# Chero-Cola Bottling Plant Discards Dump Uncovered



## logueb (May 29, 2007)

The concrete bridge that was built near the old Chero-Cola Bottling Plant has been torn down and a new one being built.  I have been waiting for months for construction to begin on the town side of the bridge.  Underneath the rocks that the Highway Department uses at the end of the bridge lies the discard dump of the old Chero-Cola Plant. Here is a photo of the excavation of the town side of the bridge


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

I have been checking almost daily to see what was beneath the rocks.  Here is a pic of the undisturbed side where the rocks have not been removed.


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

The track-hoes were parked for Memorial Day on Friday when I made a visit to the site. I figured I would have a couple of days to scout it out before they resumed work on Tuesday.


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

Here a pic from the bottom of the pit.


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

After the rocks were removed , the old wooden bridge pilings from the bridge shown on the 1922 Sanborn Map were unearthed.


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

The creek is real low due to the lack of rain , and some of the old wooden bridge pilings are visible in the creek bed.


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

There are broken bottles everywhere.  Hopefully there will be some unbroken ones.


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

Track-hoes are not very friendly to bottles.  Check out the SS Coke found in  the track-hoe track.


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

I did manage to rescue a few whole bottles,  (no ss cokes , all broken). Here's a Nu-Grape from the creek bed.  I still have to do some cleaning to remove the black mud stains.


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## logueb (May 29, 2007)

This is the first Nu-Grape that I have seen with the "No Grape Juice" embossed on the bottle. Maybe Cap, Spence, or other soda guys can help me out on this. I'll try to update on the progress of this dig, if I don't get run off for digging on this highway site.  There is a streak of an older dump that runs up from the creek toward the road.  Found some 1880s - 1900s bits and pieces.  Will post more pics later.


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## cobaltbot (May 29, 2007)

Weird they would want to advertise, no grape juice!  That place looks like great potential, and a great era for sodas!


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## bottlenutboy (May 29, 2007)

be sure to keep us posted on what comes out of this dump! i think this could be VERY interesting

 does that nu-grape have the 1920 patent date? is there a town on the bottom? actually i dont think ive ever seen one WITHOUT the "imitation grape" "not grape juice" on it....


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## epgorge (May 29, 2007)

looks like a couple of case gin bottles in there. Also is that a bitters with the square bottom stickin up or just another gin bottle?
 Joel


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## muddyfingers (May 29, 2007)

......have boots will travel......

 as an added perk I run heavy equipment for a living..... easy diggin!

 Great find! good luck and keep us posted!
                                                                Willy


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

If you look at the top of this pic, you will see a slab of concrete.  This was a drain culvert that ran toward the creek.  A piece broke off under my foot and almost threw me into the pit.  An unembossed whiskey flask was underneath that poured concrete.  I don't know if they will pull up that cement slab.  I'm betting that there is a dump layer underneath.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Thanks for the comments guys, I'll try to keep you posted.

 Spence, the Nugrape was dated March 9, 1920.  Most of the double-bubble Nugrapes that I find had the "Imitation Grape / No Grape Juice" replaced with "Trade mark registered".  Both have the same date. The " No Grape Juice" are "Root" bottles and I believe that the "Trade Mark Registered" are "LGWs".  I'll double check.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Located at the right of the pit , next to the cement culvert I located an ash layer.  When you look at the pic with the track-hoes, it is on the right .  There are a couple of rusted pipes sticking out.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Here is the group of bottles that I have been able to save so far.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

The half-gallon canning jar is a Whitney Mason Patd 1858.  I added the lid after washing.  This jar is not bent, the camera did this wierd crook.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Two  generic Chero-Colas.  No lip damage.  They were encrusted with that heavy muddy clay.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Here are some of the finds from the ash layer.  I believe that there could be earlier than toc bottles under that slab of concrete.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Here is a bayer from the ash layer.  Screw top with ground lip.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Here is a close-up of the ground lip.  I hope that I can get some more digging done in the ash layer.  If not I'm going to see if they plan on using the excavated dirt for back-fill or if they will remove it.  I would love to go through that pile that has been excavated so far.  I may have to do some night digging.  They didn't resume work on Tuesday.  If they would hold off for a few days, I coud get more digging done in the ash layer.  Easy digging, just let the dug dirt slide down the side of the pit.


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## Lilacpa (May 30, 2007)

I have that exact same nu grape bottle, mine says not grape juice imitation grape.was one of the first bottles i ever found and was told wasnt worth anything but I didnt care, still kewl to me.I wish I could find a place like your digging.


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## capsoda (May 30, 2007)

Hey Bruce, Great find. Go get those bottles. Don't let them bury them back in the ground.


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Thanks Lee and Warren, Here's another pic of the creek bank littered with discards.  Most have the chipped lips.  Just too many to try to repair.


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## sldavis (May 30, 2007)

That creek sure looks like fun.Awesome discovery- keep looking  who knows what will turn-up.Is the dump right at the bridge site?Is it going to be destroyed for future diggers?Thanks Clinton


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## bottlenutboy (May 30, 2007)

i would keep all of the soda bottles i found that werent broken, they are worth something to someone! if you just dont want them i would be willing to pay the shipping to get them here!, if ,that is, it isnt too much trouble for you to get them

 what are the town names on all of the chero's you found?


