11/28/04

    We got started at 7am back at my coworker Ryan's house. It got  dark last time and we had one left to dig. We probed and the funny thing is that the privy apparently moved and now was gone. I knew we should have dug it then. Luckily, I found one I had missed right away, in a spot I had probe last week. I don't know, maybe the danged thing moved over 20 feet. Anyway, who cares, let's dig it! 

    Some local meds and a colored cone ink were discovered.

Looks like we beat the sun up again

Amber cone ink

Some of the first take

    So, now it was time to find another. Steve decided to check the other spot again. Just like Houdini, it magically reappeared and we marked out the edges. I drew a line in the dirt to what I felt was half the pit and told Steve, "I get what is on this side, you get the other side." Steve then stipulated that if a bottle of merit were to be found on the line, it would go to the person who's side most of it was on.  After peeling the sod off, we got down about 4 feet before the first glass was spotted. Dang, an aqua Lightning jar clearly on his side. I made sure I accidentally poke a shovel hole in it's side..... Just kidding, it was already broke, digging partners wouldn't do that to each other, would they? Anyhow, it was a sign of some blown bottles could be headed our way. Steve was up, and on my side I might add, when some amber, bald blobs started to be uncovered. Then Steve exclaims, "I think I have an ovoid jug on the run!" Inside I was laughing because it was on my side. He cleaned off some earth and saw it to be some kind of food jug. We were both surprised to see Milwaukee Pickle Co./Wauwatosa WI on the other side, in blue glazing. 

Lime green quart coffin flask

As found of the pickle jar

Steve-0 and the pickle

Close up of the blue glazing

  Second take 

    The pit sure had a packed layer. There were many unembossed bunk whiskeys, wines, and other assorted liquors. Definitely drinkers. Steve even found  two broken amber glass Milwaukee Pickle Co jars. Apparently they liked getting pickled!

    It was noon and we had time to get one more in. So, we switched neighborhoods and headed to a permission  we have had all summer. We had stopped by several time and dude was never home. Luckily, this time they were home and said we could dig. On my way back into the yard a neighborhood kid stopped to tell me he knew who lived there. Then he went on to explain how she used to be his babysitter, and how mean she was. Good thing she hates little kids and not bottle diggers! 

    The dig was going to be rough. A fence, shed and truck had us pinned in tight. On the way down, we started to pull out some cobble stones. Steve even commented that it might be stoner. He was right, neatly stacked stones soon revealed themselves. Here is where I get cautiously optimistic. These stone liners either get super old, or have been faithfully scooped and contain post 1900 garbage. 

     Steve was down about 4' when he found our first sign of age, a broken pontil base from a small cylinder. Can you say "Pontil Fever?" On my turn I continued a mole hole Steve had started. I was really bummed to see hard packed sand of the bottom. I scratched around a bit and let Steve back in to survey. He took the probe and hammered the bottom. Thump, thump, thump. Nothing but hard packed sand. Looks like we are going to crap out. Luckily he gave it a couple more. Thump, thump, and whoosh through a hard packed cap. Pontil fever reached the third stage and I had visions of pontiled, colored vessels in my hand.

    Steve was first to reach the layer. I peered down the now 8 foot deep hole and could see some blue. "It's a flow blue chamber pot," he says. After some work it was retrieved. Intact but missing the handle.

Flow blue chamber pot as found

Steve checking for damage

    I dug for a bit, but whiffed out. Glass was pretty skinny in the layer. I was lucky to find a bit or two of broken plates.

    I heard Steve mumbling as he handed up and aqua pontiled flask base. Holy Moly, it has a sloop embossed on it. A couple minutes later he is handing up another crier, an open pontilled David Andrews/Vegetable/Jaundice/Bitters/Providence/RI

Sloop flask shard

Andrews Bitters

    And that was pretty much it. Thin layer with everything broken. One of the days we will hit a glory hole full of whole ones!