White House Military Office Memorandum
on “Cannonball” (Site 2)
31 May 1988
MEMORANDUM FOR
REC0RD
Sub: Current information on abandoned Site 2
(Cannonball) at Cross Mountain in
Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Encl: (1) Plan View of site2
(2)
Pictures of Site 2
1,
The Special Purpose Office (SPO) initiated an investigation of site 2 to
determine If the White House Military Office (WHMO) or the Naval Facilities
Engineering Command, Chesapeake Division(CHESHAVFACENGCOM) is responsible for
the restoration of this abandoned, and
in particular, the removal of an abandoned fuel tank at the facility. To date,
our findings are that neither WHMO nor CHESHAVFACENGCOM is responsible for the existing facilities or able
to fund safety and environmental improvements to this abandoned facility.
However, it is imperative that both
safety and environmental improvements occur soon.
2.
On April 4, 1988, Ken Morin (CHESHAVFACENGCOM) and John Maxwell (SPO) visited site 2 to
determine the status of an 8,000 gallon fue1 tank shown on Disclosure 1. The
site investigation determined that the fuel tank and the rest of the facility
are abandoned and deteriorating. After visiting the facility, it is our opinion
that the environmental problems associated with an abandoned fuel tank pale in
comparison to the life-safety hazards associated with the abandoned 103 foot high
tower.
3. Enclosure 1 is a copy of a site plan,
with notes describing the existing conditions.
Enclosure 2 contains a number of photographs showing the current
conditions. Below is a list of some of
the environmental and safety hazards found at the site?
a. The
tower is readily accessible to anyone that can get up the mountain and there
are a number of signs which reveal that the tower has been visited by others.
1. Pictures 1 through 3 show that the Plexiglas surrounding the top ring of the tower is almost completely broken off. This is not due to weathering or age, but rather is more likely due to vandalism from inside the tower.
2. Pictures 4 through 5 shows that the ground level entrance door is missing. It is our understanding that the blast doors to such facilities were welded shut prior to abandonment. To remove such a door takes a great deal of effort.
3. Pictures 6 and 7 show the elevator shaft and the existing "stripped" condition within the facility. The wall finish insulation shown in Picture 6 is potentially asbestos material
4. Pictures 8 and 9 show the opening in the floor leading to the basement. Since there is no hatch here, this is a very hazardous situation for someone or something cou1d fall through this opening and be seriously injured. Note that the ladder, typical or ladders within the facility, is no longer attached to the wall. Henry Keyser (the young man that got us in the gate at the bottom of the hill) said that he and some friend’s skate on the ice that forms in the basement during the winter. Mr. Keyser also said that he climbs the tower regularly.
5. Picture 10 shows graffiti written on the wall of the towers ground floor.
6. While at the site, Mr. Morin and Mr. Maxwell climbed to the top of the tower using the access ladder, during the climb we found garbage, a rope to ease top floor access, a missing rung that had been replaced with a tightly pulled coat hanger and there is total darkness on floors four through seven. Additionally, the ladder going up the tower is deteriorating, and when on the top floor of the tower, one feels a “swaying” sensation.
b. Pictures 11 through 15 are of the fill cap of an abandoned 2,500 gallon water tank.
c. Pictures 15 through 18 are of the old transformer and generator vaults. Pictures 17 and 18 shows that a lot of debris has been accumulated in these vaults over the years. This area should be investigated to make sure that no PCB’s were spilled when the potentially PCB filled transformers were removed. An open pit like this is a serious safety hazard.
d.
Pictures 18 and 19 indicate that the 8,000 gallon fuel tank for the generator
was abandoned in place. This area should
be checked for possible soil contamination and the tank should be removed.
e. For
some reason, a number of trees in the cleared area are dead.
4. As a minimum, the following
short term steps should be taken: (1)
secure the tower by permanently closing the ground level entrance. (2) Test for
fuel contamination in the soil around the fuel tank (3) test for PCB
contamination in the old transformer vault, and (4) remove the abandoned fuel
tank (note that abandoned fuel tanks are to be reported to the EPA on an annual
basis by statute). In the long run, the
entire facility should be demolished and the site restored to natural
conditions. The questions that must be
answered prior to the accomplishment of these recommendations are (1) Who
presently owns and is responsible for the property and (2) whose and/or what
funds are available for the clean up/restoration (this question is at least in
part dependent upon who currently owns the property). SPO has been trying to determine ownership
over the last two months.
5. There are (4) leases and (1)
deed of easement associated with Site 2 and they are as follows:
a. USACE lease #DA-49-080-ENG-4645 between the US
Army Corps of Engineers and Earl and Centha Brant. From the description of the land leased, it
is probably part of the roadway in Pennsylvania that leads to the tower. Our
file contains an unsigned copy of the original lease dated 1 July 1959 and a
signed original dated 11 August 1976.
The original lease states that for no reason would it extend beyond 30
June 1984.
b. USACE lease #DA-49-080-ENG-4368 between the Corp of Engineers and C.C.
