Republic Steel
Updated April 5, 2024 | By Matthew Christopher
There are a lot of things I could tell you about my visit to Republic Steel in Mineville, NY. I could tell you about how I had to hike through some pretty dense forest in the summer heat, how I passed through an enormous crumbling conveyor system to enter the building, or how precarious some of the floors were when I entered. There was the immensity of some of the areas (which I frequently note), the wealth of interesting items left behind, and the persistent fear of someone entering the property and catching me. All of these things are part of the story, but they are not what stuck with me the most. What sticks with me is not a particularly happy story.
What I think of when I think of Republic Steel is what happened in the machine shop. As I was taking pictures, I noticed a tiny mouse laying dead on its side in a pool of motor oil. I frequently find dead birds, cats, or other small animals, so this was not terribly unusual, although having had a pet mouse at one point I always have had a soft spot in my heart for them. As I set my tripod up above it to take its picture I saw it open and close its mouth and realized it was still alive.
Whatever the motor oil had done to it was pretty awful. The eye that I could see almost seemed to be melting out and the mouse appeared to be in a great deal of pain. I found a piece of cardboard and tried to scoop it up so that it could at least make its way back to its home to die in familiar surroundings. It was much harder to dislodge it than I expected because the oil was like glue, but I tried to be as careful and gentle as I could and with some persistence I worked it loose.
I expected the mouse to try to run off, but it didn't. It sat there opening and closing its mouth and shuddering, and I realized it was probably not only poisoned but also blind. I decided the only merciful thing to do would be to kill it, but (again) I have a certain fondness for the little beasts and wanted to do something that would be as quick and efficient as possible. After looking around I felt the best way to do it would be to take a huge pipe elbow that weighed at least 50 pounds and drop it on the mouse. As I lifted it high over my head I worried that dropping it one time might not do it, or that I might only hurt the mouse more. I pictured success being the pipe fitting falling on the mouse and then rolling off, as the mouse lay there peacefully, freed from suffering... but that's not quite what happened.
When I dropped the pipe fitting on the mouse, it obliterated it. Blood and mouse bits sprayed everywhere, including on my clothes. Think of me what you will, but I was horrified. I cleaned myself off as best I could but it was a terrible experience. Republic Steel was an incredible place and there were a lot of pictures I took here that I really liked, but that one event still makes me recoil a little when I think about it.
Addendum: Republic Steel was demolished in 2023.
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There are a lot of things I could tell you about my visit to Republic Steel in Mineville, NY. I could tell you about how I had to hike through some pretty dense forest in the summer heat, how I passed through an enormous crumbling conveyor system to enter the building, or how precarious some of the floors were when I entered. There was the immensity of some of the areas (which I frequently note), the wealth of interesting items left behind, and the persistent fear of someone entering the property and catching me. All of these things are part of the story, but they are not what stuck with me the most. What sticks with me is not a particularly happy story.
What I think of when I think of Republic Steel is what happened in the machine shop. As I was taking pictures, I noticed a tiny mouse laying dead on its side in a pool of motor oil. I frequently find dead birds, cats, or other small animals, so this was not terribly unusual, although having had a pet mouse at one point I always have had a soft spot in my heart for them. As I set my tripod up above it to take its picture I saw it open and close its mouth and realized it was still alive.
Whatever the motor oil had done to it was pretty awful. The eye that I could see almost seemed to be melting out and the mouse appeared to be in a great deal of pain. I found a piece of cardboard and tried to scoop it up so that it could at least make its way back to its home to die in familiar surroundings. It was much harder to dislodge it than I expected because the oil was like glue, but I tried to be as careful and gentle as I could and with some persistence I worked it loose.
I expected the mouse to try to run off, but it didn't. It sat there opening and closing its mouth and shuddering, and I realized it was probably not only poisoned but also blind. I decided the only merciful thing to do would be to kill it, but (again) I have a certain fondness for the little beasts and wanted to do something that would be as quick and efficient as possible. After looking around I felt the best way to do it would be to take a huge pipe elbow that weighed at least 50 pounds and drop it on the mouse. As I lifted it high over my head I worried that dropping it one time might not do it, or that I might only hurt the mouse more. I pictured success being the pipe fitting falling on the mouse and then rolling off, as the mouse lay there peacefully, freed from suffering... but that's not quite what happened.
When I dropped the pipe fitting on the mouse, it obliterated it. Blood and mouse bits sprayed everywhere, including on my clothes. Think of me what you will, but I was horrified. I cleaned myself off as best I could but it was a terrible experience. Republic Steel was an incredible place and there were a lot of pictures I took here that I really liked, but that one event still makes me recoil a little when I think about it.
Addendum: Republic Steel was demolished in 2023.
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