I have one more twist on this suject.  I also grew up in the 60's and was my
job to take the household trash out back and burn it in a galvanized
perforated garbage can (1/2" holes) set up on brick to provide good air
flow.  The can also had a perforated lid.   Once a week I would empty the
can in an adjacent vacant lot in shallow pits.   These cans would last for
about a year before they would start to break apart.   Last week while I was
helping my father clean out the attic over the garage I came across two burn
cans in mint condition.  My father had purchased these cans as future
replacements and then a local ordinance ended this practice.  One of the
cans still had a label on it after 25 years of storage.  The label reads
"Heritage House quality galvanized ware 20 gal.  Distributed by American
Hardware Supply Co. Bulter, PA." ... ". rust-proofed zinc coating" ". finest
grade steel"  ". built for abuse".   So you are asking what is the twist.
Well when I finished cleaning the attic I decided to take the cans home and
think of some other use for them.  Guess what they are perfect composting
containers.  Rain can get in and all I have to do is lay it on its side with
the lid in place and roll it to mix the organic matter.  I never thought it
would show up on this list.  I guess I'm getting old...Thanks!

Bill Liebeknecht
Hunter Research Inc.
Trenton, New Jersey

----- Original Message -----
From: John Vallely <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 9:13 PM
Subject: Re: 20th Century Archaeology


> In the '50's in postwar suburban upstate NY, you could purchase an
> "incinerator", essentially a  galvanized garbage can, perforated. My
father
> perforated a 55 gal drum with pickaxe. The garbage was hauled by a crew of
> black men in a stake truck. The dump was where kids went to find 'stuff'
or
> shoot rats with BB's.
> Rural areas tended, even into the '70's to have de facto 'dumps'--usually
over
> a steep bank along an isolated road. (Where grown-ups went to find 'stuff'
and
> shoot rats with .22's).
> Sorry if the sentimental jurney is out of place.
> John Vallely
>
> Meta Janowitz wrote:
>
> > The current thread on Histarch has generated some discussion among those
of
> > us who grew up in the 40s and 50s on the topic of burn barrels.  At
least
> > here in the New York/New Jersey area, burn barrels seem to have been an
> > almost universal feature of back yards.  [A burn barrel was a large
(about
> > 4 feet high) metal barrel where a household would put papers and other
> > thrash -- and the definition of what was suitable other trash seems to
vary
> > widely.  The stuff would be burned down once a week or so and the ashes
> > left to accumulate until the level got too high for safe burning.]
> > Garbage collection was available but burn barrels were used anyway.
> > Municipalities started passing laws against burning garbage in the
1960s, I
> > think, but does anyone have any thoughts on this practice?
> > Meta Janowitz
>