"Betsy" -0 wrote in message
...
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!



Is it possible there could have been a septic tank or dry well near there ?
Old metal tanks rot thru and dirt will wash down in them. Even if you have
community sewer system now there could have been a septic system years back
consider the age you noted. If so, it's just a case of filling it in or for
particular folks, digging it out and then refilling. Ten feet from a
foundation is not an unusual place for a septic tank - and the pillar / post
could have been added later.