# Ashs, seeds, and black dirt!



## JOETHECROW (Aug 15, 2010)

Okay,....as of last week we planned to try for a privy or two for a change,....The place we had lined up produced no definite privys, but we did find an old B.F. Stinson polish, just laying under a tree....Fred had to get back home, as we hadn't really planned an official dig, and he was over our way looking for a utility truck...Penn Digger Tom and I went to our permission, but got caught in a downpour...., went back after it let up and wandered the woods behind this property,....other than the stove polish, we couldn't locate anything.... we had no where to go and drove downtown....We pulled up at a demolition site, the wreckage was still there, but Penn Digger noticed two depressions in the lawn adjacent. We had the probe and it went right in like Ricks "Magic probe" video....We opened up the first spot with a clay cap and it was either a mighty shallow privy, or a trash pit,...a lot of glass, shoes, crockery.....but not too deep,.... maybe 3-4 feet...Meanwhile,....Penn Digger started on the other spot....We were ill prepared for any digs....One shovel, no camera and two potato rakes....We got both holes open,...Tom dug a small diameter test hole straight down four or five feet,....All the dirt outta that hole was black as night with seeds, fluffy ash, and glass.....unfortunately we had to leave our work till tommorow or tues. We were losing our light and hated to leave.... we placed lumber over our holes, covered them the best we could, but were just starting to find old bottles and glass....Me and Tom both have a long work day ahead tomorrow, but hope to get Fred and Laur and go back soon,....Here's a couple of pics of the stuff coming out of the upper layers ,....Dig pics to come!


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 15, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 15, 2010)

*This was some of the promise, and the layers were such that we know they weren't dug.....can't wait to go back and see what else awaits!!!


----------



## ruccello (Aug 15, 2010)

Looks like that could be a good one Joe, can't wait to see what you guys pull out - good luck.

 Richard


----------



## THE BADGER (Aug 16, 2010)

good luck joe and crew i hope you hit a pit full of good stuff.cant wait to see what comes out good or bad. BADGER


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 16, 2010)

I am looking forward to going down the "privy road."  Have been digging for almost 15 years with Joe and we never focused on the privies right here in this small city.  Don't get me wrong, we have dug some great bottles.  We probably hiked hundreds of miles over the years to very remote places and I think we'll do better right here in the city.  Let's dig!!!!

 PD


----------



## blade (Aug 16, 2010)

Nothing beats like digging an old privy !


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 16, 2010)

You aint just whistlen  dixie [] good goin Joe!


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 16, 2010)

This evening, Joe, Fred, Tom and I went back to the privies.  We didn't get to dig long, as it was getting dark.  Joe is busy uploading pics, but I thought I would start with some descriptions of what was found.

 Some opium vials
 Some slicks
 One BIG slick, that Joe gave to Fred
 One St. Jakob's Oel with head missing
 One hen laying egg
 Two Children's Teacups
 One Lockport Gargling Oil neck in an olive/emerald color
 Fred found a few whiskeys.  They seem to know he likes them []
 One 1918? penny (correct me if I am wrong on that date, Tom)
 One very nice olive oil, that had a chip out of the bottom
 One nice, unembossed hutch with a nice color

 They guys will remember anything I forgot. We also have two videos coming up.  I think we agreed, for the most part, that although privy digging is hard work, the rewards are worth it and it's a nice change from hiking through the woods for miles.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 16, 2010)

We were able to locate three sides of one woodliner, but had to call it a night.


----------



## KBbottles (Aug 16, 2010)

You folks are just nonstop!!  Sounds like yet another awesome dig! Congrats and can't wait to see all the goods!  Keep em coming!

 Best, 

 KB


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 16, 2010)

Yes,...that's true, full blown addicts![] Here's a few pics. Fred with a flask. (warranted)


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 16, 2010)

My Bib-all's,...Lauren's behind....[]


----------



## beendiggin (Aug 16, 2010)

Sounds like a good dig...good luck!!


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 16, 2010)

Thanks for posting my badonkadonk butt, Joe.[8|]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 16, 2010)

Penn Digger Tom,....Doing his best to dig the privy from the grass level....(He did an amazing job of digging a vertical hole the length and width of the shovel, from topside,....never seen anything like it![]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 16, 2010)

Tom's label only hutch....(Real nice color)


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 16, 2010)

A little teacup I dug in the dark.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 16, 2010)

I wasn't able to get pics of all the bottles because we were racing the dark,.....I did dig an enormous square bitters style med, but it was unembossed.....It was embedded in the seed layer....It went home with Fred....We still have a ways to go DOWN in the privy,...and the excavator guy is going to open up the back of the fresh lot for us,...Just the top layer, behinfd the house that just came down...Now I'm here to tell you that one of the shards from that backyard, even though the flourescent lights lent it an emerald tint, Is probably the only Olive green "Gargling oil" top and neck I've ever seen...


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 17, 2010)

People seem to dig a lot of these out of privys!...Why is that? Were the chickens using the durn privy too? Here's my first privy dug "laying egg".


----------



## edndlm (Aug 17, 2010)

Nice Egg...dug a few whole ones in the past ..always liked to find them !


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 17, 2010)

This was it for bottles before we were picking up our tools in the dark....I could FEEL them down in the use layer but finally quit for fear of breaking any good ones,...We covered up the holes till tomorrow...since Penn Digger had a big favor done for me, (*all the local sanborns burned to disk),...soon we'll be able to date the house site and see if this is the oldest pit. This one loks 1890's to TOC...We'll be updating tomorrow. Thanks for looking. Laur will add a vid soon.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

Pretty hinge-mold one.  I should know the dates for those, but I don't remember.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

First video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB-pCKwIkz0


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

Second Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfZB7YyYdVU


----------



## lexdigger (Aug 17, 2010)

Won't be long and ya'll will be diggin em in no time! Don't be afraid to use a Shovel to dig that fill out of there! I usually don't even slow down till I'm in the use layer! I know it doesn't matter with it being an empty lot and all, but boards or tarps will help make the fill in a lot easier. Can't wait to see what comes out of the bottom... don't forget to check the corners!!!


----------



## mr.fred (Aug 17, 2010)

Nice job on the Videos []-------I like this kind of digging---first time for me digging a  privy----i am a bank digger by trade[]----nice break from hiking miles to dig[8|]---i could get use to this----hard work----but worth it------Mr.Fred


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

Yeah, we are going to bring buckets today.  I let the guys help with getting the fill out for the most part.  Boy, am I sore today.  I do more of the scratching, when they let me have a turn![]   I have to amen that, as Fred always offers me a turn in his hole.


----------



## KBbottles (Aug 17, 2010)

Good luck today!!! May the bottle gods shine upon you!!!  Can't wait to see more finds.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

Thanks lexdigger and KB for your tips and well wishes.  I have to say Joe offers me turns too.  I am just not as strong as these guys.  Anywho, I was just trying to explain to Tom about locating the wood lined walls of the privy so it did not collapse.  All that tunneling was making me nervous.  Tom has a lot of manpower and does a great job clearing out the holes too.  The penny I described, I haven't seen.  Joe found it the first day, but Tom has it.  I did not know the exact date, so I was asking Tom to identify it.  It sure sounds cool.  I love old coins.  I'm excited to go back and see what else turns up.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: mr.fred
> 
> Nice job on the Videos []-------I like this kind of digging---first time for me digging a  privy----i am a bank digger by trade[]----nice break from hiking miles to dig[8|]---i could get use to this----hard work----but worth it------Mr.Fred


 
 Thanks, Fred.  I thought the part where you "head to China" was funny.  Looking forward to seeing you later.  Joe's mowing now, but he'll give you a call soon.


