The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-03-17
Mr.. Griffin. of the special oommitte, re

court mousse square, let, but the contract FOR
a gutter had only been let with due regard
to the action Of the board. The contract for
this was $3.50, to be of glazed blocks, with
eight inches Of clay filing. The citizens had
agreed 10 place the fountains in position. On
motion, the contract. including the gutter,
was approved.
Apetition, from the pen of County Treas.
Adams, asking for an appropriation of 500
to defray extra clerk hire expense, In the
delinquent tax list, was referred to the fee
and salary committee.
Probate Clerk Helmig. asked in very just
language, for two extra clerks or deputies
The petition is as follows:
To DE Honorable Board Of Supervisors Of la
Sale County:
GEsrLEMEN:-I take this opportunity Of
calling to your attention the fact that in
order to properly perform all the work Of
Probate Clerks Office, as required by law, it
will be necessary to have, in addition to the
help now employed in said office, at least
two more assistants, probably three.
The entire time of one clerk is taken up
in waiting on the public, that is, answering
correspondence and personal enquiries in
relation to matters connected with estates,
etc., in said office.
To fully appreciate the above, you have
but to consider the population Of this county
now about SO, O00--and the vast number
of estates that have been or are now in
course of settlement In said court
There are now, according to the indexes in
said court, the following number of cases
to.wit: Estates, 3,l39; guardiansbips,
All conservatorships 90; making a total
Of 4 SAB cases. OF the above number prob
ably 1000 are unsettled estates and in course
Of administration, and proceedings are be-
ing had or likely to be had at any time.
When case is disposed Of in any other
court the parties learn the result, and that is
the end Of it as far as the clerk of the court
in which it is tried is concerned. In the
Probate Court 1t is far different. Estates
that have seemingly been settled for many
years are frequently the subject of enquiry
and research by heirs and other interested
parties, while information in relation to es-
tates in course Of administration is constant
ly sought.
To correctly furnish the information called
for by administrators, executors. guardians,
conservators and their bondsmen, heirs of
estates, judgment creditors or claimants and
other parties in interest, entails upon the
clerk the examination of records and files,
and frequently keeps two men busy.
The public, as you will agree with me, is
entitled to any information contained in the
court records, bat few who desire such in.
formation are familiar enough with court
records to ascertain the facts for themselves,
consequently this work alone, which, on an
average. will keep one man busy, falls on
the clerk.
The work in the Probate Clerk office for
the year ending November 30, 1887, showed
an increase of thirty per cent over the year
previous.
During the twelve months mentioned
there were letters issued in l45 new estates,
AZ new guardianships, and 10 in oenserva-
torships There were, besides this, 1872
judgments entered up.
Fully ninety per cent of the claims upon
which said judgments are based were made
out in the Office. and the atfidavits drawn
and sworn to. This work the clerk is not
properly required 10 perform. but by long
continued custom the people have grown to
expect such service For this no fees are
demanded or received.
The earnings of the Office for the year end
ing November 80, 1887, amounted to 81, 307.-
50; the total receipts during said time we're
$3,s3S, and the expenditures $3,304.65,
leaving balance of cash on hand, which
was paid into the treasury of the county,
amounting to S533.35. In the above item of
is included S637.50 paid out
for extra clerk hire" for work upon the
records of said Office, and the board have
refused to approve the reports Of the clerk
as to said Item of 1857 80.
Still, with such extra clerk during the
said twelve months, and in addition thereto
another to whom the clerk out Of his pri
vate purse paid the sum of $50, it was i'm
possible to keep up the work, which was
over three months behind at the close Of the
year, and at this date. March 10, the prin-
cipal recrod probate Record) is five months
behind, the report records eight months and
some others from three to five months be-
hind.
The work of the Probate Court is composed
largely of record work, as nearly every
document filed has to be recorded at length.
The general Probate Record in which Is
recorded all orders, judgments and DEGREES
of court, is written from the judges docket.
and to properly write the same up from the
judges minutes, which are necessarily
brief, and to prepare the same in proper and
legal form and phraseolsgy, requires some
skill, experience, and general knowledge
of the law in relation to the administration
of estates, of guardian and ward and con-
SENATORS.
Besides the general probate record there
are the administrator record, administra-
tor de bonis non-record, administrator with
will annexed record, executors, guardians,
will, inventory, appraisement
bill, widows REIMBURSEMENT and selection
records, sale bill records (botb public and
private), judgment dockets with direct and
Indirect indexes, administrators and execu-
tors and guardians report record, aud
many others.
desire to state to the board OF super
visors that have no object in asking for
additional help other than to properly per
form the duties of my office as the law di-
reefs and as the public has right to de
mand. aud want to say right here, that in
asking this board to supply the help which