Pioneer Smelting View

Teegate · Aug 23, 2004

All,

I had to check on the water tower at Pioneer Smelting for the USGS to see if it was still there, and while there I took a quick photo of the area before leaving. Basically it is a Then and Now photo that I may make.

This was taken 3/03

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/ps/ps1.jpg

And here is a slightly different angle taken this past weekend.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/ps/ps2.jpg

All of the dirt on that hill is new dirt, since they removed the old because of the zinc.

Guy

Stu · Aug 23, 2004

Is the water tower still there? I've gone by a few times since it was torn down, and only the tower was left. There were large lights wrapped around the base of it, but it didn't look like anyone was rushing to take it down.

Teegate · Aug 23, 2004

Stu said:
Is the water tower still there? I've gone by a few times since it was torn down, and only the tower was left. There were large lights wrapped around the base of it, but it didn't look like anyone was rushing to take it down.

Thanks for reminding me to mention this. Yes it is still there, but there was nothing attached to it such as lights.

Stu · Aug 23, 2004

I stopped by there a few months back hoping to do a then/now thing, but when I walked up to the tower, I saw people back there. Didn't know if they were workers or not, so I left.

stizkidz · Aug 24, 2004

I tried to go there last night but there is a gate up on the dirt road off 532. The sign at Apple Pie Hill is gone. Also, down Woodmansie Road, there is a small dirt road at the big curve. If you follow it you end up at a gun club. Where does the dirt road lead? It looked like some sort of gravel pit or something...

Also, on my way home driving through Barnegat to the parkway, something big and white flew towards the truck I was in. I only saw a quick glimpse of it but I was not the only person to see it. We were miles from the bay and it was the middle of the night. What creature flies at night that is large and white?

Ben Ruset · Aug 24, 2004

A crane or heron?

We have a crane that lives in the creek by me. Man that thing is eerie to look at.

wis bang · Aug 24, 2004

Could be an Owl, they get real big & fly MOSTLY at night.

Teegate · Aug 24, 2004

stizkidz said:
I tried to go there last night but there is a gate up on the dirt road off 532. The sign at Apple Pie Hill is gone. Also, down Woodmansie Road, there is a small dirt road at the big curve. If you follow it you end up at a gun club. Where does the dirt road lead? It looked like some sort of gravel pit or something...

Also, on my way home driving through Barnegat to the parkway, something big and white flew towards the truck I was in. I only saw a quick glimpse of it but I was not the only person to see it. We were miles from the bay and it was the middle of the night. What creature flies at night that is large and white?

They were arresting you if you went back there to the water tower, but now that the building and the dirt is gone, I don't see a problem with walking back there for a photo. There was nobody there when I was there.

You can walk in from Savoy road, but you have to leave your car there bringing attention to it. I stayed less than 5 minutes.

At Woodmanie there is a sand company, and that road leads to it. If you ever get a chance to walk in from the back end of it, do it. It is an interesting place. And you can walk up Owens Hill. Nothing special, but you could say you were there.

Here is the back of the sand company.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/WoodmansieSandCompany.jpg

Guy

aserdaten · Aug 24, 2004

That pictured lake sure looks like a nice swimming hole, although not in the foreground where the water (and probably the bottom) looks a bit yucky. Hope there are no alligators there. This lake looks a bit like the Heritage Minerals lake just south of Lakehurst, where I used to swim occasionally when living in Whiting.

--- aserdaten (Dave)
Ormond Beach, CFL

Teegate · Aug 28, 2004

stizkidz said:
The sign at Apple Pie Hill is gone.

As stizkidz said, the sign at Apple Pie Hill is gone.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/8282004/IMG_4100.jpg

There were two chain saws laying in the mud puddle at the top of the hill. Why someone would leave that trash there is a mystery to me.

Guy

Pineyprowler · Aug 28, 2004

People must like to carry misc. junk up to the top of the tower and throw it off. I remember seeing tvs and computers laying in the puddle, in pieces.

Teegate · Aug 28, 2004

Pineyprowler said:
People must like to carry misc. junk up to the top of the tower and throw it off. I remember seeing tvs and computers laying in the puddle, in pieces.

That does sound like fun, but they should take their trash home.

Guy

Stu · Aug 28, 2004

I just came back from there. The 2 chainsaws are still there......my first guess was someone tried cutting the tower down.

Teegate · Aug 28, 2004

Stu said:
I just came back from there. The 2 chainsaws are still there......my first guess was someone tried cutting the tower down.

That tower has seen it's better days. That one landing when you step on it makes you feel as if you will go right through.

Guy

stizkidz · Aug 28, 2004

TeeGate said:
That tower has seen it's better days. That one landing when you step on it makes you feel as if you will go right through.

Guy

I know what you mean. Every time I bring friends there, they make me go first since I seem to be the only one that doesn't get scared when the landing makes that sickening "pop" sound...

Boyd · Jan 3, 2005

I drove past Pioneer Smelting on Savoy Rd today and it looked like they have cleared a large area there. I also saw construction equipment like front loaders and backhoes parked by the water tower.

What is going on there, are they building a development or something (ugh)?

Teegate · Jan 3, 2005

Boyd said:
I drove past Pioneer Smelting on Savoy Rd today and it looked like they have cleared a large area there. I also saw construction equipment like front loaders and backhoes parked by the water tower.

What is going on there, are they building a development or something (ugh)?

That equiptment has been there at least a few weeks and maybe more. I thought they were going to remove the water tower, but that hasen't happened.

I will find out tomorrow what is going on. Someone I know attends the township meetings there and always tells me what he knows.

Guy

woodjin · Jan 4, 2005

There was an article I read in a news letter called the Chatsworth gazzette or something like that. Marilyn gave it to me over at Buzby's. Anyway I briefly read a short article in there stating that the EPA (I think) was going to be conducting a clean up of contaminated soil at the smelting plant. The article was more of a public announcement that there was going to be extra truck traffic on savoy and 532 during this time. I think the EPA was going to do this clean up sometime ago but ran out of funding. The operation as now resumed.

Jeff

Ben Ruset · Jan 4, 2005

I know that Chatsworth ORV park was offered the land to buy, but remediation of the soil was too expensive for them.

Teegate · Jan 4, 2005

I talked to the person I know and he said that the water tower will eventually come down. He also said they are conducting ground water tests that will continue for quite a while. Also, he said that there is a possibility of a cell tower there, but I would not take that as fact.

Guy

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