Old outhouse

[gjm6syn6]

I'm attempting to dig an old outhouse, but the dirt gets really dense a few feet down, is this a common problem or did I find a shallow one?

Thanks
GregM

 

[tinfoilhat]

It could just be a trash pit, meaning you bottomed out. Or, it could be a dirt plug. Once you get into the dense stuff, use you headlamp or take a a shovel full of it and carefully inspect in a good light. Plugs still tend to have some debris in them. Also, look for layer lines on the walls down where you believe you hit bottom. If you hit bottom you should see a clear leach line.

Finally, with the exception of a town cistern I dug once, I don't recall ever finding a plug more than 36 inches. If you carefully probe and you have to apply consistent pressure to the probe, without hearing hearing rice krispies, you're done. It's more of a feel thing really.

 

[jwalsh]

What I don not understand is why you are finding bottles in an old outhouse? We had an outhouse until the mid 1950's and the only thing that I remember going in it was human waste and toilet paper. My father or Grandfather would put lime in it from time to time. I am in the north east Mass. I have not heard of trash or bottles being thrown in the hole, that would only fill it up faster.

 

[Mr Seitz]

Thats because they didn't have trash pick up in towns and city's in the 19th century,country people had a choice to toss the trash in dumps in the woods.And that is where i find good old dumps.It was easy to walk out back and toss the daily trash into a pit in the yard,there was no where else to go with it.They dipped the privy's when it started getting full,and did it all over again.The 1950 out house your talking about is some thing us seasoned out house diggers run from! to new and stinking to high heaven I'm sure! So the main word to question ...why did they dump trash in privy's? convenience.

 

[jwalsh]

Thanks for the info on the outhouses. Our outhouse was shut down in the early 1960's so I see where you are coming from about digging in that area. I also know that there are no bottles in it.