Early Saturday morning, while a small crowd watched, brothers Jim and Jeff Springer and associate Bob Huntrods took turns shoveling the first of seven privy pits they unearthed from old home sites in what now is Ottawa's Fox River Park.

Their efforts were rewarded with dozens of old bottles and many pieces of broken crockery.

One long forgotten item, a small porcelain cup with its handle broken off, bore the faded gilt inscription "Remember Me."

There also were a rust-frozen pocket watch and toy car, an old light bulb, fresh water clam shells -- and even a couple of sea shells.

"The sea shells were probably souvenirs from a trip," speculated Jim Springer.

It all was typical of what the home's residents would have deposited into a privy -- along with other dumpables, said Jim Springer.

"Mostly what we find is the beverage, food and medicine bottles."

When the shovel reached items, it was exchanged for a trowel used to gingerly dig around each item in hopes it might be a collectible.

When free, they were handed to Arnie Bandstra, Ottawa's assistant city engineer, who brushed loose dirt off with a paintbrush.

"That looks pretty good. It's going the right direction," said Jim Springer as the base of a bottle came into view. "If it's pointing up it gets water in it, then during the first winter it gets frozen and busts. É

"It says Streator Coca-Cola. It's a from a bottleworks there," Jim Springer said as the deft moves with the trowel brought more of the flask into view. "That is a nice color."

"You're good at building suspense, Jim," said Bandstra.

"Yeah," Jim laughed. "I like to tease myself, too, I guess."

Alas, as it turned out, the neck of the 6 1/2-ounce bottle was broken off.

Even so, it was put among the savers, while many of the items were placed in a pile to be reburied at the site.

"I wish we were finding more embossed bottles, but that's how it goes," said Jim Springer.

But, as it went, as the last dig concluded around twilight Saturday, some desirable bottles were found.

"We did finally find some Ottawa embossed bottles," Jim Springer said Sunday evening. "We found a couple of different whiskey bottles."

One was lettered with "Rathskeller" and another "T.J. Nertney," he said.

"And today we found a pit that had quite a few good bottles in it."

Today the Springers and Huntrods are finishing their explorations and will head to their homes in Iowa and Minnesota.

However, they have tentative plans to return on Friday, July 4, and stay a few days again.

People who have privy sites available for exploration can call Jeff Springer on his cell phone, 651-500-0949, or e-mail him at springer_associates@yahoo.com.

The Springers will leave behind a collection of their findings for viewing at the La Salle County Historical Society's museum in Utica.