Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-02-05
Convention OF County Surveyors.

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at Columbus, when they decided that it
was of the first and utmost Importance
to somebody that laws should be passed
by the Legislature requiring all records
of plats and field notes to be kept
in the Office of the County Surveyor,
and that a record should be kept by
him Of all surveys, whether official or
not, and that it was necessary that all
deeds should be submitted to the County
Surveyor for inspection before trans
fer, and that all changes from original
lines be entered on plats kept by him
for that purpose, and that the courts
and County Commissioners be COM
PEELED to employ the County Surveyor
for all surveying if he is competent,
and that it was especially necessary to
make the fees of County Surveyors
equal to the fees of other county officers
for similar work.
Was there any public necessity for
the assembling of, a convention of
County Surveyors for such a purpose,
when it was impossible for them to do
so without negleoting their official du-
ties? For it can't be possible that they
can afford to employ deputies when the
burden of their prayer is for more
work and more fees-especially the
latter. Hence, if not actually employed
III field work, they ought to be at their
offices, posted and ready for the first
call. The public whO'elected them to
office expect and demand as much
assiduity and prompt attention to busi-
ness from County Surveyors as they do
from the Clerk of the Court or County
Recorder, and they are as ready to re-
sent the shortcomings of the one as the
other. They were elected to Ser0e their
employers at stipulated fees, according
to contract, and not to dictate either the
character of the work or the compen-
sation. Much less were they expected
to band together or join in strike for
higher wages and virtually establish
cirCumlocution Office for the purpose of
incumbering the transfer of real estate
and thereby increase their own per-
quisites.
Let us examine one item, and see how
it would work. Every deed must be
examined by the County Surveyor be-
fore it is transferred on the duplicate
for taxes, l suppose, according to their
programme, and an examination fee
paid. An error in the description is
pointed out; the deed is worthless. A
new deed must be made out and exam
ined like the other. That also, owing
to the carelessness of the lawyer or the
copyist, is faulty, the error pointed out
and the fee paid, of course, and another
new deed would have to be made and
examined by the Surveyor, and his cer-
tificate of correctness obtained when
his fee is paid. But, according to their
proposed amendment of the law, all
lands must be surveyed by the County
Surveyor, and he will furnish you cor
rect field notes, of course, when you
pay him, which will be copied into the
deed. But before the deed can be en-
tered for transfer it must be examined
by the County Surveyor, and his fee
paid. What for? Simply to see if the
field notes were correctly copied. In
the name of common honesty and our
common schools, is there no one in the
county capable of verifying the correct
ness of a copy except the County Sur
veyOrG The whole movement has dis
graceful aspect about it. If amechanic
or laborer contracts to serve another
for a given time and compensation, and
attempts to compel his employer to pay
more than the contract price before his
time expires he would be condemned
as dishonest. 1t is much more so for
County Surveyors to combine to force
law through the Legislature to in
crease their fees while occupying the
office. Each one of them has the OPP
tion of resigning if the compensation
does not suit him, and the general feel
ing of an over-taxed people is that
County Surveyors, as well as other
county officers, are too well paid al
ready. They have been thriving and
growing arrogant, while the people are
crushed into bankruptcy and despair;
while the officials who have grown fat
on their misfortunes are like the leeches
never satisfied, but cry for more.
Step down and out, like men, if the
terms don't suit you. The people mean
to supply your places with equally good
service at a cheaper rate. The times
demand it, and instead of the Court
and County Commissioners being COM
PEELED to employ County Surveyors ex-
clusively, hope that all surveying
shall be awarded to the most competent
and lowest responsible bidder. Let
competency, responsibility and econ
omy rule. The rapacity of some of
the official fraternity Of our own county
has been proverbial. When such con-
yantions nraV for more DerQuisites it is