8-7-04

    Steve had some family coming in from out of town this week. I didn't think we would be digging. So, I capitalized on this and relaxed from my permission getting nightmare. I was surprised when he emailed late in the week saying we had a window of opportunity Saturday. I had to email him and explain how sorry of a bottle digger I was and didn't have anything lined up. He laughed and decided to chance it anyhow.

    We met at our usual spot and car pooled into town. I was admiring some bass boats for sale along side the road. Being on a string of bunk pits and dry permission runs,  I was jokingly trying to convince Steve to switch hobbies and maybe get into fishing. This dude's got bottles in his blood. You would have better luck trying to push a rope as to get him to give up glass!  I laughed and said, "I'll ask you again at the end of the day"

    With nowhere to go, we headed back to an empty lot. There was a spot close to where the corner of the house was. It felt like a well or a cistern when probed. Usually these were filled in very late and contain junk bottles. But, any old port in a storm would have to do. A decision was reached to do a little more probing first. Maybe we can milk out one more pit in the yard. Some new neighbors saw us and wanted to know what was going on. We gave them the story and showed them a spot we had found just before the other people had moved. As with everybody else lately, we got the "Sounds good, I don't mind, just not right now". I have come to realize this is a polite way of saying no.

    With my moral at a new all time low, I made way for the corner to check out what was under a slab. Sure enough, we ended up finding a couple pits there. The bad news is, it was going to be one of those never enjoyed tunnel over to the layer projects. 

    We had the vertical shaft done, Steve had just started the tunnel. I went to the truck to get a nippers. When I get there Steve tosses up a bunk coffin flask. The kind we have come to loathe. I started to contemplate those Prozac ads  I have seen on TV. Maybe it would help to stabilize these manic, weekend episodes I have been having lately.....Then, better than any OTC medicine a privy digger can buy, Steve is holding an amber strapside pint. I can see the embossing from the ground level! "Who is it, Peter Barth?" I ask. We had dug one a few months ago. "Nope, it is a W Hemmings Wholesale Wines and Liquors!" We dug a clear coffin flask a month ago with this on it. Way to go!

Steve with the Hemming

    I am up next, and in the pit for a minute when I spy the base of another amber flask. Looks like we are going home with one a piece. To my pleasure, this one is different. It is a Wm Sillito Wines and Liquors.

Sillito as found

Dave with the Sillito

    Steve noted the barrel hoops we were running into. Apparently this was a barrel privy. First time we have ever seen one. Steve's next turn produced a Gray & CO tombstone slug plate hutch bottle.

    The next tunnel project got under way after the clean up. Steve got to the layer and started clunking on glass. He was excited to see an emerald Congress & Empire Spring Co Saratoga NY/ Congress Water.

Look at that grin, you can see a glint of the bottle in the hole

As found pic of the Congress Water

Congress Water bottle

    On my turn, I thought I had another hutch on the run. I was excited to see a blob beer roll out of layer.  A local beer, Buob Bros., another first.

    This pit started out strong but petered out fast. Besides the above mentioned stuff, it had the usual slick meds and ink bottles.

    That was enough for the day. Good thing we didn't become bass fishermen!