I'd greatly appreciate any assistance anyone could provide on the three
sizes/shapes of metal cans described below.

The Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) archeology lab is working to
complete cleaning & cataloging of a large collection of historical
cultural material recovered from Fort Hays State Historic Site during
several excavation episodes conducted between 1966 and 1970, and
additional work was conducted between 1990 and 1994.  Fort Hays, located
on the southwest edge of the City of Hays in Ellis County, Kansas, was
an active military post in this location from June 1867 until September
1889.

A number of square metal cans in three different sizes were encountered
in the collections this weekend while volunteers were cleaning items
recovered from the post dump.  Most of the cans were in good condition,
although some were nearly completely rusted through. The bodies of the
cans appeared to have been made by folding a single sheet of tin, with a
soldered seam visible along the edge of one side of the vessel.  After
careful cleaning, the exterior had a shiny (plated?) finish.  No
evidence was found of any labelling on the exterior of any of the cans.

The cans were measured by a lab volunteer, these are the measurements
provided to me:  Two of the can styles were square with a centered,
narrow, raised neck & finish. The larger square cans measured approx.
3.25 x 3.25 in at the base, were 3.5 in tall, & had a 3/4 in diameter
neck that was 3/4 in high with a 7/8 in external diameter finish. The
smaller square cans measured approx. 2 x 2 in at the base, were 3.5 in
tall, & had a 7/8ths in diameter neck that was 9/16 in high with a 1
1/16 in external diameter finish. The other style can was rectangular
with an off-center raised neck & finish.  These cans measured 2 3/8 x
3.25 in at the base, were 3.5 in tall, & had a 5/8 in diameter neck that
was 5/8 in high with a 15/16 in external diameter finish.

Several of the cans had cork stoppers blocking the spout.  One of these
stoppers had the letters "USCR..." or "USCA..." incised in small regular
capital letters on the side.

I have not found any similar cans during excavations at other mid- to
late-19th c Kansas military posts (Forts Dodge, Ellsworth, Harker, or
Wallace).  A volunteer took a quick look through several books & found a
somewhat similar can listed as a "Medical Tin," however this was in a
reenactors' catalog.

I haven't had an opportunity to closely examine the other artifacts
recovered with the cans, but a quick look suggests that they most likely
were deposited during the 1870s-1880s, while the fort was occupied. A
number of military items (a canteen, shoulder scale fragment, several
military buttons, knapsack hooks, etc.) were included with this
provenience.

Unfortunately, I don't yet have any photographs of the cans.  I do have
some hand-drawn sketches that I could scan if anyone wants to see them.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Marsha
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Marsha K. King, Archeologist II
Environmental Services Section
Bureau of Design
Kansas Department of Transportation
Docking State Office Building, 8th floor
915 SW Harrison
Topeka, KS   66612-1568

Phone -  785-296-8414
Fax   -  785-296-8399
E-Mail - [log in to unmask]