The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-05-24

In their rounds the LIGHT reporters
have frequent occasion TO visit the city
Offices In the French building, and have
repeatedly noticed the crowded condi-
ton Of things and the imperfect, or
rather entire lack, Of means provided for
the preservation and protection Of the
city records and archives. In The first
place there Is not adequate room In any
of the offices for the proper conduct OF
business, and this evil should be REM
edied at once. In the Council chamber
there Ia barely room to seat the Mayor,
Aldermen and Clerk, with scant provl-
sion for II reporter. Should citizens de-
sire to attend the meetings of the Coun-
Gil and listen to the proceedings, as they
have privilege of doing, there Is no
place for their accommodation or con-
venience. But the gravest phase Of the
whole matter, and that to which the
LIGIIT desires 10 call the attention OF
the city government and the public gen
orally, is the great insecurity OF
the city records and Important
public documents, the preservation and
proper arrangement OF which Is OF
serious interest TO the public. In the
Offices of the Tax Assessor and Tax Col
lector the books, papers and records per-
tanning to these. important departments
are slowed away in all sorts of odd
places and vacant corners, without re-
gard to any arrangement or order. In
many instances they have been indls-
criminatcly thrust into dusty pigeon
holes, in others bundled into old boxes
like worthless rubbish, and In still many
more are cast in heaps upon the floor.
They are readily accessible and evil dis
posed parties can easily carry them
away. These scattered, disordered,
dusty and sooiy papers contain the NUM-
ments of titles and evidences of proprie-
torship of estates and personal property.
They fix the status Of property, give
evidence of who rendered it and paid
taxes upon 1t. Should y fire occur in this
building or Its immediate neighborhood
the result is readily apparent. These
wholly consumed or scattered to the
four winds ofhcaven in the hurly-burly
of trying to save other contents of the
building. Endless and expensive litiga-
tion often resulting In the rightfi1 own
ers being outrageously robbed and made
the victims of designing spectators
would follow. Records of delinquent
| tax lists would be destroyed and no end
OF trouble would result hence. A cursory
glance will convince even the most ig-
norant in such matters that these rec
| ords are practically and absolutely
without protection against fire, thieves
or vandals and that the interests and
rights of taxpayers hourly jeopardized
by the longer continuance OF this state
of affairs. Public interest demands that
an immediate remedy for this unsatls'
factory condition of things should bs
found. These important papers SHOULD
be carefully collected and properly ar
ranged in some place where they
will be safe, for the convenience,
of those who desire to inspect them
Citizens take the precaution to insure
custody of the judicial titles to them tt
chance. The gravity of this matter
needs 10 argument to impress itsel
upon those interested; let them pay ,
visit to the city officials quarters and sec
for themselves the lack OF any means o
protecting the records, and the crampet
places in which they have to work.
The LIGIlT has before urged the neces
slty OF Improvement here, and nov
suggests that the City Council be urget
by the taxpayers, whose interests ar
jeopardiZed, to take some steps for tn,
arrangement and safe keeping of tn
records. The expense of vaults, spa
cious enough TO contain all these, is a
nothing compared to the great loss tina
would be entailed by the destruction o
even portion Of these records. Resur
rect that resolution or recommen
dalton Of the committee tina
two months ago, and NOR
visited the city police headquarters, an
take some action upon 1t. The interes
of the citizens demands it and sue
things should not be delayed. No re
port has yet been heard from the CON
mittee to which 1t was referred. TAX
some steps to provide the necessary pre-
lection for the city's archives. 1t doe
not follow from this that an extrava
gantly costly building must be erected
but II would certainly be better to hav
all the city officers and records In on
place. The matter which forms the sui
ject of this article ia of vital interest
I the citizens OF San Antonio, and the
should ponder 1t well and urge an imm,
diate action.