----------



## swizzle (Aug 17, 2010)

Very cool video's. Looks like you're hooked on privies now. That's only the second time I've seen a video of a gurlie in a privy looking for bottles. Hopefully you find a few of those gargling oils whole. That's a sweet looking shard. Keep those video's coming. Swiz []


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 17, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  JOETHECROW
> 
> People seem to dig a lot of these out of privys!...Why is that? Were the chickens using the durn privy too? Here's my first privy dug "laying egg".


 
 I found one in the last pit to.I think they used them as "mock" eggs for the chickens.I forget what they said the reason was.But that's what I remember. Nice goin on the pits.Your hooked on use - layer now right?? [8D]


----------



## hbgpabottles (Aug 17, 2010)

Which is "Ricks magic probe video"...looks like a great dig.


----------



## madman (Aug 17, 2010)

best of luck guys! those holes should yield some great bottles!


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

Thank, guys.  We got some great videos today and pictures.  I left early.  Fred is so considerate and digs at his own pace.  The other two are lost in their own world.  We had an excavator friend of Tom's, who presumably tore down the one house, come in and scoop it down to the privy.  They have all found some nice stuff. 

  I have a hole going, and I can see the wood lining.  It's very hard for me to get the dirt out.  Tome helped me to get the hole started.  I will have to perservere on this one.  I found some buttons and a nice stopper, but I'm not down to the use layer yet, just barely 3 or 4 feet.  I wish I could call in a privy expert, just to instruct me a little more.  

 More pictures and some neat video coming.  Thank you for all of the nice comments and advice, guys.  I think about your words when I am probing and digging.


----------



## #1twin (Aug 17, 2010)

Hey Joe, Laurin, Tom, & Mr. Fred,   Thanks for sharing the nice vids and pics. Can't wait to see more. Best of luck to you all[]

 Marvin


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

Rick has a youtube site.  I'm friends with him on there, so you can find his site that way.  His probing video should be on there.  It helped me to learn what the heck I'm doing! lol


----------



## cobaltbot (Aug 17, 2010)

Congrats guys, looks like you are having fun.


----------



## CazDigger (Aug 17, 2010)

I can't wait to see what you guys find. I have to warn you, if you turn up some good bottles in a privy, you won't want to go back to scouring the countryside for dumps. lol. GOOD LUCK!
 Mark


----------



## lexdigger (Aug 17, 2010)

Hey Laur, it's not rocket science. First thing you want to do is use a probe to determine where ALL four walls are, or the entire diameter if it's round or oval. Once you get it opened all the way up and down a foot or two, use your probe to determine the depth. It's Always best to have a partner to privy dig with. Digger in the hole digs and fills the bucket while the digger up top pulls and dumps buckets. If you're digging by yourself and it goes more than 5 or 6 feet deep, you may have to climb out to pull your own buckets (been there, done that)!!! Another MUST have tool is an iron digger or spud bar. Makes getting into a stiff hole or through a hard cap a whole lot easier! Main thing is to not over think it and JUST DIG!


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

Thanks, Lex and Mark.  Yeah, I am over the woods dumps!  

 Well, Joe's headache caught up with him, so I am here to post a couple of pics and video.  Joe will post the rest.  He also wants to clean some bottles first.  I'm sure he, Fred and Tom will have plenty to say about today's dig.  

 I'm going to get back there as soon as I can I go for it in that hole.  I will have to try and get them to spot me, but their eyes are drawn to their own spots like magnets.  I can see the wood walls, as I said, so I am just going to do down.  I've dug privies with a few unmentionables before, but that was a few years ago and I didn't get a lot of practice.  I always wanted to get back into it.  Looks like I have the gang convinced now.  Too bad this town's history doesn't date back as far as my hometown 


 Here is a nice pickle Tom sent home for me after I commented how beautiful the sickness and iridescence is on it.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

In situ, un-embossed, but nice looking large med Joe and Tom were digging up.  Fun video coming up.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

Joe's cleaning and photographing right now, so more pics to follow.  They found some cool stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmxofgEqySY


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 17, 2010)

My pretty pickle is cracked on the bottom, as is the above med.   Oh well.  It will still look very cool on display.  Joe has a Troy NY Mineral Springs bottle with gravitational stopped floating inside.  It looks wild.  He'll have a pic of that too in a few.


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 17, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  RICKJJ59W
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Think about it.... if someone wanted to steal your baby, and they were able to replace it with a virtual replica, they most certainly would.. the humans used this trick on the hens to keep them a-layin  an a-layin.. without wondering what happened to all those eggs she just a-laid.. "chickology" for dummies, this was..


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 18, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  RedGinger
> 
> Joe's cleaning and photographing right now, so more pics to follow.  They found some cool stuff.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmxofgEqySY


 
 Hey thats cheating!!!! [8D] how deep were those pits ?? half of your body is sticking out! I wish we had a few shallow ones with stuff in them.My back is twisted after this weekend.
   Good  now you guys have the PRIVY BUG!  did you say no more dumps???? thats the way to do it! Put your time in getting permissions and digging pits.Thats where the gooood stuff sleeps []


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

Yes, you are correct, Sir.  It seems kind of mean, though.  I don't think Alice would like that trick one bit!  I wonder how it got in the privy, though.  The old time chicken said, "Here's what I think of your egg trick!  It's crap!"  She, and her name was probably May, left it on the seat to startle them, I bet.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Well tonight was wild!.....Got hooked up through Tom, with and old pal and his machine....He was going hog wild, but did our best to have him just skim.....We found layers of leather tack, harness and old horse collars,.....Just stopped him in thime to catch the last 4 inches of use layer in the privy the large embossed med came out of,....There's WAY more bottles on this site,.....Just in the fill he dumped out of his bucket, still needs all dug out...Here's some finds and pics....


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: RICKJJ59W
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I've been slowly fading from the dump scene trying to get these old timers to dig some privies.  Now, they are like rabid dogs.  If I approach their hole, they growl at me, well, except for Fred.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Bottle digging at it's most intense.[] Here's Fred watching the spoil piles with his handy patented "Beak" tool.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

You gotta remember you get skunked on some privies that were dipped.  Using the excavator trick, our bottle karma probably just went down by a good 45-50% [][8|][]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Tom contemplating powered machinery....There's a whole privy in that bucket load he's about to dump.....


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

A shame,....this was a nice early hingemold med.....very crude, but cracked....


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

A nice english sauce that Tom dug.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Here's a cool one that Tom was tormenting me with, by telling me that if I'd have had a light last night I'd have found it....[8|] Anyhow, he popped it out today just before I got there....[]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Here's one I watched roll under some clay when the excavator was going nuts....Stopped him while keeping my eye on the spot....dug it back out. It still has the glass stopper with rubber seal.....


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

C. Clemenson,...or something like that on the bottom pat. info......says 1864 patd.[]


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

I am going to shamelessly self promote my video again because I forgot to put a space the first post around.  Plus, it says 0 views.

 Here is our video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmxofgEqySY


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Here's a semi local med...Dansville NY. This I dug from the barely remaining layer of the privy the machine operator exposed...


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

A difficult to read NY perfumer that Tom dug...


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

I really, really hope the machine didn't lop this one in half!!!looks fresh.[:'(]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

A group shot of what we cleaned up so far.......I'm sure we'll be back there tomorrow eve![] There's some little bits in there too, My 1918 penny, a goodyear button Laur dug, and a brown benny marble I found in the first privy.....I also was too preoccupied earlier to photograph Fred's finds he cleaned up from last night,(sorry Fred)....Fred also dug a really crude aqua embossed vet med, that I can't remember the embossing on,....not one I've ever seen, but maybe he'll tell us soon....great vet bottle! Thanks for checking out the latest ongoing adventure everyone! We'll be back with more goodies tomorrow I hope.