Glaser and Richard M Wolf. From the
description of the land leased it is probably part of the roadway in
Pennsylvania leading to the tower. Our file contains an unsigned copy of the
lease dated 22 July 1959 and a signed original of the cancellation of lease
dated 11 August 1976.The original lease states that for no reason would it
extend beyond 30 June 1984.
c. USACE lease #DA-49-080-ENG-4675 between the Corp of Engineers and J
Randall and Hallie G. Mattern. From the
description of the land leased, it is probably part of the roadway in
Pennsylvania that leads to the tower. Our file contains an unsigned copy of the
lease dated 24 August 1959 and an unsigned copy of the cancellation of lease
dated 11 August 1976.The original states that for no reason would it extend
beyond 30 June 1984.
d. USACE lease #DA-49-080-ENG-4676 between the Corp of Engineers and
Clifton M. and Cora M. Keefer. From the
description of the land leased, it is probably part of the roadway in
Pennsylvania that leads to the tower. Our file contains a signed copy of the
lease dated 24 August 1959 and an unsigned copy of the cancellation of lease
dated 11 August 1976.The original states that for no reason would it extend
beyond 30 June 1984.
e. USACE lease/deed of easement #DA-18-020-ENG-3736 between the Corp of
Engineers and the Rattle Run Gun Club. The land leased is the roadway leading
to the tower from Maryland. Our file
contains a signed copy of the signed deed dated 7 October 1965 and the DD 1354
where we transfer the property back to the Corp of Engineers.
f. USACE lease #DA-49-080-ENG-4675, supplemental agreement # 1, between
the Corp of Engineers and J Randall and Hallie G. Mattern. The land leased
under the supplemental agreement definitely contains the parcel of land that
site 2 was constructed and portions of the roadway leading to the site. In some of the documentation it is referred
to as the “main site”. Our file contains
a copy of lease dated 26 February 1965.
6. From the incomplete
documentation in our files, it appears that the Government believes that it has
returned the property to the Mattern’s. In a phone conservation on 27 May 1988 with Mr. Andrew Knapka of the
Julian Post Office (work) ----------, (home) ----------), Mr. Maxwell found out that Mr. J. Randall Mattern died in 1970 and his wife Hallie died in
1976. The chances are that the Mattern’s
never knew that the property had been returned to them.
7. Mr. Knapka also gave the
following information:
a. When the government first leased the property from the Mattern’s there
were other people with claims to the property.
The Mattern’s signed the lease because the government felt that they had
the best claim to the land at the time.
b. Mr. Knapka indicated that he would share the information in his file
on the land and the various claims to it.
c. The Mattern’s have a son, Lt. Col. Henry K Mattern, USA, Retired and
living in Huntsville, Alabama.
8. During our research of the
facility, the following points of contacts have been established.
a. Pete Digel (----------). Mr. Digel works for the Army Corp of Engineers real estate division and had been researching the property prior to SPO involvement; however, he had completed his investigation, concluding that present ownership appears to be vested in no identifiable individual(s). Mr. Digel has been informed of all our findings and will be provided with a copy of this memo.
b. Bill Piccirilli (----------). Mr. Piccirilli is an engineer with the US Army Corp of Engineers. His office is responsible for completing the Inventory Project Report (IPR) which determines if a project is eligible for funding under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program. Mr. Piccirilli indicates that his office cannot conduct an IRP until ownership is established. If it is determined that the facility is the property of the US Government, the site clean up would not be eligible for funding under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program and Mr. Piccirilli’s office would not handle the contract. Mr. Piccirilli work address is:
CENAB-EN-MNUS
US Army engineer District, Baltimore
P.O. Box 1715
Baltimore, Md
21203-1715
c. Bob More Mr. More is
the individual that will receive the IPR from Mr. Piccirilli’s office if
completed. Mr. More’s office does the
paper work to get a particular project funded for design and construction under
the Defense Environmental Restoration Program. Mr. More’s address is:
Commander
Huntsville Division
US Army Corp of Engineers
CEMP-ED-PM
Attn: Bob More
P.O. Box 1600
Huntsville,
Al. 35807-4301
d. Carol Robinson (home) -----------. Ms. Robinson works at the AT&T facility
at Hearthstone Mountain about 1 mile from site 2. Ms. Robinson was very helpful in finding
information about the Cross Mountain site.
e. Roderick Rohrer (work ----------; home ------------). Mr. Rohrer is president of the Rattle Run Hunting Club. He felt that it would not be a problem for us to use his road if we chose to do work at the site and that he will bring the issue up at the next meeting of the hunting club.
f. Mr. Atherton and son, Henry Keyser ------------. Both live near the locked gate at the bottom
of the mountain on the Pennsylvania side and have a key to the gate. Henry Keyser took Mr. Morin and Mr. Maxwell
to the site on April 4th.
9. From the
Available records on this site, SPO has been unable to determine ownership of
the question property; however, the fact that is some individual(s) or
sovereign (i.e. either the US Government or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
does possess legal title. Regardless of
the question of legal title, the fact remains that the US Government was
responsible for the construction of a facility on this property and would
appear to have some responsibility (moral, if not legal) for the various
hazards associated with this abandoned facility. Therefore as a minimum, the following actions
should be undertaken:
a. As a temporary solution the US Government should have the tower
entrance closed and secured. SPO could
assume this responsibility, using resources using resources available to us.
b. WHMO should encourage the Corp
of Engineers to make this project a high priority and secure the necessary
funding to demolish the abandoned facility and to restore the ground to natural
conditions.
John
C Maxwell III
Copy to:
1) Pete Digel, Real Estate
Division, US Army Corp of Engineers
2) Bill Piccirilli, Baltimore District, Us Army Corp of Engineers
Enclosure 1
Enclosure 2
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