How can I remove a mystery pipe in basement wall and floor?

Question

Here is what I know so far

1. The house I live in was built in the 1920s.
2. It is located in central Illinois.
3. The damage you see around the pipe is only in that section of the basement. Everything else is fine.
4. I am very limited on what I can do to investigate on the outside as the outside portion of the basement wall is directly under my backyard deck.
5. The gas line for the house comes in through a pipe on the opposite side of the house.
6. The house was set up for coal heating as there is still a coal chute hole and room still present.

What is the best strategy for removing it and repairing the wall?

Answer 1

Mystery pipes are always something of a risk.

Could be abandoned and empty and nothing bad happens.

Could be inappropriate piping misused as electrical conduit.

Could be a waterline to an outside spigot, active, or still pressurized even though the spigot has been lost track of. That would be a minor pain until you found a valve to shut it off.

Could be connected to an abandoned oil tank (perhaps "coal oil") which might not be empty. That's a glimpse of the bad end of the spectrum.