----------



## blobbottlebob (Aug 18, 2010)

I love the gravitating stopper. Nice oddball closure with interesting history.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

First one I ever dug/seen Bob.....I read (your?) dive storys about them....I could tell it wasn't your run of the mill hutch,...even with clay all over it.[]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Almost forgot to post this Winslow's...It was right under a horse collar in the last privy hole...at the vr. bottom.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: JOETHECROW
> 
> Almost forgot to post this Winslow's...It was right under a horse collar in the last privy hole...at the vr. bottom.







 I need that for my collection.  Thanks! []


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 18, 2010)

Joe,

 I learned that "test hole" technique from a digging nemisis(sp?) who has been digging for over 45 years.

 I thought I asked you to please not post pictures of my fat a## on the net????

 Laur,

 I was inspired to dig some privies by the above person who talked about digging some in that area over 30 years ago.  Nobody convinced me.

 PD


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Whatchoo talkin' bout boy!!!??? I only posted one pic of the back of your head.[] ...besides,..Is that all you've got to say about the entire dig?


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 18, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: JOETHECROW
> 
> Penn Digger Tom,....Doing his best to dig the privy from the grass level....(He did an amazing job of digging a vertical hole the length and width of the shovel, from topside,....never seen anything like it![]


 

 What's this?


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: Penn Digger
> 
> Joe,
> 
> ...


 
 Okay, inspired, not convinced.  I have been talking about it ever since I met you guys.  Alright, you win.  Thanks for helping me start that hole today.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Hmph,....I figured an icognito pic was alright.....Sorry,...I cropped you out of all tonights shots....This better?


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

* ? []


----------



## mr.fred (Aug 18, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  JOETHECROW
> 
> A group shot of what we cleaned up so far.......I'm sure we'll be back there tomorrow eve![] There's some little bits in there too, My 1918 penny, a goodyear button Laur dug, and a brown benny marble I found in the first privy.....I also was too preoccupied earlier to photograph Fred's finds he cleaned up from last night,(sorry Fred)....Fred also dug a really crude aqua embossed vet med, that I can't remember the embossing on,....not one I've ever seen, but maybe he'll tell us soon....great vet bottle! Thanks for checking out the latest ongoing adventure everyone! We'll be back with more goodies tomorrow I hope.


   Pratts Veterinary Liniment------Pratt Food Co. Phila,U.S.A.


----------



## mr.fred (Aug 18, 2010)

Awesome Dig[8D]-------There is a lot of glass mixed in that dirt pile(s)-----a big thanks to the Machine Man[]----I'm not sold on privy digging (Yet)----i miss my dumps[]---guess i will take turns doing both[8|]-------Mr.Fred.


----------



## andy g (Aug 18, 2010)

Ouch.  One suggestion -- take it or leave it -- for digging with an excavator is to have the machine's bucket not hit the pit itself but rather to scoop out a hole right next to it (a touch wider than the privy) and then you hand dig the hole.  If the dirt in the new "throw" hole (specifically, the machine- excavated throw hole) gets full, then it can be scooped again.  In that way you will not break the good bottles with such brute force.  You will have to probe & define the hole well & there it can still be hard work digging if there is a thick cap but it sure is easier to throw dirt into a hole below or sideway than up & out.  Plus it is nice to work the entire layer this way rather than in a large pile that is mixed up -- you always are missing bit of plates or smalls or (sadly) corners of bottles.  We have dug a lot of pits this way sucessfully.  And the only time bottles get broken is when the bucket teeth compress the privy soil as it pushes in to dig the throw hole so leave just a bit of space.   Last but not least, you can prep a line of pits & everyone can be digging a hole at the same time.

 Good luck.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

Thanks.  I don't think we'll be doing it that way again.  Maybe Tom will,  I don't know.  There aren't many, if any pontils or really really old stuff, that I expect to be in there, so I'm not too worried.  I'm just going to continue digging my hole the old fashioned way.  Those are some good tips.

 Fred, I knew it started with a P, just couldn't remember the name.


----------



## edndlm (Aug 18, 2010)

I like the Grav. with the intertwined logo on the reverse ! I don't see too may like that . I have one fron Port Jervis N.Y. " Smith & Hilferty " with intertwined S & H , which is one of my favorites . Thanks Again !


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: andy g
> 
> Ouch.  One suggestion -- take it or leave it -- for digging with an excavator is to have the machine's bucket not hit the pit itself but rather to scoop out a hole right next to it (a touch wider than the privy) and then you hand dig the hole.  If the dirt in the new "throw" hole (specifically, the machine- excavated throw hole) gets full, then it can be scooped again.  In that way you will not break the good bottles with such brute force.  You will have to probe & define the hole well & there it can still be hard work digging if there is a thick cap but it sure is easier to throw dirt into a hole below or sideway than up & out.  Plus it is nice to work the entire layer this way rather than in a large pile that is mixed up -- you always are missing bit of plates or smalls or (sadly) corners of bottles.  We have dug a lot of pits this way sucessfully.  And the only time bottles get broken is when the bucket teeth compress the privy soil as it pushes in to dig the throw hole so leave just a bit of space.   Last but not least, you can prep a line of pits & everyone can be digging a hole at the same time.
> 
> Good luck.


 

 Andy,...thanks for weighing in,.....yeah, we never would have knowingly dug into a privy like that.....Plus our operator was abit of a 'cowboy'....I wasn't in on his "briefing"........[] I was all kind of confused and sudden.....It was miralculous that he left the bottom layer of that privy...There were emerald green pickle and berry bottles broken in the side wall where he scooped downward.....(Ouch!) And Laur,...It's a misconception of yours that there's no pontils here..I dug one three blocks up at the bottling works dig a few years back....[] There just not as prevelant here as they are the bigger and older city digs......


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: RedGinger
> 
> There aren't many, if any pontils or really really old stuff, that I expect to be in there,


----------



## Poison_Us (Aug 18, 2010)

wow...looks like a good dig.   You always risk great tragedy when using heavy equipment like that.  Makes digging easy, but may cause many cryers.

 Sing with me, Ginger... "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9VzEulip9Q   []


----------



## swizzle (Aug 18, 2010)

Nice digs and video's. I have to agree with Penn, let's keep his badonkadonk out of this. [] Now all we need is a privy digging badonkadonk video. Joe's just trying to help you launch you career Red. Sex sells and privy diggin' has never looked so sexy. [][] Great pics. I love that Troy Mineral Water. Keep 'em comin' guys and gurl. Swiz


----------



## madman (Aug 18, 2010)

hey guys nice finds love the gravitating stopper bottle great find! dont think i would have scooped them.......................


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 18, 2010)

Thanks for the laughs, guys.  It's been a s***y day, no pun intended.  Maybe I will get that show some day.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 18, 2010)

Yes,....not too much to add tonight,....Tom had meetings most of the eve, and could only stop by for a few moments,...digging in his good clothes!,....Fred was poking around the dirt piles and just as Laur and I pulled in he found a crude old aqua "John Bull Cough Syrup" under a clump of clay....We were short for time and trying to make sense of what was where.....There was so much dirt moved around, that we couldn't tell what used to be where...Anyhow,...Laur had to leave,...so pretty soon it was just Fred and I, and some brief sundown type daylight...we were clawing along the hard baked fill at the edges of the excavation,....finding small later meds layered up all together...Fred also dug out an aqua quart blob,....mercifully, it was only embossed "This bottle not to be sold" because the bottom was gone...The ground was hard as rock and dry...Toward the end, we thought we had a wax sealer,...but it was broken in place....Here's a couple of pics. Anyone know the jar lid? (clear) It says Patd. Dec 17 1878, and has two lugs protruding...The aqua one says "Ball Bros. Glass Mfg. Buffalo NY"


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 19, 2010)

The small clear med above is "New York and London Chemical Co. New York/ Dr. Bell's/ Pain alleviator/ Rheumatism Annihilated",...The other is "R Matchell's Pure & Genuine Fourfold Liniment".


