" cw"'" i
From Safes to Freezers
All Doors Of en to Locksmith
TP-
SAFECRACKER' CLIFFORD BAIRD
Locksmith Polishes a Combination Dial in Eugene Shop -
Bigeite
lAJE COUNTS 3 HOME NEW3PAPEB.
SECTION B EUGENE, OREGON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1963
By MARVIN TIMS
Of th. lUlUter-Guird
Clifford Balrd of Eugene
picking locks for yean, but
hai been cracking safes and
he hasn't spent a day in jail
yet.
This can be readily ex
plained: Baird is a legitimate
businessman providing a serv
ice that is much in demand.
Bair is a locksmith. During
the past decade, he has
opened an estimated 250
safes, freed numerous scream
ing children from locked bath
rooms, picked locks on safety
deposit boxes, opened inadvertently-locked
freezers so
people' could have their
Christmas turkeys in time,
and performed a myriad of
other tasks to retrieve locked
up articles.
On call 24 hours a day,
Baird says he is busiest dur
ing the Christmas season.
"People are always accident
ally locking their Christmas
packages in car trunks. I
have to get them out or
else," he said with a smile.
A native of Oregon, Baird
came with his family to Eu
gene in 1924. His father was
in the locksmith and gun
smith business for many
years and got his son started
in the business.
"Dad died during World
War II. When I got out of
the service, I went into the
business on a full-time basis,"
Baird said during an inter
view last week at his shop
on West Eighth Avenue.
A short five years ago,
Baird had only 75 blank keys
hanging on his office wall.
Now he has more than 3,000
which can be made to fit vir
tually every conceivable type
of lock. .
He also has a number of
antique keys, including one
from an early Model T Ford
and another that Baird said
came from one of the first
handcuffs. He is also proud
of what he calls a "jug lock
key," which was designed to
open the old castiron locks
used on prison cells in the
deep South many decades ago.
There is only one kind of
key that Baird can't manu
facture. This is one to fit a
U.S. Post Office mailbox. "It
is a federal offense to make
such a key," he said.
The locksmith says that safe
manufacturers and lock mak
ers are continually improving
their products. Progress is
fine, but it creates a problem
P j- fry
Baird's Hands Show Strength, Precision
Some Qualify Their Optimism
County's Businessmen Look for Another Good Year
By BOB NEWCOMB
Of the Register.Gufcrd
Lane County's cash registers which rang mer
rily throughout 1962 are expected to keep up their
clatter over the next 12 months. Moreover, general
business activity in the county likely will increase
in 1963.
That, at least, appears to be the concensus of a
cross-section of Eugene-area businessmen, most of
whom admit they are optimistic about the coming
year's prospects. Although in some cases the word
optimism is modified by "guarded" or "qualified."
Retailers many of them estimating their 1962
business activity anywhere from 7 to 10 per cent
above 1961 figures are predicting that their sales
next year will continue to rise, perhaps by as much
as 3 to 5 per cent above this year;
They cite Eugene's expectations for a continual
ly rising population as their reuson for optimism,
coupled with an apparent continuation of high em
ployment. The county's major Industry lumber and ply-.
wood is finishing up what spokesmen say has been
St "satisfactory" year. But It is primarily this indus
try which is reluctant to use the word "optimistic"
without a cautious modifier.
Retailers are quick to point out that their busi
nesses cannot be considered separately from the
woods-products industry. "When a plant lays off its
workers," one Eugene retailer said last week, "we
feel it right away."
Lane County's tourist industry, which in 1962
did an estimated $21 million worth of business
an all-time high will do even better in 1963, in the
opinion of many.
Fred Brenne, manager of the Eugene Chamber
of Commerce, points to a convention-attendance
record expected next year and a revitalized promo
tional program to "sell" Lane County as reasons
for confidence.
Eugene building permits over the past year con- '
tinued on the increase. And bank debits indicators
of general business activity in the community
have been rising steadily over the past months. Eu
gene's total bank-debit value in the first 11 months
of the year-reached $1.2 billion 12 per cent higher
than for the same period of 1961, according to the
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Implied confidence in Eugene's potential can be
seen also in the fact that both banking and savings
and loan firms are expanding here. A new $200,000!
building has been started at the northeast corner
of Tenth Avenue and Lincoln Street to house the
first Eugene branch of the Oregon Bank of Port
land. Application has been made by a group of Eu
' gene businessmen, headed by builder Kenneth Gil
bert, to construct a new bank in north Eugene.
A new main Eugene branch of the First National
Bank is to be 'Started in downtown Eugene next
spring. Equitable Savings & Loan Assn. recently
occupied its new Eugene quarters a $306,000 build
ing at Broadway and Willamette streets. Pacific
First Federal Savings it Loan Assn. has opened a
': branch in Springfield. The list of new construction
-projects grows steadily..
