Contents of 130-year-old safe remains a mystery


Monday, May 05, 2008 | No comments posted.

Font Size: Shrink Font Enlarge Font | Submit your news
ASTORIA (AP) — A one-ton black safe, 130 years old, sits quietly in Astoria and oozes mystery.

Gold? Cash? Documents? Nothing? Nobody knows what’s in there.

But the safe, labeled “Hall Safe and Lock,” is not coughing up its combination easily.

Portland TV station KATU (2) says the Victorian-era tumblers so far have refused to yield their numbers despite the efforts of professionals who have tried to crack the combination.

The heavy metal door remains tightly sealed.

Modern technology probably would circumvent the lock. Holes could be drilled to open the door or just peek inside.

But owner, Floyd Holcomb, who found the safe during a renovation effort for the Pier 39 shopping area, will have none of it.

“We’ve had several people come and attempt to get in to it, nobody’s got in to it,” Holcomb said. “It’s an artifact. Would you go out and drill an artifact? No. I think the challenge is the fact that everybody’s lazy today.”

Holcomb is no professional safe-peeler, but he has spent some time twiddling the large, well-worn dial on the front of the safe.

“Hall was a real smart guy, he’s done all these fake spots, you can feel it,” Holcomb said of the safe’s builder as he turns the dial slowly and internal mechanics tick and click, but no more than that.

He has looked for local old-timers who may have seen what was in the safe long ago when it was the property of one of the many salmon canneries along Astoria’s busy marine industrial district.

“Everybody scratches their heads. They remember the safe, they don’t remember it ever being opened,” he said of talks with workers who remembered it.

Holcomb is considering a safecracking competition to see if anyone can crack the combination.

Until then the contents, if there are any, are, well, safe.
Tags »
Previous
Next

Have you checked out The World Link Forums?

Comments

The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines

Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Comment Policy

The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.

Please follow these basic rules:

  • No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
  • No deliberately false information.
  • No obscenity or racially offensive language.
  • No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
  • No information that invades another person's privacy.
  • No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.

Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.

The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.

Close Guidelines

No comments posted.


*Member ID:
*Password:
 

Not already registered?

Do not use usernames or passwords from your financial accounts!

Note: Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required!



*Create a Member ID:
*Choose a password:
*Re-enter password:
*E-mail Address:
*Year of Birth:
 

(children under 13 cannot register)

*First Name:
*Last Name:
Would you like to be added to our mailing lists?
Daily Headlines
Breaking News
Special Offers
 
Advanced Search
Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH

Blogroll

Most Popular

Polls

» View Past Poll Results
» Suggest a Poll

Marketplace

Special Sections

More Special Sections