----------



## privvydigger (Aug 19, 2010)

great digs 
 your a wizard now Joe!


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 19, 2010)

Cryer quart blob.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 19, 2010)

Wax sealer.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 19, 2010)

We need to go back here when we're all rested and find the other privys and clean up our mess....I _know _there's more bottles there....sorry for the anticlimatic post tonight....I hope we'll have more to post soon. []


----------



## woody (Aug 19, 2010)

Your clear glass lid goes to Red Book #706
 The Crystal Jar


----------



## Staunton Dan (Aug 19, 2010)

Great post. Privy digging can be very rewarding but strenuous at times. Look forward to further adventures.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 19, 2010)

Yeah, sometimes you get carried away and overdo it... like me lol.  I was determined to get to the bottom of the one hole and am paying for it.  That's okay, I need a break and a trip to the grocery store, so digging will have to wait for me.  

 Is the Bell's Rheumatism Annihilated/Pain Alleviator a common one?  It's pretty cool wording.


----------



## Glasscock (Aug 19, 2010)

Good digs! Enjoyed reading the reports.

 I'm from the bradford area and have dug in town and in the woods.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 20, 2010)

Hmmmm,....Welcome to the forum,....I don't see a lot of info on your profile page,....Have we made your aquaintance before? Most all the diggers around here know of one another.... I'm sure there's a good story behind the odd choice for your user name? Looking forward to seeing a post with some of your finds from this neck of the woods...


----------



## bottle_head9 (Aug 20, 2010)

Great posts and videos guys!! Excellent!!


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 20, 2010)

Thanks, Tom!  It's fun to do a post on our digs.  I really appreciate the nice and helpful comments and answers from everyone.  

 Joe, I don't know how if GC will be back.  He seems to like our post, though.  Too bad Tom already has permissions secured everywhere downtown and the State Park is off limits to diggers.  I wonder where GC will find a place to dig around here.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 20, 2010)

Maybe he just wants to be our friend and Glass Cock is how they say bottle on his planet.


----------



## Wangan (Aug 20, 2010)

How in the world did I miss all this commotion!Guess I gotta check in more often! Interesting finds everyone.Red,its good to see you get your digging itch scratched. I know I can only stand it for so long and then I have to go dig somewhere. Been to busy to dig lately,but the water is low and I have wanted to do some train trestle/bridge searching when I can find the time.

 Nice grav.stop bottle Joe.Seems there should be some nice local med.s there somewhere.[] (That is your favorite type isnt it?) Good luck to you all and I hope you "clean house" on some excellent finds.  -Tim


----------



## Glasscock (Aug 20, 2010)

Joethecrow, as you may already know about diggers, not all of us want to make our information public. I've been a lurker here for a while, and decided to finally register. My name comes from one of my favorite finds.  RedGinger, there are plenty enough places to dig around here if you know where to look. And whether it's legal or not, I've seen evidence of diggers in the ASP.  Bottle digging don't always have to be a big social event. Some of us can be quite content digging alone.   And I may even want to keep most of my better finds to myself, if you don't mind.


----------



## Glasscock (Aug 20, 2010)

Is this what you wanted to see by the way?A CE Bottorf & Company Bradford Pa 7 Oz. with a few nicely placed bubbles. Photographed in a city of Bradford back yard hole.


----------



## truedigr (Aug 20, 2010)

I think that was a wonderful reply to a very kind welcome!!!! Glad to have you on the forum Glasscock. I agree with not making everything public, but it is fun to post tidbits of info. It sounds like they might even invite you to a dig, ha ha. Robert


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 20, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: Glasscock
> 
> Is this what you wanted to see by the way?A CE Bottorf & Company Bradford Pa 7 Oz. with a few nicely placed bubbles. Photographed in a city of Bradford back yard hole.


 




 Welcome GC.  It is always nice to know there are still diggers out there, especially in Bradford.  There are still plenty of places to dig in the area.  Send me a PM some time and we can discuss some digs.


 PD


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 20, 2010)

Hey Glass Cock, welcome again.  I'm not trying to be rude, I've just seen the evidence of some unsavory characters in these parts.  Maybe we can all get together, as Penn Digger suggested.  I'm hoping to get my husband to some older places soon, in my home state(s).  I'm a little disgruntled sometimes, as I don't find much, if anything, and the boys always pull out these fantastic bottles.

 Wangan, meds are Joe's and my favorite too.  I really like the baby meds, in particular, but all meds what interest me.  I'm hoping to dig a poison someday.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 20, 2010)

I do seem to have good luck with buttons, marbles and stoppers.  I also think the syringes are cool.  I would like to give one to my doctor and his nurses.  I think they'd get a kick out of that.  I gave one nurse a few old medicines and she thought it was the neatest thing.  So, please don't throw them out, if you find them, guys (the syringes, that is).


----------



## lexdigger (Aug 20, 2010)

If I was ya'll, I'd ask Glasscock what his calling card is. Around here, it's a McDonalds cup and a Budweiser can... A.B.D. (already been dug)! LOL I personally leave a Mt. Dew can in the fill for future diggers to discover. After a while, you can feel if a pits been dug or not with a probe. Seems like about 90% of my town has been dug... but I'm still after that 10%!


----------



## GuntherHess (Aug 20, 2010)

> what his calling card is. Around here, it's a McDonalds cup and a Budweiser can... A.B.D. (already been dug)! LOL I personally leave a Mt. Dew can in the fill for future diggers to discover.


 
 Here is mine[]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: Glasscock
> 
> Joethecrow, as you may already know about diggers, not all of us want to make our information public. I've been a lurker here for a while, and decided to finally register. My name comes from one of my favorite finds. RedGinger, there are plenty enough places to dig around here if you know where to look. And whether it's legal or not, I've seen evidence of diggers in the ASP. Bottle digging don't always have to be a big social event. Some of us can be quite content digging alone. And I may even want to keep most of my better finds to myself, if you don't mind.


 


  GC,...Please don't mistake my caution for lack of courtesy, that's just not the case,.....Some (not all) of the local diggers not in our group are unethical, and not too careful about digging in anothers hole/  privy / or dump....Hence my questions, and as far as keeping info private, that's certainly your perogative,...and perhaps for the very same reasons I've just stated. My spare time is consumed primarily in the hunt for antique bottles, and has been for the best part of 40 years,...so of course I'm going to be curious when someone from my own area appears here at my second home. (this forum) Secondly, I'm also curious because if hypothetically, you _were_ one of those above mentioned unethical diggers, I'd have to be extra cautious about posting info and pictures freely about our digs....So you see now why my tenative welcome was,...well,...tentative.[] Having said that, I will give the benefit of the doubt and extend you a warm forum welcome.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Penn Digger stopped off at our dig early today,....and in less than 15 minutes, pulled out two more winners,...An "Ackers Blood Elixer" and a "Cohansey" wax sealer...Here's some pics.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

oops!,..pic didn't "take"


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

A shame this jar has a lip chip....still and all a very nice wax sealer and I wish I'd dug it![] It has amber glass areas in the lip.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Cohansey jar.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

A group shot of the best so far from this spot....


