General Store Privvy

[JohnRoy]

My wife's family had a general store that opened in 1923. I found a Outhouse behind the store that has a bench with two holes in it. It is covered up, so I am wondering if this was standard practice, say after an inside bathroom has been built? I mean, it seems as though that on the back to the Outhouse there is a back wall that starts a couple of inches above the ground. I wonder if trays were used sometimes to dump the waste material if there was not a hole there? Or maybe the hole was covered up after all. BTW, I need a good probe so I can find out the answer to this question myself!
-John

 

[Tony14]

Look for the forum member Jaken in the member list. He sells very good probes.

As for your other squestion I am not sure. Someone else on the forum might know.

 

[diggerjeff]

if it were my dig i would just get a shovel and go to town on it. you know were it is so you might not need the probe. probes only go down 4 feet or so , unless you have a longer one. i dig a lot of privys were you will feel nothing with the probe .sometimes it is all on bottom! aside from bottles you are likley to find about anything in a general store privy!!!

 

[JohnRoy]

I am a privvy virgin! When I get some time (just had a baby), I'll take your advice. I am very curious to see what is there. Man, I hope I find something other than ACLs. Don't get me wrong, I like them, but I have been selling them for 6 months now (that I found in a shed on the property).
-John

 

[bubbas dad]

johnroy, hows the baby? been back to springfield lately? might as well get the baby a probe and start'em early.

 

[swizzle]

Just a note on safety. If you start digging and it starts stinkin' cover it back up. Its a biohazard. Let them bottles cook for a few more years and try again. I've yet to pop the top on my first privy and this is just some words of wisdom passed on by another forum member. Safety first. You can't dig if your sick or worse...DEAD!!! Just be careful and dig with a buddy and use common sense. I hope your privy's ready to dig and full of good glass. Good Luck and Happy Diggin' Swiz

 

[portland med. man]

look on the side of the privy if it has a little hatch door it most likely had a trap or catch which are very common the later they were and in new england where the ground was wicked rocky and almost impossable to dig a deep hole ..... if the general store is older then there might have been an early privy and that is were the probe is needed.....

 

[JohnRoy]

John (Bubba's Dad),

The baby is fine. She has black hair, and grey eyes. She is such a lovely little lady.

You interested in digging a Privvy some time? I'll do some routine investigating to see if there is a side hatch, as suggested. I sure hope it is not a bio-hazard! -John Roy
P.S. I've been out to Springfield for a while. I've been selling bottles on Ebay, and through folk who've contacted me via Ebay. I was fortunate to make about $400 week before last.