I was wondering this today as I strolled into the restroom at my place of work. Clearly, there weren’t huge corporate buildings with thousands of employees around 150 years ago, but there had to be some pretty respectable workplaces about – banks in NYC for example.
I just can’t imagine coat-and-tie types (basically everybody in an office) taking a trip out back to a wooden four-holer, plopping down next to the boss and chatting business.
Did they have fancy outhouses? Perhaps an indoor one with special ventilation and weekly visits from the honeydipper? Chamberpots?
What were the bathroom facilities like in nice businesses 150 years ago?