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Vet med.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Dr Bell's ...this panel says "Rheumatism annialated"[]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Dansville NY med....


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Denton's Healing Balsam. That's all the bottles of note so far,....thanks everyone for tagging along.


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 21, 2010)

As always, nice pics and posts Joe.  Let's hit it hard this weekend!!!!

 I am not a jar guy, so that jar is available to fruit jar collectors.  Idigjars has first take at it.


 PD


----------



## mr.fred (Aug 21, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  GuntherHess
> 
> 
> 
> ...


    Good one Gunth [sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif]


----------



## Glasscock (Aug 21, 2010)

Joethecrow and others, I can assure you I am not one of the unethical diggers.  And for reference, some diggers might have different opinions of what or who is unethical.


----------



## bottle_head9 (Aug 21, 2010)

Awsome!! Love the amber meds.[]


----------



## lexdigger (Aug 21, 2010)

I've seen that HOOKER & Co in cobalt, but never in amber. Might be a good one... or maybe it's the cobalt that's the good one? Can't remember, but either way it's a cool bottle!


----------



## jpclute (Aug 21, 2010)

Hey Joe, I don't know if you were finally able to read the bottom of your Troy, NY mineral water, that last name is Cleminshaw. The gravs turn up my way in the 70's to 80's holes. Cleminshaw had some wild & crazy bottles produced for him, with dots, lines, in colors and going back to pontiled.  Good diggin & good luck.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Thank you Roy for the info,...(and welcome to the forum if I haven't yet)[] I find it a very interesting bottle, and would love to see some of his others....would you have any pictures by chance?


----------



## jpclute (Aug 21, 2010)

Joe, unfortunately I don't have anything I can get my hands on easily. There is a cobalt smooth base C. Clemenshaw blob and iron pontil c. clemenshaw mineral waters blobs in aqua, saphire, blue, and greens (rare) that turn up now and again. The bottles with the large dotts and those with swirl stripes on them turn up in aqua and I believe also in greens & blues and possibly other colors, and any of the colored ones are very rare. It seem I remember a mug base also. He continued on past the turn of the 20th century and utilized a lot of Hutch's, also stonies. One of our former local club members had more historical information but he has basically disappeared from the bottle scene. If I ever can locate any more of the info if you are interested I will post it.

 Roy


----------



## truedigr (Aug 21, 2010)

Sweet finds and great job cleaning them. I wish bottles in Texas would clean up that nice. Only the bottles found in black mud or clay clean up nicely. That Healing Balsam bottle from the first picture looked like it wouldn't clean up at all. Hope you can dig more privy's because I'm sure there are some good one's where you are at. Robert


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 21, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  JOETHECROW
> 
> Penn Digger stopped off at our dig early today,....and in less than 15 minutes, pulled out two more winners,...An "Ackers Blood Elixer" and a "Cohansey" wax sealer...Here's some pics.


 

 Now thats a perdy bottle ! [] cool find


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Robert,...It's hit and miss with our bottles too, as far as how they clean up....Thanks for the good feedback,
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...Roy,....yes, If you were ever able to run across anymore info, I'd love to see it. I think I'd like to take a shot at collecting his bottles,...as they sound wild and interesting! ...but I'm sure the prices reflect that too....[]


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 21, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  RedGinger
> 
> Hey Glass Cock, welcome again.  I'm not trying to be rude, I've just seen the evidence of some unsavory characters in these parts.  Maybe we can all get together, as Penn Digger suggested.  I'm hoping to get my husband to some older places soon, in my home state(s).  I'm a little disgruntled sometimes, as I don't find much, if anything, and the boys always pull out these fantastic bottles.
> 
> Wangan, meds are Joe's and my favorite too.  I really like the baby meds, in particular, but all meds what interest me.  I'm hoping to dig a poison someday.


 
 What she is trying to say is,we are shell shocked form a bigcockk that once romped in these parts.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: RICKJJ59W


 

 Now thats a perdy bottle ! [] cool find 

 [/quote] 



 Thanks Rick...Tom's very happy with it too....Thanks for commenting, we were posting right about the same time....


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

Here's a couple Ceminshaw bottles I found on google....VERY cool...


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 21, 2010)

*


----------



## mr.fred (Aug 21, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  RICKJJ59W
> 
> 
> 
> ...


    [sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif][sm=tongue.gif]


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 21, 2010)

Have a nice time and hope you find some good bottles everyone.


----------



## Glasscock (Aug 21, 2010)

Well, I didn't find much today, but got a few.  Here are todays finds. The mason jar was a surface find, but it was in perfect shape so it came home with me.

 The others were worth the work.   And RedGinger, in case you are keeping score these were found off of Totten Hollow which is off South Kendall ave outside Bradford, and I was able to get these without the permission of this Tom character you spoke about.


----------



## Glasscock (Aug 21, 2010)

Bottoms up!


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

I'm not keeping score, in fact glad to say I'm not sure where that's actually located and that I am not a Bradforian.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

I did not ask to see your finds, but at least we know you're not getting all the good stuff[]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Glad to see that everyone's out digging and (hopefully) having some fun....[] Totten hollow has some interesting areas......surprised your not finding a bunch of milks out that way, GC,...with the close proximity of the old Dairy...


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 22, 2010)

Nice finds GC.  We're hitting some privies in the AM.  Send me a private messsage some time.  As I said, there's plenty to dig around here.

 PD


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: RedGinger
> 
> Thanks, Tom!  It's fun to do a post on our digs.  I really appreciate the nice and helpful comments and answers from everyone.
> 
> Joe, I don't know how if GC will be back.  He seems to like our post, though.  Too bad Tom already has permissions secured everywhere downtown and the State Park is off limits to diggers.  I wonder where GC will find a place to dig around here.


 



 WTH???


 I certainly do not have permission secured everywhere downtown.  Sure wish I did though.


 PD


----------



## THE BADGER (Aug 22, 2010)

AWESOME FRUIT JAR GUYS GREAT DIGS.LET ME KNOW IF ITS STILL AROUND.GOOD LUCK WITH NEXT DIGS. BADGER


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  RedGinger
> 
> I did not ask to see your finds, but at least we know you're not getting all the good stuff[]


 
 From what I see, he is getting all the junk.Who is this Glasscock dude? It seems like he is talking out of his --------> fill in the blank.
    You know I couldn't keep quite to long Red's [8D] 
     its just not in my blood [] This guys a fruit  loop


----------



## Glasscock (Aug 22, 2010)

Man you people are rude! I've never met a more rude bunch of people in a chat room.
 Some of you wanted me to share my spots and finds, and then I get criticized for it.  My best stuff will always remain my secret. 

 I'm out of here.   Good luck.


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 22, 2010)

GC,

 You shouldn't let a couple of nitwit comments scare you off.  I do think some members may have been put off a little by your choice of forum name.  That's still no excuse.  

 Most people on this forum are very friendly and helpful.  Please keep posting.  I was not trying to find out your "spots."  I don't have the time to dig all of the ones I already know about.  Best of luck on your digs.

 PD


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  Penn Digger
> 
> GC,
> 
> ...


