Earlier this year Monica and I heard a story about Monica's Grandma's dog. It had fallen in a hole and some of Monica's relatives had to pull him out. Hadn't thought much more about it until yesterday. We went for a visit and they asked me if I had a way to push dirt with the tractor. On guard immediately because I know what is coming, I say yes, why?
They say they want someone to pull dirt from the hill and put into the hole. I go look at it. This hole is probably 15" across and maybe 36 inches deep. Which at first doesn't seem like a big deal until you look on one side going down the hill and there is probably a 15" tunnel going down the hill. Look to the other side and there is probably an 18" tunnel coming down the hill. I immediately back off and say that isn't something I could tackle with my tractor as any dirt put in the hole will just wash out. I immediately say they need to keep everyone away from that area as to who knows where that tunnel goes and how deep it ends up. I said they are probably going to have to someone in with a track-hoe - not a rubber tired back hoe and start digging to track where that tunnel starts. Then either figure how to divert the water down the hill, put a culvert in to run under ground, or dig the ground out and put rip-rap or something down to keep it from washing. The reason why they were asking me, they figured I could/would do it relatively cheap. There is no-way I'm taking my tractor and try to tackle this. I told them this is major earth work here and they are talking BIG BUCKS. They didn't like hearing that as Betty is on a fixed income and doesn't have any money and none of the kids except one has any money to spend on this problem.
Sad part about this, Monica's grandma owns a bunch of land, but since it is in Jackson Co., Ohio, it isn't worth much of anything. And it might actually be worth more if the house weren't there. I don't mean to be mean, but that is just the way it is. It is an old house that has been cobbled together for years always done on the cheap by whomever would do it for free or cheap.
They say they want someone to pull dirt from the hill and put into the hole. I go look at it. This hole is probably 15" across and maybe 36 inches deep. Which at first doesn't seem like a big deal until you look on one side going down the hill and there is probably a 15" tunnel going down the hill. Look to the other side and there is probably an 18" tunnel coming down the hill. I immediately back off and say that isn't something I could tackle with my tractor as any dirt put in the hole will just wash out. I immediately say they need to keep everyone away from that area as to who knows where that tunnel goes and how deep it ends up. I said they are probably going to have to someone in with a track-hoe - not a rubber tired back hoe and start digging to track where that tunnel starts. Then either figure how to divert the water down the hill, put a culvert in to run under ground, or dig the ground out and put rip-rap or something down to keep it from washing. The reason why they were asking me, they figured I could/would do it relatively cheap. There is no-way I'm taking my tractor and try to tackle this. I told them this is major earth work here and they are talking BIG BUCKS. They didn't like hearing that as Betty is on a fixed income and doesn't have any money and none of the kids except one has any money to spend on this problem.
Sad part about this, Monica's grandma owns a bunch of land, but since it is in Jackson Co., Ohio, it isn't worth much of anything. And it might actually be worth more if the house weren't there. I don't mean to be mean, but that is just the way it is. It is an old house that has been cobbled together for years always done on the cheap by whomever would do it for free or cheap.