The Long Closed Federal labs inc. in Saltsburg Pa. looks like something out of a X Files TV Episode

A dear friend of ours the late Virginia Phelps  of Oakmont for many years worked at Federal Labs inc. out on Tunnelton Road in Saltsburg Indiana County  as a chemist and she was awarded a  co patent for several things she developed including CS Tear gas during the Vietnam War. She then went on to work for Koppers  and was a nationally  recognized flower photographer .

The facility closed some where around early  90s after many lawsuits and complaints by Palestinians about Israel  use of the gas causing injury's and others claiming injury filing suit .   The manufacturing labs  sits rotting to this day. thou remnants of the company  live on with other company's .

After Virginia passed away 
I took a road trip out to the secure facility which made all kind of products and or supplied them  for security and military fields even machine guns so I could take some pictures for her only living relative to show where she  once worked . Needless to say after Virginia Passed and we cleaned her apartment  we where very careful she did not bring any thing home from there  we found some chemical samples which I turned over to Allegheny  County Fire Academy to dispose of.

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Federal_Gas_Riot_Gun

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Riot_Gun

 

http://www.fightingknives.info/tabid/836/categoryid/27/productid/175/default.aspx

 

CN tear Gas Grenade I recently found and turned over to Penn Hills Police

http://collections.mnhs.org/cms/display.php?irn=10397022

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-US-Military-Saltsburg-Federal-Lab-Canvas-Tablet-Laptop-Purse-Shoulder-Bag-/331071568810

 

http://gunshowgoods.com/zencart/37mm-specialty-c-48/37mm-smoke-hc-projectile-no214-federal-

labs-p-248

http://www.thetca.net/Pages/FederalLaboratoriesIncorporatedBrochures.aspx

The buildings now sit fading away with time  and look like something right out of a X Files  TV show episode I was just waiting for Agents Scully and Mulder to show up and check the place out.
like so many so called abandoned military bases in the TV series. 
Surprised this place has not been used for a movie set.

Former retail store for labs along Pa 286 demolished in 90's to build railroad spur

Entry gate with warning signs 

The area is still fully fenced and patrolled  as there are bound to be hazardous conditions  and materials with in so stay out its private property.

The company was often the scene of protests over its tear gas products which where made there
and below is various articles on the company.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19570312&id=tUQjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ak4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7190,4020114

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19920303&id=b1YNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yW4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6908,342521

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=19560620&id=chscAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KVEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3712,6817434

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19700117&id=kZtRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2mwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1487,2589671

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19880417&id=jKpdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XF0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3869,4767194

How does a man sentenced to die disapaear into thin air the nght before his hanging in the Cambria County Jail

 As I was driving around Ebensburg this summer taking pictures of old buildings I came across the old jail and thought there had to be a good story that went with this place I was right
Michael 'Smitty" Smith was to die by the noose  for killing a Johnstown man John Minehan and he disappeared into thin air several days before he was to be executed in  1884  in the formidable  Cambria County Jail.One of the most escape proof at the time.

http://old.post-gazette.com/neigh_east/20020106jail3.asp

Was it a kindly guard who let him go or was it smiths crafty knowledge that got him out we will never know.

  Known as " Peg Leg" smith had lost a leg  and may have used the false one to hide tools needed for the escape

http://www.dojohnstown.com/2010/01/old-cambria-county-jail/

They say old soldiers never die ? Seems to be the case in the old New Brighton Armory

 I remember riding by the   Armory in New Brighton as a kid going to vacation at a friends place along Conequenessing Creek near Ellwood City  it always looked like a formidable castle  home to 28th signal battalion  the battalion has a long and haunted  heritage of battles fought.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19910210&id=E-xVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2UANAAAAIBAJ&pg=6458,1407718

But then as  Guard Units where slowly being down sized in the state they did not want to see this big beautiful building go to waste so it was offered to the Town of New Brighton who accepted it and built its towns offices in it.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19760326&id=A14vAAAAIBAJ&

sjid=a9sFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3973,5564883

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19760327&id=BF4vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a9sFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5605,5590832

Unfortunately though it seems the soldiers who once trained and marched in the building have not left 

 as there have been several cases of paranormal activity in the building 

One such case happened to my friend and fellow electrician Joe Mallak who was working there late one evening when he and his helper heard the unmistakable sound of foot steps marching across the floor above them and going down the stair case.  Township employees have even had apparitions appear. 

But they have all been friendly and  every one takes it in stride .  

Are these the sole of those who went off to battle and did not make it home or just wild imaginations?

Either way the story's just add to the story of the building. 

How did Roach Powder get into a Pancake batter killing 12 men in Pittsburgh in 1940?

Allegheny County has some of the toughest rules when it comes to Food Safety in restaurants in Pennsylvania . But this was not always the case as an incident in 1940 reveals.
In today's modern food safety world all cleaning and other non cooking related products are to be kept in a separate storage area away from food products, and where restaurants once did there own pest control they must now hire and use a company to come in and eradicate pests and not keep pest control products on the premises.
These rules where brought about do to several incidents across the country  where pest control products where either accidentally or deliberately put into pancake and  egg or other batter  poisoning and killing hundreds.

One such case took place at the Salvation Army shelter in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville section  on November 12,1940  where a breakfast of pancakes and bacon resulted in 12 men dead and 48 severely sickened when some how Roach Powder  made of Sodium Fluoride  a white powder got into the pancake batter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_fluoride

 Doctors and chemists  at the  now long closed St Francis Hospital tried to save all the men but where unsuccessful.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19401113&id=5AomAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N_0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1421,2250938

Strangely this is one of 2 institutions which where once located in lawrenceville/Garfield  area  which after tragedy's occurred moved to the North Side of Pittsburgh   which includes the Little Sisters of the Poor  who had a tragic fire which killed 47  both cases unsolved   in both caases no charges brought .

Almost makes you wonder if some one had it in for these groups who help the poor  and this is why they moved.