Privy Diggers. This is a nice way of say outhouse shoveler. These folks dig up old outhouses, looking for bottles and other "nice" trash that they can sell. They don't consider the job unusual, but rather consider themselves to be treasure hunters. The deal is this, when outhouse's were common (most of these digs are from around 1880-1900), people would do more than just "toil" out there. They would also keep medicine and other "whatnots" in the structure, much like our restrooms. When a bottle was empty they would just throw it down the hole. These guys figure that they could excavate the site and see if they can find any of these old bottles, clean them up and sell them. I'm impressed by the number of bottles they find. "Snake-oil" remedies like, hair restorer, fatigue cure, and other sucker aids. I think this would be a fun hobby, if it weren't for all the dirt, digging and the whole outhouse bit.
I also spent some time at a site reading privy dig poetry (this person migh be a good one to aviod at parties) I'll spare you all, instead I'll leave you with this picture of a fellow on a privy dig. I hope your not claustrophobic.
http://hollow-hills.com/Gallery/The-Privy/Picture_016a
5 comments:
Should've stuck with the gun-toting nun.
I wonder if you got hazard pay for that job. If things don't work out for us at the county, we should start a privy digging/port a pody business. We could call it P&J's Pot service. Were #2 in the #2 business.
Iapologize to the poster who's comment I regected. Ireally do appreciate the interaction, just please no swearing. Feel free to post a more antiseptic comment and I will publish it.
-the communist blogger
Hey Kludge,
Interesting blogsite you have here. I caught your link off my site stats. I wanted to clear something up for you. The copyrighted photo you linked to is not in whats termed a privy its actually a long abandoned sandstone tunnel in Saint Paul MN that was dug in the mid 1800's. When we discovered it it was filled with refuse such as old bottles and things usually found in old privy holes.
Through some research I discovered that the sandstone tunnel was one of the original sewer tunnels dug in Saint Paul and abandoned over a hundred years ago.
That photo you linked to of me getting past a tight spot is indeed not for the faint of heart! My group is not a bunch of privy diggers or treasure hunters by any means. We are considered whats termed as Urban Explorers which includes exploring caves, tunnels, mines, and buildings to mention a few things.
I seriously doubt that any people that dig old privys would get anywhere near a location like the one I termed "The Privy". The reason for that is to reach it one has to go quite a distance through underground tunnels. Many of which have tight spaces much like that photo.
I got a laugh out of your link and relating that photo to a typical privy dig. Although I honestly have no idea what actual privy diggers are willing to do I seriously doubt spelunking through very small tunnels is one of them!
Thanks for the comment. I was quite impressed by your exploration shots. I didn't mean to suggest you were the same as a privy digger. I spent plenty of time looking for cool picks, and your urban exploration pics were awesome, so I felt compelled to share them. I especialy liked the bottle in flow water. Either way, thanks for stopping by and helping to educate us all.
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