 
 My comments are not nitwit comments.They come from the gut,and my gut is rarely wrong.I know trouble when I see it.
   Not counting me []


----------



## dollarbill (Aug 22, 2010)

First great post guy.s and gal's .Great finds too and I for one like the videos .
 Being from a small very dug city sucks .We are about like Lexs city 90 percent dug .Oh and I leave Dew cans myself and have hit a few Bud and Mc D's coffie cup  on digs myself .
  Thanks 
   Bill


----------



## game cocks 757 (Aug 22, 2010)

Hello bottle diggers.  I am new to this site and I have been watching the conversations between everyone.  I agree with Glasscock - there are a few members that simply are rude and people like them will make others not want to join.  Encouragement and acceptance is why we come to these forums - not to be ridiculed.  As a new member i must say I am hesitant to share.....  Perhaps I will return at another time.  thanks


----------



## beendiggin (Aug 22, 2010)

Laura, Tom and Penn.......you are into some excellent digs.  Keep on digging!  I see a wax sealer survived the burial, so that is a real good sign of more large bottles to come.  That site must have a pontil somewhere........


----------



## truedigr (Aug 22, 2010)

I can remember a post not long ago when there was a post about how the forum members were so kind, like shipping bottles to people for free, inviting people to digs, and so forth. Maybe some should practice what they preach. You guys don't know squat about this person, and some of you are rude and obnoxious at times. Just remember, the bottle gods, as some of you refer to, are watching. Robert


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: RICKJJ59W
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks, Rick.  Rick has always stood behind me.  Hey, this guy came on with a rude name and is trying to start something, so I said something.  Seems people don't like it when a woman say anything about it either.  Hey, I'm out of this discusssion.  There are some very nice diggers in this area, and some not so nice ones.  I'll stick with the nice ones.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

Sounds like the guys are into some great stuff today.  Thanks for all the nice comments, guys.  This has been a fun dig.


----------



## GuntherHess (Aug 22, 2010)

> Hello bottle diggers. I am new to this site and I have been watching the conversations between everyone. I agree with Glasscock - there are a few members that simply are rude and people like them will make others not want to join. Encouragement and acceptance is why we come to these forums - not to be ridiculed. As a new member i must say I am hesitant to share..... Perhaps I will return at another time. thanks


 
 You got to love how brand new people with similar user names pop up out of the wood work.  [][][]
 Keep trusting your gut Rick, it seems to be often correct.


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  GuntherHess
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yes, indeedy!!! Joe, Laur.. sorry to see your great thread get all cocked up.. GC, is that one little google image your only pic of your most prized find?


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  game cocks 757
> 
> Hello bottle diggers.  I am new to this site and I have been watching the conversations between everyone.  I agree with Glasscock - there are a few members that simply are rude and people like them will make others not want to join.  Encouragement and acceptance is why we come to these forums - not to be ridiculed.  As a new member i must say I am hesitant to share.....  Perhaps I will return at another time.  thanks


 
 Hey Wood the G-cocks are calling you []


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

Well, I stopped by the dig this afternoon and couldn't help myself.  I set to work clearing out a whole, and digging another one myself.  It had some promising shards, and a nice button I gave to my Mom who stopped by.  I also met Jake, a long time bottle digging friend, and very nice guy who came to dig today.  Another man was there.  He seeems to have been digging for a long time.  The guys found a 1915 mercury dime, another wheat penny, but it was too grimey and worn to tell the date on site.  They also found some great bottles, along with nice marbles and the assorted doll parts.  

 I'm sure I'll be back.  I found a good spot, I think.  I just have to open it up some more.  It requires a lot of energy and strength, as you know, so I can only do so much at a time.  I'm sure Joe will be back at his "second home" tonight to post their finds and tell all about the dig.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

I'll let Fred announce his own bottle, but I wanted to congratulate him.  Great bottle, Fred!  I saw pictures of it and it is sweet! 

 I wanted to add I'm happy for him.  Fred is a really great guy and friend and I'm so happy he dug such a cool bottle.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: Penn Digger
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 My mistake, Tom.  I meant to say you get a lot of permissions.  That's all.


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

Also wanted to say it was great meeting my long time fellow digger and friend, Jake.  He's a great guy and I'm glad he could come dig today.  I didn't know this dig would be over so soon.  On to the next spot, wherever it may be.


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  RedGinger
> 
> I'll let Fred announce his own bottle, but I wanted to congratulate him.  Great bottle, Fred!  I saw pictures of it and it is sweet!
> 
> I wanted to add I'm happy for him.  Fred is a really great guy and friend and I'm so happy he dug such a cool bottle.


 
 I'll have to agree with ya reds.Never met the guy but hes a hell of nice chap [] What did he find???? spill it [8D]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Well folks,....I came back on to post and am half tempted not to,....(Let's hope all the flare ups are past),....And Glass cock,.... even though some folks are wary, cautious, and even perhaps seemingly rude,....we're pretty much family around here,....so don't be hasty,...and be sure and refrain from going after my wife. (RedGinger)...We've had some unwarrantedly aggresive and rude oldnew members.....and everyone is extra leery. Two wrongs never make right, so if your legit, calm down,...If not please just go away. Having said that,...I'd like to complete the post about this impromptu, but rewarding dig, with some old and new friends......


 There were three or four house's in this span of grass, and we probed out quite a few "maybe's" that were trash pits, but the place was starting to look like a bombing range,[]...we had all kinds of visitors and some quest diggers today.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Just before excavator man showed up,....we walked the lot and found a local blob in the leavings.....We had to all dig like idiots, because the place got backfilled, graded and seeded today! (Fred got an "attaboy" from the bottle gods by helping with the unloading of hay bales,....spreading grass seed, and doing shovel work along the fence!)[] Way to go Fred.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Fred doing his thing.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Local privy digger and all around nice guy C. Blackman (who's also a member of our forum under the same name) made an appearance today,....He's an old time digger,...a powerhouse, and gave me Tom and Laur our probe a couple years ago,....He also gave Fred a probe today. One of his major tattoo's is of a crazy bottledigger.[]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Another guest digger was Jake,...a semi local artist and digger and all around nice guy, from a neighboring town about an hour from here. He drove down this morning and met us for the dig.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Mr Fred,....Worked like a man possessed on this whole dig, and didn't get a heckuva lot to show for it,....That's why I was both amazed and very glad when he was able to pluck a great bottle from the clutches of the evil bulldozer! (Earlier we had watched a few disappear under the tracks when the operator was speed grading the lot.)[] But Fred was helping out and gave me a shout between dozer passes,..."Hey Joe,...look what I found in the dozer track!" I'm thinking "Really?"


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  JOETHECROW
> 
> Mr Fred,....Worked like a man possessed on this whole dig, and didn't get a heckuva lot to show for it,....That's why I was both amazed and very glad when he was able to pluck a great bottle from the clutches of the evil bulldozer! (Earlier we had watched a few disappear under the tracks when the operator was speed grading the lot.)[] But Fred was helping out and gave me a shout between dozer passes,..."Hey Joe,...look what I found in the dozer track!" I'm thinking "Really?"


 Well wherererere is it Fred!!?? [8D]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Well it couldn't be a prettier shade of Lockport blue/green,....and from Fred's hometown to boot! This is certainly a nice find,....still had the original contents...(Gargling oil is heavily mentholated,...kind of a cross between vicks and a pine tree)[] What re the odds of this surviving the tonnage of the bulldozer? Way to go Fred!


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

*


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Red just called me for supper,...I'll be back shortly to finish the post.[]


----------



## CazDigger (Aug 22, 2010)

That's awesome, WTG Fred. With all the bottles I have dug over the years, here in Upstate NY, I have never dug a whole GW Merchant's bottle of any kind. That will look beautiful cleaned up!
 Mark


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

While we're talking about Fred,.....this has to be mentioned here, because today was also the official end of Fred's trusty "bottle buggy",...which has taken us on almost all of our outings and adventures and digs ,well, pretty much since Fred started digging with us. He's put the money from this towards a lift-bucket truck for handy-man work...Thank you Fred, and we'll all miss this comfortable and capable little truck.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

I'm sorry to say that all good things must end,...and this is how the place looked a couple of short hours after the digging pics were taken,....although our dig had to end sooner than we wanted,...the machine operator was good enough to give us some extra time,...._and_  backfill all our holes. Fred had been helping him reseed, and just when the dozer fired up,...Chris Blackman and I were into a trash layer.....We had to pour on the steam and grab a few quick bottles and get outta the hole....It was too rushed for more dig pics, and everyone got to take some goodies home.....So I'll show you what I managed to get, in their cleaned up state....


