underc
Jr. Member
- #1
Thread Owner
My buddy and I have been following the Central Pacific Railroad bed and California Trail for years. We have found a plethora of pottery shard, bottle necks, and old can, but in one day, I topped it all. An old branch of the Humboldt River had dried up and I decided to walk the bed below the old rail grade. I found this old pickle bottle and battery oil bottle laying right on top among the rocks. They couldn't have laid there all of these years, so there must be a dumping spot upstream. From my very limited knowledge of bottles, I have found on line that this is a square ring-neck pickle bottle, 9" tall, post mold, mouth blown, crudely applied bead finish, 1.25" opening, and 2.5" square. The sites I have visited say it was made between 1880-1895.
I haven't been able to figure out the battery oil bottle. My buddy thinks there may have been a telegraph repeater station there, since I found some copper plates and wires as well. Of course, I didn't bring any of those back.
Research says they floated oil on top of the electrolyte in batteries to keep the from evaporating. Sounds reasonable.
The insulator just say "POSTAL" on it. There is a small chip where the wire went around it, but is unblemished other than that. Any collectors out there that could date this?
My buddy was pretty jealous since he wasn't with me.
Just wanted to share...
I haven't been able to figure out the battery oil bottle. My buddy thinks there may have been a telegraph repeater station there, since I found some copper plates and wires as well. Of course, I didn't bring any of those back.

The insulator just say "POSTAL" on it. There is a small chip where the wire went around it, but is unblemished other than that. Any collectors out there that could date this?
My buddy was pretty jealous since he wasn't with me.
Just wanted to share...