What happens in the year ahead in the wood
products industry will depend in large measure on
what happens in construction. Will construction
throughout the country remain at its present level,
or will it go up or down?
Predictions vary. W. F. Dodge Corp. of New
York, a construction survey firm, predicts new build
ing will drop slightly. That firm says new residen
tial projects started in the next 12 months probably
will reach no more than 1.37 million units. The U.S.
Census Bureau predicts, however, it will hold steady
at about 1.4 million. ,
Lumbermen throughout the state are "general
ly optimistic" about the upcoming year, according
to Nat Giustina of Eugene, president of the National
Lumber Manufacturers Assn. "But that optimism
must be qualified," he said.
There are many unpredictable factors facing the
industry, he said, among them being the effect of
President Kennedy's executive order concerning
federal housing projects. And the type of new hous
ing units built may help determine what next year's
West Coast lumber industry will experience, he
added.
Harry Ryback, manager of U. S. Plywood Co.'s
West Coast purchasing office in Eugene, also used
the term "cautiously optimistic" to describe his
outlook for 1963. . ,
He said that office, which handles an estimated
15 per cent of the total West Coast plywood produc
tion, looks forward to an increase of from 7 to B
per cent in fir plywood sales next year, "and a sub
stantial portion of it from our Oregon mills."
But he added: "Price levels continue to be a
problem, with many mills operating close to the
break-even point. And profit margins on standard
grades of plywood have almost disappeared."
..." He .added,', however, that . 11' housing starts
throughout the country continue to hold at 1962
rates, "then I think it's reasonable to look for more
stable prices at slightly higher levels."
The plywood marketing problem next year will
be complicated, he said, due to increased capacity.
According to the Douglas Fir Plywood Assn.,
the tendency on the part of the industry has been
for steadily increasing production.
But plywood prices through 1962 were among
the lowest since the end of World War II, due
largely to "over capacity," according to industry
spokesmen. Lumber production in the Douglas fir
region in Oregon and Washington rose by 2.6 per
cent over last year, and mills are approaching 1963
with unfilled order files 17.8 per cent greater than
a year ago, they said. '
for Baird when he has a re
quest to open a safe that is
jammed, for example.
"We have to keep figuring
out new ways to get into
safes," he said with a laugh.
He devised an ingenious
method for opening certain
types of safes. He made two
T-shaped implements out of
heavy iron. These are welded
to the safe door with an elec
tric welder. Then he uses
hydraulic jacks to apply tre
mendous pressure against the
iron Ts, and the door can be
ripped right off its hinges.
Often, Baird has to drill
through concrete and heavy
steel to open a safe, especial
ly the types that are buried in
a floor. On some of his tough
est assignments, he has spent
the better part of a day get
ting a safe open.
Baird is continually amazed
at how few people can re
member the combinations of
their locks. "I find that not
one in 20 can give me the
combination when I ask for it.
They always have to sit down
in front of the safe and work
it out first."
The newest safe combina
tions are made of a hard
nylon-type material instead of
metal, Baird said. This is so
professional safe crackers
can't use X-ray devices to
check the position of the
tumblers inside the lock and
thus learn the combination.
Most safes also contain "re
locking" equipment as sn
added safety precaution. If
the tumblers are punched out,
another portion of the lock
takes hold and the safo still
can't be opened. But Baird
takes these obstacles in stride
and says there hasn't been an
occasion yet where he has
been unable to get a safe
open.
On some of the older locks,
Baird can work the combina
tion by merely listening as
he turns the lock knob. He
can hear a slight click when
a tumbler drops into place.
With a few spins of the knob
and a few clicks, the safe
door is opened.
Baird can open most pad
locks and other simple lock
ing devices by picking them
with a probe. He has made a
more sophisticated implement
by fastening a probe to an
old pair of barber shears. The
probe, vibrating rapidly, will
spring open a lock quickly.
Although Baird usually can
fashion a key rather quickly
to fit most locks, he was given
a tough assignment a few days
ago. A scooter's ignition key
was missing so the vehicle
couldn't be driven. It took
Baird some time, but he final
ly fashioned a key to fit the
lock.
, :
Mlllll -I II I m
IMnWIlM K SEE? J HAT DID I V
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L 7' I THAW THE LAST ONE! J I
,. . i l i in. y. u
1 l 1 CSB
Baird advises home owners
to purchase good locks for
their dwellings. "I've known
people," he said, "who will
spend $30 for a lock for the
front door and then install a
$1.50 lock on the rear door."
