St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-26

directed the abstract clerk to employ
such help as be required, and to push
the work with all possible speed. lie
did so, and instead of twelve or fifteen
thousand dollars. the total cost was but
81 800. Since then it has been found
necessary to purchase new books and re,
index those that had become worn ana
nearly illegible by reason of constant
use. No one can complain that the COST
has been eXorbitant or out or pro-
portion to the work done, and
another fact that should be re-
membered is, that the cost OF the extra
work should not be charged up to the
extravaganza of the abstract clerk. The
first was caused by the condition OF the
records at the time he took possession,
and the second was the expense OF the
necessary repairs caused by wear and
tear. Even in those large fee offices
where the lncumbents are receiving
from fifteen to forty thousand dollars
per year in fees. over and above good
round salary, the city and county are
called upon to pay good round sums IN
stationery bills, record books, etc. The
facts show that the abstract office has,
even during the dull times of the last
three years been seif-SuStaining, eX-
cepting the extra work referred to, and
a good slice of that.
''The work done is as nearly correct
as it is possible TO have it and, abstracts
can be had in from one to two days. L
have taken no active part in the pres
eut agitation for the reason that l have
no faith that any good will come out OF
it. Those most interested will so befog
the issues that the opportunity for re-
trenchment, where it could and should
40 ms IN mill mo ipCt CJOht nf and Soma
unfortunate will be made the escape
gOat'' for the sins of the larger ones.
Those who are engineering this scheme
will mistake the temper of the thinking
public very much it they expect to hide
their own shortcomings by sacrificing
that small office. The people love JUS
tice and fair play. and that is what they
will demand for the abstract clerk. I'm
til it is conclusiyely shown that he is
derelict in his duties or been guilty of a
crime, the law and all fair-minded men
presume him to be innocent"
The Abstract Office a Necessity.
Several attorneys, in conversation
Yesterday afternoon, while discussing
the adviSability of consolidating the alb
stract clerks Office with that of register
of deeds, most emphaticallY expressed
themselves as opposed to the change.
One lifelong member of the bar, and an
old attorney in practice in this county,
called attention TO the length of time
it would take to secure an abstract and
the immense cost to the property own
erS under the proposed change. With
the perfect system now prevailing by
having a separate Office an abstract can
be obtained in one or two days and at a
nominal cost; while, if the office were
consolidated with that of register of
deeds, it would return to the old style,
when, if a man wanted an abstract for
lot valued at $500, it would cost him
about one-fourth of that sum to obtain
it, besides the long delay which
would naturally result from the con-
Fiction OF methods which are now pur-
sued in the two Offices. He expressed
himself to the effect that Ramsey county
was surely large and popul0uS enough
to maintain separate office for the alb
Stract clerk, especially now that an
enormous expense had been authorized
by the board Of county commissioners,
and the district court in putting the
records III shape and lndeXing them
down to date. While real estate has
b cen somewhat dull for the past two
years, the receipts of the Office may pos
Sibly not have been 50 large a. eX-
pected, bnt when a reaction sets in, and
the city should experience another such
real estate boom as it had several years
ago, it would be impossible to transact
the combined business in one office, and
there would be all immediate cfamor by
the public for a separation in order to
avoid the veXatiouS delays which would
surely arise from the contemplated
change.