DEAR SUN SPOTS: Is there anyone in the area who does water witching to find wells? This was done years ago and always worked. Any information would be appreciated? Thank you. — R. Bertrand, Durham
ANSWER: Sun Spots does not know of any dowsers, but readers probably will.
Sun Spots also did not know much about water witching beyond the fact that a forked stick is used to find underground water, so she looked it up.
According to Wikipedia and other websites, dowsing results have not been scientifically documented. In Germany they tested 30 dowsers by burying pipes and controlling the water running through them. The dowsers said they expected 100 percent accuracy, but the results did not reflect anything better than random chance.
You may find that many factors will at least partly determine the location of your well. The terrain, the location of a current or proposed septic, ledge rock, trees and the need for a large flat space for the huge rig all have to be considered.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: On Oct. 10, there was a question about the stable where Tall Pines is now. I took riding lessons for a few years in the 1960s. It was owned, I believe, by Dorcas Thurston. The stable was torn down in the 1970s or ’80s. I don’t remember any fire or anyone dying there. I do remember two little girls drowning in the river behind Tall Pines one spring.
Love your column. — J. Bailey, Settle 87@aol.com
DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to Amy Roy of the Central Maine Paranormal Investigation team, before River Valley Village, aka Tall Pines Apartments, that site held a horse stable. The stable was Thurstonia Riding Stable, operated by Dorcas Thurston, and owned (I believe) by Auburn businessman Frank Winters.
I was a student there circa 1957 to its closing about 1964. When I began riding there, it was an established stable. The large green barn held an indoor riding arena with an outside door at one end large enough to accommodate a tractor-trailer and theater seating at the other end.
On each side of the arena, sliding doors led to the horse stalls that lined each long side and the rear of the building. Stalls included both tie-up standing stalls and box stalls, one of which was an extra-large foaling stall. The rear stalls were pony stalls nestled under the theater seating of the arena.
On the west/river side was an additional boiler room with restrooms. Mrs. Thurston’s office was on the southwest corner of the building. Upstairs, the barn had hay storage and hay doors through which hay portions were dropped to the horses, and a meeting room where the sole horse-only 4-H club in the state met.
Outside was a large shed for sawdust used as stall bedding. There was a small turn-out paddock on the west side; on the east side was a larger paddock/outdoor riding ring and a pasture, and downhill toward the river was a larger show ring with an officials stand and bench seating rising up the hill among the tall pines, plus an open field area for parking exhibitor horse trailers.
The stable hosted a number of shows, from smaller school shows to the Maine State Morgan Horse show. Down along the river and north of the barn were acres of undeveloped green space with trails for riding in the summer months. The stable primarily taught saddle seat equitation, with a very little beginner jumping occasionally. There was very little western riding.
The better students, those who could afford the expensive show attire, competed in Maine horse shows. Most stable workers were high school students from both Lewiston and Auburn. They worked to learn horse care and to pay for riding.
Of the horses in the barn, many were school horses, while others were boarders. Some boarders were used as school horses as a way to help pay their board. Mr. Winters secretary, Mrs. Berube (?) had two imported Welsh ponies in the barn, a mare, Coed Cock Delyth, and a stallion, Sunrise Farnley, that was available for breeding. Mrs. Thurston owned the Morgan stallion King Coriso who was successfully shown for many years. Mrs. Thurston lived in a trailer just off the southwest corner of the barn.
The stable was closed when she retired and moved to a southern state to her daughter’s equine establishment. She took King Coriso with her. The other school horses were sold. These are all recollections and subject to correction by other respondents. I have no knowledge of any stable fire, or of any deaths or murders there. — Janet, lairdart@midmaine.com
ANSWER: Anyone who can remember the kind of detail Janet recalled would surely remember a fire!
DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to the inquiry about a stable at the former Tall Pines, the stable was known as Thurston’s Riding School. It was operated by Dorcas Thurston. It may have burned down, but I do not remember anyone dying there.
In September 1962, a terrible fire burned a number of stables at Lewiston Fairgrounds & Raceway. I believe that 26 horses died there and were buried in the area that is now SpareTime Recreation and SeniorsPlus, etc. Hope this answers the question. Keep up the good work! — Linda Mercier via email
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