I probed along a fence row that was probably the back yards of 3 houses in the 19th century, but now was a parking lot for another house on a perpendicular road to the 3 houses. I found the first one easily. It probed pretty nice but felt like all clinkers. After a test hole this one was abandoned because it was smack in the middle of a nest of huge tree roots and most importantly had nothing in the first 5 feet, just not worth the trouble for a hole with klinkers in it! Three more test holes were dug in various spots. Just when I thought I might get skunked, I found a really decent looking spot.
I started yet another test hole with the pick and shovel down through the gravel. A few pieces of red brick would show themselves, and an occasional glass shard. Some 1890's pieces were also coming up at about one and a half feet down. Then it went right into a wet clay type soil. I kept on digging down, and down, and down. I was ready to call it quits when the last shovel load (that was down about 4 feet in the little test hole), broke through the clay soil and I pulled up the shovel with the tip full of seeds. Ok, finally I said.
I still wasn't really happy though, because I knew it would be a real hassle digging that hole big enough to get in and excavate. I plumeted the shovel down again to see what might get brought up in hopes of seeing something that might fire me up to dig this spot. It happened, a light yellow piece of early glass! Just what I needed to see to get my steam ready for a HEAVY dig.
The privy was really loaded with bottles in the first spot I worked on. Then tapered out through the rest of the hole. I found the rest of the yellow bottle but havn't identified it yet. It has a clover leaf type symbol on it, and shaped like an Electric Bitters bottle. The hole would produce another new local druggist, and some interesting inks, most of which were damaged.
One find that made my eyes bug out at first was a little round bottle that read: HARRISON'S COLUMBIAN.......................... ....PERFUMERY...what...not an ink.....crap. Oh well, it is still cute. Some day it will happen..
Also found was an aqua master ink, a Detroit Chemical Works bottle,an R.E. KNAPP PHYSICIAN&DRUGGIST YPSILANTI MICH. bottle, and a whole bunch of common stuff.
Well this turned out to be a sucess when impending doom seemed to be eminent. Just remember, don't ever quit until it's dark, or you can't hold up your arms to probe any more.
Scott
