Old Oak Cliff Dump In Dallas

[jays emporium]

Your dump looks like a fun place to dig, lots of whole bottles. The bottles you show look to be 1940s-50s, except the embossed Phillips might be 1930s. Could you photograph some you think are before 1900? Are you finding any embossed soda bottles like Dr Pepper, Coca Cola or maybe some from local bottling companies in the Dallas area? You probably find a lot of small prescription medicine bottles with graduations on the edge, both cork top and screw top. Have you found any embossed drug store bottles from Dallas or Ft Worth or other towns? Embossed bottles from Texas would probably be the best bottles you are likely to find in that site. I know what you mean about the rust. Steel beer cans under ground don't last more than about 20 years in the Texas soil. In some environments in other states they survive longer.
The digging tools I typically use are a 4 prong potato rake with cut off handle for digging in the bottle layer, a army shovel bent at 90 degrees for throwing dirt out of the hole and a potato fork for caving in the overburden.
Jay

 

[texasdigger]

I have dug in this particular dump since the early 1980's. It is an o.k. dump, but I do not think it goes into the 1890's. I have never seen one hutch dug from it, and a lot of it is burned. The dump has been heavily dug since the 60's. Dig deep, and it gives up some treasures from time to time, but most bottles are clunkers. Good luck, and make sure to use a screen. Some great gold items have been dug from this dump.

Brad

 

[Echosyn]

Thank you for that revelation, Texas Digger. My guess-timations were based on this tyro's gleanings from the books and what I found: two blob tops and a pontil. Some folks hang onto things and finally toss them. That Adams Branch creek empties into Five Mile Creek that surely tucks the heavy stuff like precious metals. I've pondered wading Five Mile Creek while applying some old fashioned forensic science. Last month I blazed, reopened, two trails into the area from the dead end of Conway. Haven't been below the waterfall yet. Herbalism being a necessary interest for my health needs, The dark glass bottles have been perfect for storing the homemade formulas, so personal profit from bottle sales has no appeal. Going straight north from Conway into the trees one can easily trip over roots that extend for dozens of feet just above ground like taught cables. Strange indeed and my next project.

 

[digger dun]

Let's see some pics of those two blobs, and that pontil!

 

[Echosyn]

That was 20+ years ago in the Canon SLR age when photography was pricey, my budget was tight and I had no reason to take pics.