The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-10-22
A MODEL. OFFICE.
Ahe Judge Of Probate, by Hard
work. Brings Order Out Of
(haOs.


relating to estates of deceased citizens Of
Leon county have been accumulating in
the office of the Judge of Probate, many
OF them being SO old that the paper has
changed to a parchment color and the
writing become almost ilegible And
these, in the years gone by, have been
moved from one office to another until
they became jumblcd up into such con-
| fused heaps that it would require many
hours of a patient mans time to locate any
desired paper-an impatient one would
never find it. Then the style of keeping
the records in this office has been too com
picated for ready reference In fact, the
condition of the Office had become so cha
otlc that the grand jury at the last term of
court gave it pretty sharp dig in their
general presentment.
Saturday FLORIDIAN reporter dropped
into the office and found Judge r G. Long
and his clerk, Mr. Call Brevard, hard at
work bringing order out Of the chaos
Every paper in the office is to be carefully
systematic order-the system adopted be-
ing perfect.
The work is being done alphabetically,
each estate being indexed in regular order
with the file number in red ink, and all the
papers in each estate being arranged in reg
ular order and numbered, and index of con-
tents recorded on the outside of each en-
yelOpe, the file number being on the end
For instance, suppose you call at the of
fee to enquire what amount of bond was
given by the administrator in the estate of
John Brown. The index book is opened
At b. and opposite John Browns name
You ind the file number in red ink, then
turn 70 the shelving ana pick ou, the en-
Gt.ope bearing Tie same number, this con
lains ali the papers filed in This estate, and
you see from the endorsement on the back
OF The envelope that the bond is, say No ).
Each voucher accompanying every annual
rcc"ant is also numbered and filed in regu
lar order, and everything relating to the
estate is fully covered by explanatory pa
pers, and every paper in its place.
And, be il remembered, the tees for re
cordng and filing these papers were col
lccled years ago, Judge Long not receiv-
ing a cent for the laborous work he has
undertaken but he will have the satisfac-
ion of knowing that his office is system
atical)y arranged, and that he can find
any paper wanted in few moments.
But the greatest of all improvements in
the office is the new set of books-an en-
tire new system of recording planned and
arranged by Judge Long-and more
thorough, comprehensive and perfect sys-
tenn could not be devised.
Seven OF the books used in this system
have just been turned out by the Times
Union book and job office, and excellent
work is. They are supcrroyal in SIZE,
made Of the best Byron Weston paper,
ruled according to ihc pattern drawn by
JUDGE Long, with neatly printed heads
m'l bound, spring backs, indeXed in black
and gold End wearing canvass jackets-as
iuc work IS could be done by and North
tIn TO kmaker.
The new system of recording consists of
twelve books AS follows: General peti
tons, orders at chambers, record of wills,
letters testamentary and of administration,
letters of guardianship, record Of bonds,
inventory and appraisment, administrative
sales, register of estates, annual returns Of
executors and administrators annual re-
turns Of guardians, petitions of sale of real
estate.
Each book is complete within itself, yet
each refers back and forward, and no mat
ter what book you open first you will see
at glance on what page of each book other
matters OF the estate are recorded.
The book of orders at chancery is used as
Il botter, and at the foot of each page is
complete index of every record in that
case, giving the exact page and book of
each entry.
This system is so simple and perfect in
its arrangement that anyone can make the
entries and keep the probate business OF
the Office in a thoroughly systematic man
ner In fact, the books are like we'll reg
ulated livery stable. stall for every entry
and every entry marching into its own par
ticuar stall without being driven
We venture to say that when Judge Long
completes his work OF rearranging and re-
recording that there will not be probate
office in the SOuth that can eoual thia for
convenience and thoroughness of system.
The next grand jury will find no diff
Guilty in readily referring to any paper, no
matter how old, and il they do not heartily
congratulate Judge Long upon the good
greatly surprise the FLoRIDIAN
a man who has much business with the
probate court appreciates the iuestimable