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## logueb (May 30, 2007)

Spence,  I'll try to save as many as possible. I can always discard later.  When the creek returns to its normal height all those will be underwater.

 I checked on the progress of the bridge today.  A friend that I know who retired from the DOT is contract working on the project.  He introduced me to the DOT guys. So now I have "unofficial" access to the site.  That's the good news. Now here's the bad news , the track-hoe operators wife collects bottles.  He had a bucket full.  I'll try to get some pics.


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## sldavis (May 30, 2007)

Okay so you buy the operator lunch and a case of beer,he tells his wife -well honey I haven't found anymore bottles,everyone's happy[][][][] Clinton


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## Trying not to break it (May 30, 2007)

hi buster,  looks like a FANTASTIC site.   i have to call in sick to work for week just to go digging there.  good luck to you,  hope you find a ton of sodas.   rhona


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## logueb (May 31, 2007)

Rhona, I got to pay the bills, so I just sit here at work thinking of what that track-hoe may be digging out of that creek bed.  Maybe I should change jobs and become a track-hoe operator[8|].


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## logueb (Jun 1, 2007)

I haven't had a chance to do much digging at the bridge site lately - , work, Volunteer Fire Chief, and Honey-do-list eating up all my spare time.  I dug a liitle last night with a lantern.  I guess I got it really bad.  Is there any help for digaholics? Yards neglected, garden neglected, mind at work wondering what the track-hoe guy is digging up, wifey on edge and thinks that I have completely nutted-up.  Anyway, yesterday my ol' digging buddy showed up right before dark.  I knew he couldn't stay away.  Then he tells me that when the second cement bridge was built in the sixtys that some guy picked tons of arrowheads.  Good place for a camp, high sand bank above a creek.  Then he points out a nutting bowl six inches from my foot.  I'm not sure but I'll post a pic.  It is scooped out on both sides and has that small dent in the center. Timed out again....but I copied.. haha.


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## logueb (Jun 1, 2007)

Other side of stone.


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## logueb (Jun 1, 2007)

Here's a round bottom bottle the track-hoe operator dredged up.  Couldn't talk him out of it.


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## logueb (Jun 1, 2007)

Located a 1915 Coke from the dredging sand.  This one goes home with me[]


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## cobaltbot (Jun 1, 2007)

That's funny, she should talk to my wife....well then again, maybe not.........

 Definitely looks like something to me...cool find.


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## Digger George (Jun 1, 2007)

That is truly a nice nutting stone! Nuts were an important part of the natives diet so their are many nutting stones around but thats an exceptioal piece. It looks like your finding alot of pre 1900 trash so it was definately a dump before chero cola dumped there. There are defitately more ancient native artifacts to be found so keep your eye out and let us know what you find.


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## logueb (Jun 4, 2007)

Ran by the bridge site Friday after work and did a little digging in the creek.  I figured that I had better check it out before the rains came in.  I'm glad that I did.  It rained all day Sat. until mid-morning Sunday. We got better than 6 inches of rain and Sunday the creek was flooded.  Here's a pic of Friday's finds.  Two aqua bottles, an amber bottle, a cobalt bottle and several sodas.  All of the non-soda bottles were bimal.


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## logueb (Jun 4, 2007)

Here's a closeup of the neck on one of the aqua bottles.  It has a real crude neck with a lot of bubbles and an inside bursted bubble just below the neck.


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## logueb (Jun 4, 2007)

The amber bottle was in about three feet of sand beneath an old bridge board.  It's bimal and appears in mint condition with the cork still attached.  Don't know what came in these bottles.  I'm guessing some type of hair product?


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## logueb (Jun 4, 2007)

The bottle is marked U D CO. on the base.


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## Jim (Jun 5, 2007)

UD Co. stands for the United Drug Company. They were based in Boston, and made a wide range of products. Your bottle does appear to be for a hair product. They also made medicines and a cool triangular cobalt poison. I think UD Co. was bought out by Rexall in the 1940s. ~Jim


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## logueb (Jun 5, 2007)

Thanks Jim,   I have this same bottle shape in the BIMAL, ABM cork, and Screw top.  The 1940 date seems like a good end date for this bottle.  I find them in 1940 and earlier dumps, but they seem to disappear from the 50s and 60s dumps.


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## logueb (Jun 5, 2007)

I had a few minutes late yesterday evening, so I went and checked out the site.  I figured that all that rain might have washed something up.  Found a Chero-Cola .  I took my hoe and dug in the layer of trash which is three feet from the top of the pit and is covered with clay when the previous bridges were built.  This layer is about a foot thick and is real tight packed.  I only had a few minutes to dig before dark and out pops this cobalt ink.


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## kastoo (Jun 5, 2007)

You better get back there and dig ... you're starting into some good stuff...and if you can see what's in the creek itself or dig out the bank.


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