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All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> Digging and Finding >> Privies found next to dismantled railroad track?

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Privies found next to dismantled railroad track? - 2/4/2004 4:22:56 PM    kharrar   Posts: 45 Joined: 2/4/2004 Status: offline Hi to all, this is my first post and I am very happy to have found this group. Have never dug a privy but will soon! Now live in Prescott AZ and have found an old town that used to be at the intersection of a railroad line. The line has been removed and is now a public trail. Hardly anyone ever uses it because it is very flat and not to senic. Have found (5 or 6) 4x4 depressions about 20-30 feet from the track, they are spaced only about 15 to 20 feet apart. From the looks of it the main mining business/ post office / town store buildings were in this location. Unfortunately there is a town dump about 200 feet away were I pulled out a broken SanFrancisco Whiskey Merchant bottle amber flask 1880-90 from, the land is privately owned and have ask the owner to dig and he said NO WAY! The ground is very hard here and have not tryed to probe the ground yet. I was thinking of welding up a spring steel probe with a removable slamming weight?? What do you think? Were all privies lined or if the dirt was firm enough did they just take a chance it would not cave in? My idea is to go real early in the morning just before sun up "sat or sun" and dig one. Of course I will fill it back in and compact the soil, do any of you ever put a plastic sign in the ones you have dug saying " privy has been dug" so no one else in the future wastes there time? Will take some pics and attach to this post soon. Thanks in advance for any help. Karl < Message edited by kharrar -- 2/4/2004 4:28:58 PM > Post #: 1

RE: Privies found next to dismantled railroad track? - 2/4/2004 5:59:57 PM    IRISH   Posts: 1238 Joined: 11/23/2002 From: cockatoo Australia Status: offline Hi kharrar welcome to the bottle forum. A lot of privies/dunny holes did just have unlined sides, also as they are that close to the track they may well be from a station as they would have had to dig a new one often they probably just dug a fast easey hole and put a movable outhouse over them, filled them up then dug a new one. As for the probe, you would be best to use a normal one with a knob or ball on the end, a removable slamming weight will probably be hard to use and smash any bottles it hits. I would not bother with a dug sign, you will know the ones you have dug and if anyone else can't work it out they will get some digging practise . I do know a bloke who puts a coke bottle with a message in it at the bottom of some of the holes he digs . (in reply to kharrar) Post #: 2

RE: Privies found next to dismantled railroad track? - 2/4/2004 6:35:58 PM    Guest a slam probe will break things, i use something simular from time to time. it is more like a BIG nail you hit with a hammer. i only use it to punch a hole a foot or so deep, and follow with a regular probe. if these locations are indeed old outhouses they will usually be easier to dig than the typicle surrounding soil. if you cant probe them than, you dig a test hole . being that these depressions are in line and even spaced , it sounds like you are on the right track. i would just dig one and see. if you cant probe, dig a little larger than what you see and find the liner when you get down a few feet or so. i would imagine they are wood lined, and in a dry environment wood will last a long time. keep straight sides as you dig down. if the soil is loose be careful and watch for cave ins. give yourself sometime you will move lots of dirt. you will usually find a layer of more organic stuff before you hit bottom. wear gloves and sturdy clothing you will usually find more broken glass than whole bottles. i wanted to dig a certian lot in town, and i ask permission and was told no. well i pestered the guy untill he got pissed and ask me what part of the word no dont you understand!! i think i knocked his door about 5 or 6 times. 2 years later he sold the land and the new owner said no problem. i dug four on the lot and all were empty!! as for a sign i always leave a soda can in the very bottom. _____________________________ Always looking Mint Cola bottles, and local bottles from North Carolina (in reply to kharrar)   Post #: 3

RE: Privies found next to dismantled railroad track? - 2/5/2004 3:32:37 AM    baltbottles   Posts: 921 Joined: 11/25/2002 From: Baltimore Maryland Status: offline Hi karl, Sound like you have a good possabilty there. As for putting a sigh in the hole so other diggers will know its been dug. i like to but an old tire 3 or 4 feet down when filling in the hole if you stick a probe in and hit the rubber tire you know its been dug and to leave it alone and even if you miss it with your probe you will probably find it wit a test hole. However i do know some diggers that like to very carefully fill in there holes they will even try to recreate some kind of layering to fool future diggers. I kind of think this is stupid i figure with all the holes i dig it hard to keep track of what you have and have not dug and i bet in 20 or so years its going to really be hard to rember what i dug today. Considering only the really good holes stick out in memory the rest just kind of blurr together. Chris (in reply to kharrar) Post #: 4

RE: Privies found next to dismantled railroad track? - 2/5/2004 10:54:35 AM    Bluegrass   Posts: 84 Joined: 12/29/2003 Status: offline Hey! Seems a bit cruel to leave these coke bottles at the very bottom! Adds insult to injury. Why not leave them a foot or so down? Don't think I'd be too grateful to find a coke bottle at the bottom of a 16 foot brick-liner! But then again, if I hadn't figured it out at the 10 foot level, perhaps I'd deserve it! (in reply to kharrar) Post #: 5

RE: Privies found next to dismantled railroad track? - 2/5/2004 12:11:32 PM    Guest yes it seems a bit cruel to put a sign in the bottom. i say this for the novice digger.a pro will know the hole has been dig by the feel of the probe. never the less if i find one in the bottom or something that does not belong i quit. and walk away from the lot. digging has been going on in the midwest since the early 1960's and it will happen from time to time that you have been beat to the punch. i remember every hole i have dug, but i dont feel obligated to keep records for others. _____________________________ Always looking Mint Cola bottles, and local bottles from North Carolina (in reply to kharrar)   Post #: 6

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