Great Big Hole

[swizzle]

It's a wedgie plucker. Back in those days when women sewed unders out of flour sacks the wedgies were much harder to pluck from a set of uptight cheekers so they invented these to yank 'em out for ya. That's also where we got the expression to, "Smack 'em in the biscuits!!" []

 

[sandchip]

Log tongs for pulling behind mules.

 

[cobaltbot]

I'd have to go with log tongs. I have three pairs of regular tie tongs, I'm sure Anders knows those things. Anders, do they make tie tongs like this for crane use?

 

[CanadianBoy]

I'd have to say these are ice-tongs.

 

[old.s.bottles]

To be honest Ive never seen one before, but I thought it would be designed to be something a certain width, like a railroad tie or maybe a telephone pole because there isn't a lot of play there for different sizes like nydigger said. Doesn't necesarilly look that old to me either...Why isn't the loop corroded at all? We use tools that are almost that rusty, you sure they werent using it at that site?[]

 

[surfaceone]

I returned to the hole over the July 4th weekend. It's not so big anymore, as they are just about outta the ground and have been backfilling and compacting like crazy. I hate that compacting...

Speaking of hammer and tongs, I appreciate everyone's thoughts on those tongs. I have no clue on the loop at the top of the tongs, but believe that it was added more recently. There is still a little play on those tongs. Sanborn searching indicated that there were railroad lines, lumber yards, and an ice house in the immediate area through the course of the years...

A couple feet beneath the upper lip of the excavation I saw a little twinkle of glass beneath a yellow ware shard, and fished this little beauty out of the muck.

"Higgins American Ink" is embossed around the shoulder.

From.

From.

"The history of Higgins Ink is contentious and, across the US, ink aficionados argue that important details have been lost in the shifting sands of time. Intrigued? Read on to learn more...

Two inventors, both by the name of Higgins, have laid claim to the invention of a suite of inks. The first is Charles M. Higgins (1854-1929) who is generally credited as being the creator of “Higgins American India Inkâ€. He was the head of the Charles M. Higgins Company, an immigrant from Leitram, Ireland, who arrived in America in 1860. In 1875, he received a patent for a screw pegging machine and obtained a job with the Scientific News as a patent solicitor. In his 'spare time' he reportedly experimented with inks in his sister's kitchen in New York and it is as a hobbyist that he is said to have invented the Higgins India Ink and Eternal Black Ink. In 1880, Charles formed a company to sell and distribute his ink, which soon became the universal ink used around the world. The Higgins Ink Company went on to great success, ultimately being purchased by Sanford Ink, the owners prior to acquisition by Chartpak Inc. in 2008.

On the other hand, there is also the story of Rufus L. Higgins who may - or may not - have been related to Charles Higgins. The tale of Rufus is in some ways the quintessential tale of the American West. The first record of Higgins is in 1863 as the owner of a dry goods store in Virginia City, Nevada. His career as a store owner was somewhat checkered and involved shady partnerships, arson and eventual bankruptcy. Although he made part of his living through his own ink formulations, no patents for these products have ever been found...which would seem unusual. Questions remain regarding the apparent coincidence of Charles Higgins "inventing" his ink just after R. L. Higgins made his in Virginia City, only to have his business and inventory destroyed by fire. Particularly as both events happened within a year of each other. Ink aficionados have asked whether the two men were related and wonder whether a depressed and insolvant Rufus moved to the East Coast and gave away the formula to Charles." From.

Do any of you have a similar model on your shelves? I'd like to learn any additional information you might be able to provide...

 

[RICKJJ59W]

I would have camped out overnight on that lot,it wont be there forever !
Cool finds