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Date: | Tue, 26 May 1998 11:14:12 -0500 |
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A 1922 U.S. Department of Agriculture Bulletin illustrates a kitchen
sink drain that sounds something like the feature described by Michael
Nassaney on Friday:
>> There is a 4 inch ceramic pipe leading from the house
>>into this area which consists of a concerntration of large concrete
>>(foundation wall?) fragments that are interspersed with early 20th century
>objects. There is also a dark soil stain on what appears to the
>inside >of this possible building/feature.
The concrete fragments could be some kind of percolation fill. I tested
a similar 20th century feature outside a Minnesota farmhouse and found
that small objects that accidently went down the drain (broken glass,
plastic bandaids etc.) had migrated throughout the fill.The landowner
informed me that this had been their kitchen drain up into the 1950s.
The bulletin also describes some "Disinfectants and Deodorants"
recommended for sewage treatment.
George M. Warren
Jan 1922 (revised Oct. 1928) U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers
Bulletin No. 1227, Sewage and Sewerage of Farm Homes.
It is reprinted in The Vanishing American Outhouse by Ronald S. Barlow,
1992.
Good Luck.
Sigrid Arnott
Historical Archaeologist
Minnesota Historical Society
[log in to unmask]
>----------
>From: Michael Nassaney[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Friday, May 22, 1998 12:56 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: privy - toilet paper
>
>Besides covering privy deposits with soil and adding lime, were there any
>other
>additives that were used to keep the stench down? We are finding some
>fragments of brown glass (bleach containers?) in an area about 20 m behind a
>mid-19th century house. Given the great range of diversity in privy
>types/constructions, I'm not quite sure what we've gotten into, though
>excavation continues after the long weekend. Any commentary would be
>appreciated.
>
>Michael Nassaney
>Director, 1998 WMU Field School in Historical Archaeology
>Battle Creek, MI
>
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