19th Century Bottle Diggers
  
         It's all about the history

               19th Century Bottle Diggers

                                                                  I'TS ALL ABOUT THE HISTORY

The melting pot


 
 This story was written before our friend Chris Bear passed away. It was published shortly after. Chris is the one who took us to this cool and crazy dump full of melted and un melted old bottles from the 1880 to the early 1900s. If it wasn't for him this story would not have been written.


When I write a story I send in many pictures so the editor can pick out the ones they like. In this story I did the same,sent in a ton of pictures. They didn?t put one pic of Chris in the article. So I have added a few of him in with the story for my web site. Also W&ET cut part of the ending of the original story out, I guess because it was too long or it could have been because it was too crazy of an ending. :-)   But this magazine pays so I can?t complain. Enjoy.

 

 

                                          I added the part of the story that was cut out at the end . (UN CUT)

                                    Read it you will be glad ya did :-) 


                                   

 

                  

      
 
 
 
 
 

       

                    (This happened at the end when we were leaving the dump)

                                               

                                               (This was cut from the story)


My peaceful reminiscing daydream was shattered by what sounded like loud screaming! First I thought it was one of the guys joking around but I really couldn't pinpoint who it was because I was lagging pretty far behind  taking in the sites. just then I noticed Chris looking in the wood line, his body language told me he was scared. The screaming continued but the guys did not stop walking. I knew who ever was doing the screaming was going to to see me very shortly. As I got closer to the confusion I heard a loud angry scream ?Get off my land you ruined my hunt! you rotten B@#$%^trd?  I was beside myself, Chris said he had permission to dig here. He has been coming here since he was a kid?  

    They all were past the screamer now, and as I got right up on him I noticed his gun, it  looked like a 30-06. He was fire hot mad or should I say melting pot mad. The guy was perched  in a 20 foot tree stand ranting and raving while swinging his arms wildly. I was a little scared I had to walk with my back to him across the whole field, But I figured if he didn't shoot at of my friends why would he shoot at me? That thought wasn't soothing enough he was still screaming and waving his arms around with the gun following the lead. I didn't know what was going on I was a first time guest there, all I could do is walk and pray. I was fairly far away from the mad hatter now but he was still screaming. My first thought was that he wasn't the owner, maybe  he had permission to hunt the land and we messed up his day. I can relate, it has happened to me while hunting. I was almost at the road, Bill and Chris were walking at a fast pace down the the middle with Badger in a considerable lead. he wanted to get in that car quick and move! I know he was praying that the wagon started.  We all caught up with each other packed in the fume wagon and took off. I was laughing because it was such a far out adventure. No one was talking so my first question to break the silence was ?what the hell just happened?? we decided to go to Mcdonald's and get some food and try and wind down. Chris had no idea what had happened he had  got permission from a guy many years ago and that crazy man in the tree stand wasn't him. All I know is we were scared to death and no bottle is worth that.  This wasn't just a bottle dig,it was an adventure and the Melting pot dump made it happen.


                                 

                          A FEW PICTURES OF  CHRIS BEAR  BADGER AND BUFFALO BILL 

                                                        

 Chris and Badger

                             
  
                                                                                        Old Badger 
 
                                                                Chris and Dave leaving the Melting Pot.  R.I.P  Chris
 
                                                 
                                                        THE ONE THE ONLY BUFFALO BILL!
 
      

     
                                        ( The red dots start and end it )