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

I suppose I should throw this in for all of[] Laur's fans,...(although I told her it wasn't safe to dig in short shorts)[sm=lol.gif] She stopped by to join us for a while. So we had a lot of fun, and a lot of diggers!


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

I can't brag any great finds today but I sure had fun!,...Thanks for bearing with while I got to these.[]


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

I know enough not to dig in shorts.  I look like I have the world's biggest white buttt.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Ahem,...Honey, I hate to be the one to point this out, but you _are_ digging in short shorts,....LoL


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

The tiny stuff,....Two nice marbles that I dug , a pearl that Jake dug,....(He also dug a live round of ammunition) various buttons,...etc.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Anyone happen to have the teapot that goes w/ this?[]


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

And last but not least,...a decent olive oil that Chris and I came to, (Chris generously gave it to me) just before dozer time.....Sorry we didn't have more cool stuff, but I'm sure we'll have another dig before too long.....Stay tuned.


----------



## mr.fred (Aug 22, 2010)

Great job posting Joe-----my new found bottle is waiting for a good cleaning[8D]----it was Lucky i was there to save it[]--------Great Day-----good folks----good times----On to another dig.        Mr.Fred.


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 22, 2010)

Not so fast, soldier.. show us the goods.. or else........


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: JOETHECROW
> 
> Ahem,...Honey, I hate to be the one to point this out, but you _are_ digging in short shorts,....LoL


 
 That was never in dispute.  I should be a lawyer.


----------



## Digswithstick (Aug 22, 2010)

Sure enjoyed seeing your finds and your post ,Thanks!


----------



## Staunton Dan (Aug 22, 2010)

I have read most of the posts and except for those submitted by GC, I enjoyed the entire episode. You all did a great job of showing how a dig should really be taken on. Thanks for taking the time to document this fun site. BTW, I wouldn't be too concerned about the rude comments of GC or anyone else that agreed with his intrusions. If that wasn't our old nemisis Matt, then I would think that it was his twin just here to cause trouble. He or someone like him (no, actually he seems to be the only one) usually shows up occasionally to stir up the emotions of the group. The best thing to do when he shows up is to just ignor him and his comments and remember his MO. His comments usually give him away everytime.


----------



## Staunton Dan (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  truedigr
> 
> I can remember a post not long ago when there was a post about how the forum members were so kind, like shipping bottles to people for free, inviting people to digs, and so forth. Maybe some should practice what they preach. You guys don't know squat about this person, and some of you are rude and obnoxious at times. Just remember, the bottle gods, as some of you refer to, are watching. Robert


 
 I noticed how each time you post that your post count always stays at 100 while everyone elses increases by 1 everytime they post. In fact your 1st post on 6-12-2010 was also post #100. What gives?


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: Staunton Dan
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Very observent Dan!...Yes what DOES give?....that's just weird.[sm=rolleyes.gif]


----------



## GuntherHess (Aug 22, 2010)

Dan, maybe I'm confused but I beleive the forum software shows your current number of posts no matter what post you look at.  If I have 666 posts and you look at a post I did in 2002 it will say I have 666 total posts in that 2002 record.


----------



## Staunton Dan (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  GuntherHess
> 
> Dan, maybe I'm confused but I beleive the forum software shows your current number of posts no matter what post you look at.  If I have 666 posts and you look at a post I did in 2002 it will say I have 666 total posts in that 2002 record.


 
 It appears that you are right Matt. My bad. Sorry trudigr. I guess I wasn't paying attention.


----------



## ruccello (Aug 22, 2010)

Nice stuff you guys - and great post (and very entertaining)! Those are some beautiful bottles that you pulled out of the ground. I might have to start digging privies soon!

 Richard


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: cyberdigger
> 
> Not so fast, soldier.. show us the goods.. or else........


 

 Charlie,...This is Fred's great find, in case you missed it a page or two back...[] Boy, you can sure tell this stuff was a liniment when you smell it,...Whew!                       "Gargling Oil/ Lockport NY"


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 22, 2010)

Well then what are you doing with it?? I'm so confused..


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 22, 2010)

Just took some pics of it for him Charlie.....[]


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 23, 2010)

[sm=rolleyes.gif] Of course... I was just trying to be rude.. I mean, I don't mean to be mean, I'm just naturally mean.. but we all know this and accept it, don't we?


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 23, 2010)

?? Sarcasm doesn't tanslate well to typing Chuck. [8|]  That's why they should have an emoticon for sarcasm....[]


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 23, 2010)

Well then I shall refrain.. but it won't be easy.. love ya, Joe!!


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 23, 2010)

.....[8|]....


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 23, 2010)

Likewise Charlie,...Have I mentioned that it's good to have you back around these here parts?[]


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 23, 2010)

No.. that's why I am feeling testy tonite.. I need to be adored!!!


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 23, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  JOETHECROW
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Cool lock port.The only time we ever dug Lock Ps was when we dug that 22  foot brick liner.We got a bunch of the larger size with the panels on the side and the size you got there.Cool dig  guys.I enjoyed the posts.
    One question, how deep did those pits go? on all the pix you guys  where standing in the holes.If you got all those bottles in that  depth,that's crazy! I wish we could find um like that.


----------



## Penn Digger (Aug 23, 2010)

Rick,

 That area is not far from a large stream that runs through town (river bottom like).  At around 5  feet or so you hit a bottom of mostly gravel which usually is very wet.  When digging below that, holes usually fill with water back up to that level  So it appears the privies stopped pretty shallow.  The one wood liner I dug to the bottom of stopped there.  I imagine it to be different at higher elevations.  We'll see as we're still newbies to the privy scene here.

 PD

 PD


----------



## rockbot (Aug 23, 2010)

Another fine post and great bottle digging action. Thanks for sharing Joe,Red,Tom,Fred and guests. Now I gotta go out and find something! [][] 
 The gravitating stopper and colored meds are awesome!

 Aloha, Rocky


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 23, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  Penn Digger
> 
> Rick,
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah Tom we had pits where the water pooled heavy!,In those cases we bucket it out so we can see the bottles and dig easier .We use a small can and scoop it in to a 5 gallon bucket.As you get deeper the water becomes less and less.
   Did you try and probe those holes when you were standing in them like that? Its hard for me belive that was the  bottom. of those pits.A lot of time we get those hard clay caps,and to a digger just starting,they might think it was bottom.The probe will go through a cap no matter how hard it is.
   I was just hoping you guys didn't miss bottles that might have been (deeper) Like I said,never dug a pit that shallow in my life.   S.R


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 23, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  cyberdigger
> 
> No.. that's why I am feeling testy tonite.. I need to be adored!!!


 
 I like that! I think I will use it.No copyright right?[8D]


----------



## slag pile digger (Aug 23, 2010)

After following this post , I am reminded why I return to this forum again and again, people sharing their love of digging for bottles with others!!! Thank You for a very enjoyable dig. I think I had as much fun as you all had!!!  Michael


----------



## lexdigger (Aug 23, 2010)

Yeah, I'm with Rick... did ya'll probe the "bottom" to make sure? I've hit caps that I would have swore was the bottom, and then the probe went right through to another layer (usually the GOOD stuff!). Now I dig and probe into the bottom even when I KNOW it's bottom, just to make sure! LOL I also like to dig beyond the walls and get into the backfill (sometimes they threw a few bottles in there to! Either way, ya'll will figure em out with time. Gotta dig about ten or twelve of em before you start to get into a groove. Way to go guys... and gal!!!


