Privy???

[Ray Ford]

I own an old a house that was built sometime after 1920.  It originally had no indoor facilities.  To one side of the house, there is a square opening in some masonary work that goes into the ground some 10 inches.  It appears to me to be possibly where a privy was located over an underground chamber--the old time equivalent of a septic tank.  The underground chamber, if there is one there, has apparently been filled.  I've laid off for several years to do some excavation there to see if....  Don't know what I'll find.  I've heard of everything from old bottles to women's missing husbands being found in such places.  And it may not be what I think it is.  Any comments?

[Graybeard]

If it was a privy hopefully enough time has passed for the odor to have gone away BUT disease organisms can live in such an environment almost forever. Take proper precautions.

[Ray Ford]

If it was a privy hopefully enough time has passed for the odor to have gone away BUT disease organisms can live in such an environment almost forever. Take proper precautions.

I WILL do that!

[The Hermit]

I'm not sure what you have there. Might be an old opening to a septic tank. Please be carefull.
I've helped move old outhouses before. Usually you move the structure over a newly dug hole and use the dug dirt to fill in the old hole in the ground.
I helped move one for a relative of an old deceased friend of mine, who inherited his grandpa's property, and when we opened up the back, was surprised to see a glass mason jar hanging under the seat area with the lid of the jar held in place with screws.
You could reach under the seat and unscrew the jar. It was completely out of sight and no one would ever think to look there. It had a bunch of silver certificates rolled up held together with an old deteriorated rubber band. Makes me wonder sometimes what else the old timer stashed away.

   The Hermit