEN and we1MJIN BE A HAIRDRESSER 80IN CANADA'S LEADING 13011001. Great Opportunity Learn Hal rdros•lna Pleasant fIenlned profeeelan, good ,seen, thousands ou0ceeetul Marys graduates, Amartce'e greatest oYetem Illustrated eats IOepe tree. Write or Can MARVEL HAIRDRESSING SCHOOLS 165 eloor St W , roronto Branebei 44 Etna St , Hamilton & 70 Rideau Street, Ottawa, CONCRETE 531.0051 PLANTS, why Ivorll ter the other fellow/ You epi earn a good living running a Meek plant, See 111oare Brom, 51 Nelson Street, Toronto, AD1701. for machinery, EARN MONEY AT 1305110-13o,O•o ar full -nee motley-nlaldug. Learn to mnl,o candy at meet earn while learning, Free equipment furnished. Correspnndenre course. National Institute of Confectionery lteg'd„ Dolm•n:ler P.Q. Box 151, Montreal, Qs,,' CII1IRCII' 0,'ouhe, OrunnimLimlo, Imlividunlei, sell Nylon Hosiery at neneible priests Senn 'towns and Cenmunittee revered. Seogratn Co., 13ex 004, Newton. Iowa, A NEW fast gelling wooden 'ley. Cm, be muds on farina or small towns. Patent and cqulpment tor turning out aniebed product 5000. Must x011, 111 health, \V. Adcerhlado, Carnarvon, Ontario. • I'181OSONAL FREE - SA)IPLI ti—plague comb, Bend dime for postage and handling or 4 for ISo. Mee 2, 1114 Yongo Street, Toronto. TI1501515115 WANTED QUALIFIED PROTESTANT TEACHER. lel S.S. No, 8, Begot. Apply stating oalarl an0 qualifications, to Mrs. Lewis Omen, Sec.. Trona., Catabogio, Ont. 10.4. 2. STIFF MUSCLES l [8ts 0%a ANYaQ��flme Rub in Minard's tor muscular stiffness, aches, pains and sprains. Grease• less quick drying, no unpleasant odor. L' Lenge Economical Mao 65c HARNESS & COLLARS Farmers Attention — Consult your nearest Harness Shop about Staco Harness Supplies, We sell our goods only through Your Local Staco Leather Goods dealer, The goods are right. and so are our prices. We manufacture in our lac tories — Harness, Horse Col- lars, Sweat Pads, Horse Blan. kets, and Leather Travelling Goode. insist on Staco Brand Trade Marked Goods, and you get satisfaction. Made only by• SAMUEL TREES CO. LTD. 42 Wellington St, E., Toronto WRITE FOR CATALOGUE BABEE-TENDA REPRESENTATIVE WANTED Pleasant, profitable work in your own district, Full or part -tinge. 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During the last fifty years, thou- sands of Canadian wotnen of all ages have gong safely anti lemon' through the most trying periods of life—by taking this time -tested tonic containing Vitamin "BI, iron and other needed minerals. Give Dr. Chase's Nerve Food a chance to help you, too, when you feel edgy, upset or a bundle of nerves. Get the large "economy size" today. The name l'Dr. Chase" is your assurance, 21 4' Close S