  We study some local spectral properties of contraction operators on $\ell_p$,
$1<p<\infty$ from a Baire category point of view, with respect to the
Strong$^*$ Operator Topology. In particular, we show that a typical contraction
on $\ell_p$ has Dunford's Property (C) but neither Bishop's Property $(\beta)$
nor the Decomposition Property $(\delta)$, and is completely indecomposable. We
also obtain some results regarding the asymptotic behavior of orbits of typical
contractions on $\ell_p$.