In addition to repairing
safes and opening locks, Baird
on occasion makes special
scientific devices. Two years
ago, for example, he made an
intricate tool used by doctors
to measure the interior of the
car following certain types of
ear operations. The first de
vice was so successful that
Baird now has orders to make
two more.
Although Baird can open
a safe or lock with robot-like
efficiency, he is still only
human. He admits that he
once locked himself out of
his car three times in a single
day. But he is more for
tunate than most: He knew
how to get back in quickly.
Classes Set
On Survival
Two series of classes on Indi
vidual and Family Survival are
being offered by the Eugene
Technical Vocational School for
four weeks beginning in mid-
January.
One series of 12 hours will
start Jan. 15 In room 61 at
South Eugene High School
meeting four consecutive Tuesdays.
The second series will be held
at the North Eugene High
School cafeteria beginning Jan.
16 for four consecutive Wednes
days.
Both series run from 7 to 10
p.m.
Classes Include local, state
and national plans for survival,
effects of nuclear weapons, and
protective measures against dis
aster. Registration and further in
formation is available by calling
DI 2-1151, Ext. 254.
Cuban Police
Disperse Crowd
HAVANA fOPtt Scattered vio
lence broke out In Havana Mon
day after police dispersed an
estimated 5,000 persons demon-'
strating in front of the Swiss
Embassy for aid In leaving Ha-'
vana.
Police did not use force to
break up the huge crowd massed
before the embassy, in suburban
Vedago, but pro-Castro parti
sans met scattered: groups or
demonstrators as they left the
scene and fist fights broke out.
Unconfirmed reports said
some Castro militia units alio
had engaged in "head knocking"
of demonstrators.
Springfield
Schools Offer
Adult Classes
Seventeen classes are being
offered by the Springfield pub
lic schools adult education night
program for the winter term
beginning Jan. 7.
All classes meet in Spring
field Senior High School at 7
p.m. for a 10-week term unless
otherwise indicated. They be
cin on the day of the week
shown below during the week of
Jan. 7.
The classes with tuition are
Mondays Advanced Tailor
ing, $10; Combination Welding
(Mondays and Wednesdays for
five weeks). $20: Electronics,
$18; Typing (Mondays and
Thursdays). $20: French for
Children (Mondays and Wednes
days from 4 to 5 p.m.) $7.50;
First Aid (five weeks), 75 cents
Tuesdays Advanced Sewing
sm- Furniture Rcfinishing. $10
Machine Shop (Tuesdays and
Thursdays for five wecitsj, iu;
Civil Defense (Tuesdays ana
Thursdays for two weeks), no
tuition charge; English for For
eign Born. $10; Recreational
Woodworking, $10.
Wednesdays Shorthand, 15
weeks, $20.
Thursdays Basic Sewinj,
$10; Furniture Upholstery, $10.
Saturdays Conversational
Chinese, 9-11 a.m., $10.
Driver training to be arranged
at the convenience of the in
structor and the student with
a $7.50 tuition charge for four
lessons.
Further information can be
obtained by calling Rl 7-3331.
Sales Tax Reduced
LONDON The British
Treasury Monday cut the na
la nn certain lux
11.J li.l. .... -
ury goods to 25 per cent It had
1. .. 44 mf i-ent Mainlv affect-
UCTU " t -
ed are television sets, radios,
records and cosmeucs. a similar
eut was made last month in the
sales tax on motor cars.
snnnn n rvnrvnnn n n 9n P n rr A rnSna A 11 TPU
STORE WIDE REDUCTIONS ON SHOES FOR MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN
ID'S SINES
FAMOUS NAME SHOES . . . ALL
FROM REGULAR STOCK
OUR FAMOUS ENGLISH SHOES
SEVERAL STYLES . . .
Rj- 15.95
THIS STYLE ONLY
MEN'S HUSH PUPPIES
Rei. 8.95
6
90
ONE GROUP . . . MEN'S FLORSHEIMS
TIES & SLIP-ONS
Rxj. 21.95 to 24.95
WOMEN'S SHOES ON SALE . I . SAVE
990 A 1O90
and 16
890
690
---- - -
V 90
Women' Flati Req. 6.98 to 10.95 "1
90
CHILDREN'S SHOES ON SALE . . . SAVE
BOYS' 4 GIRLS' DRESS BIG BOYS' AND GIRLS' ENTIRE STOCK
OF EDWARDS
SHOES ON SALE
10 - 55
Corrcctlvt Shoes Included
AND SCHOOL SHOES
Re?. 4.95 to 9.50
!90
SHOES
Re 8.95 to 12.95
90
490..6'
ALL SALES FINAL ... NO
EXCHANGES OR REFUNDS
I ONE GROUP TIES & SLIP-ONS . yL
yjA y a
TWEAR
nuaftn