----------



## mainer1 (Aug 23, 2010)

Another great epic post
 You guys really did a great job with this one
 I'm liking Freds bottle he saved, amazing color!
 Thanks for bringing us into your world again


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 23, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: JOETHECROW
> 
> Local privy digger and all around nice guy C. Blackman (who's also a member of our forum under the same name) made an appearance today,....He's an old time digger,...a powerhouse, and gave me Tom and Laur our probe a couple years ago,....He also gave Fred a probe today. One of his major tattoo's is of a crazy bottledigger.[]


 


 First off,....Thank you all,... Richard, Tony, Michael, Chris, Gunth, Charlie, Gary, The Badger, Dan, Rick W,...Rick P. and everyone else who weighed in earlier in this post,  Thank you for all your kind remarks and advice....Now I cannot say I'm even close to a seasoned privy digger, but to me the gravel looked like honest bottom,...but who knows? So while Chris Blackman was on board yesterday with his arsenal of probes and local privy digging expertise, I asked him to reprobe our woodliner, and he agreed it felt like bottom....Now it sounds like sometimes they can keep going, so in the future I'm going to do just like you guys say and dig down anyhow,..just to be sure....I was wondering if I should have checked outside the walls too??!!, i almost did because they were rotten enough to peel away... Durn it![]I should have went with my instincts,....Oh well,...next time for sure. Again thanks everybody.


----------



## cyberdigger (Aug 23, 2010)

I hope you weren't too off-ended by by bizarre behavior last night, Joe bro.. I blame it on cheap vodka.. []


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 23, 2010)

> ORIGINAL: cyberdigger
> 
> I hope you weren't too off-ended by by bizarre behavior last night, Joe bro.. I blame it on cheap vodka.. []


 

 Cheap vodka! ? ! Yeah,...been there for sure but can't stand the ice pick headache the next day Charlie,...[:'(] []


----------



## THE BADGER (Aug 23, 2010)

gotta say guys this was definitely one of the most enjoyable posts because you had lots of pictures of the site and the spoiles, makes us feel like we were there.keep um coming all of you . THE BADGER


----------



## beendiggin (Aug 23, 2010)

That was a great post...thanks again and NICE JOB!!  Love the Gargling oil.


----------



## mr.fred (Aug 23, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  RICKJJ59W
> 
> 
> 
> ...


     That's exactly what i ran into Rick---clay---all i did was take a shovel full out--thinking it was at the bottom[]-------boy -o- boy-  next time it won't happen--lots to learn---the trick is----take a little from all you REAL privy diggers--and apply it[]------wonder how many got away???[]----Thanks for the tips. Fred.


----------



## truedigr (Aug 24, 2010)

First off I apologize for ruffling some feathers with some rude comments I made. Sort of felt like the new guy was getting picked on for no reason. I don't know the guy either and maybe you do have some bad blood with him. It is absolutely none of my business and I should have kept my mouth shut. I'm the type if I see four guys whooping up on one on the side of the road, I'm jumping out with a bat to try to help. Maybe that's the wrong way to be? Any how I am man enough to apologize for my derrogatory statements. Robert
 p.s. I don't have that jar, but I do have almost the same lid. Probably the same company.
https://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac111/fossilman217/100_6120.jpg


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 24, 2010)

Joe we always dig behind the wood walls,back fill has stuff it it to sometimes.When they made the box,it was always  made smaller then the hole was wide.So they put all kinds of shit in there to fill up the void.I found a cobalt soda in the back fill once,it had a chipped top,But it was blue[]


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 24, 2010)

See, I'm afraid of collapsing the hole if I dig past the wood, Rick. At what point do you do that?  I found it hard to believe that just a few feet was the bottom of those privies, too.


----------



## bottledigger3 (Aug 24, 2010)

yep the oil bottle looks good


----------



## lexdigger (Aug 24, 2010)

On a woodliner, I prefer to dig out the wood walls to Prevent a collapse. On a brick or stoneliner I will even dig out the brick or rock walls if they appear to be leaning or unstable. I don't like anything hanging over my head that looks like it could fall and knock me out!!! LOL I have ran into gravel in a privy before. It sucks, but you gotta dig it out! Rocks, bricks, gravel, are NOT bottom! Bedrock or subsoil are. If I can still stick my shovel in and dig it out, it's coming out! Usually a subsoil bottom will be AS HARD as a rock. The most shallow privy I have ever dug was 4 feet deep. Around here, they tend to run at least 6 feet deep. The more you dig em in the area you're in, the more you'll get to know what's normal and what's not. Keep at it, ya'll will get em figured out!


----------



## bottle_head9 (Aug 24, 2010)

Love that Gargling Oil!! Awsome find guys!!![]


----------



## RedGinger (Aug 24, 2010)

Okay, I thought you should not dig out the wood because it could cause a cave-in.  Good info, Chris.  Thanks.


----------



## lexdigger (Aug 24, 2010)

No, you want to dig out the hole to the clay walls (behind the wood). Use your own discretion with brick and stone liners. They seem to be pretty stable when intact. If one or more walls have collapsed or are leaning, I'd suggest digging them out as well. One thing you want to always watch out for is cracks that appear in the walls or on the ground anywhere around the top of the hole. Most cave in's can be predicted and/or prevented with proper safety precautions.


----------



## logueb (Aug 24, 2010)

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this post.  I have never dug a privy (yet) and am lookin forward to doing so one day.  With work, a large vegetable garden, grandkids, etc. it has been a very busy year with little time for digging for me.  I hope to change that real soon. So good luck Joe, Laur, Tom and the rest for a great post.


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 24, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  RedGinger
> 
> Okay, I thought you should not dig out the wood because it could cause a cave-in.  Good info, Chris.  Thanks.


 
 Like lex said,dig to the (HARD CLAY WALLS) the fill is what caves in if its not dug out evenly ,the clay is safe,I have never had the clay come in on me..Im tellin ya, you guys missed bottles in them pits.GO BACK!!!! [8D]


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 24, 2010)

One more thing,when that probe hit's (bottom) it will not go through.if it does go in a little, it will be hard as hell to push in,and clay will be on the tip.After a while digging,you will know what bottom feels like right away.Its sort of like a dull (((thud))) feel on the probe.then you know its over.I hate that sound [][]
   Again,like lex said,if you can dig it out,its not bottom.


----------



## JOETHECROW (Aug 24, 2010)

Laur had probed a spot right near the fence, she said the probe slid right down.... I never got over to check it out, Sunday, on our 'gotta finish' day,....We were thinking of going back to check that one out, so when we do we'll reprobe the other too,....


----------



## CALDIGR2 (Aug 24, 2010)

The soil in these parts is largely river bottom loam, so privy pit bottoms are often difficult to determine with a probe. You just gotta dig the pit to the bottom of the liner until undisturbed soil is encountered. I always probe the "bottom", too, 'cause plugs are sometimes found between use layers.


----------



## RICKJJ59W (Aug 24, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  CALDIGR2
> 
> The soil in these parts is largely river bottom loam, so privy pit bottoms are often difficult to determine with a probe. You just gotta dig the pit to the bottom of the liner until undisturbed soil is encountered. I always probe the "bottom", too, 'cause plugs are sometimes found between use layers.


 
 I got a few plugs between my ear's,my wife just walked in Bhahaha!


----------

