The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29

other places Ground New York, and say that by
way. Even White Plains aud Jamnica have
York. while in Rockiand and Richmond
counties lawyers have less trouble in getting at
at the east end OF City Hail Park. - ''''''"N
,o one = now OF The h,i stTGnE e. RsnpportesEs sS Of the project
NJ Mr. s oSm Sp'i is tEo rs 1Sf.sser di s9n@si WITH Mimsi his
present quarters and is in u constant state OF
mental 1Eit =. 9yer the things in his charge.
now papers that were brought to him, on the
ground that he couldn't hold the building up
possible combustion in some one Of the dreary
cells. where great patches OF records pile up on
top OF them. Mr.. sohmer has tried to remedy
things since he has been in office, but
,Ss p sssH noas'S ., 70 Pu5 Dc WORK nrs's % and o sse
Board OF Estimate and Apportionment seem to
s soHsd f cos his c sn ni.n; SCI x 200 tns when I1rs' ,R Rta sSnn tnf
budget was made up. and. a. a result, he says.
he was Obliged to let a number of employees 90
Sohmer has requisitioned tho Public Works De-
partment for about two dozen different things,
doors. n half dozen chairs. and one desk. MIR.
Sohmer asked that the binding room be cleaned
lawyers coats. a numncr Of coats having been
stolen from pegs while their owners wore at
Mr. MIS- sohm ms1'@ says s' 'n 4 fr TsG o,her n mds sFsp'r re-:
quests were that the only fire extinVuisher in
the place he repaired. that a SAFE be put
In, that q detail Of police be sent for duty in
the building. that in cases be provided for the
old city maps, that bars he put in tho windows.
30 that the cleaners might work without being
In danger OF falling. and that chairs be pro-
vided for the folio writers. who now have the
ting on soap boxes. Mr.. Sohmcr asked for new
ventilators and q whole lot of other things
that he didn't get. and he is satisfied now that
he will never be able to do justice to his office
until he has a new building aud can feel that
the records are safe.
To even an mex perienced eye the complaints
against the present Registers office seem TO be
just beyond question:. 1t Is on the top floor that
parent. There is one big room there. with long
libers OF records. tables for LAWYERS to stand up
to and write on. and n dozen small desks for tho
folio writers and coplers of old documents. At
building on this floor. however. are two small
rooms, almost closets. where the oldest of the
city records are kept. In these rooms are
some OF the most ancient volumes relat-
ords in tho Dutch language are in Albany. aud
translat!ons OF some OF the deeds are on the
shelves in these rooms. The oldest original
records are contained in a volume of trRnsac-
The Dutch language Is used exclusively in the
earliest records in the volume but after 1867
sor:e OF the documents are in Dutch and some in
English. Among the volumes labelled CON
veyances" in the early part OF the eighteenth
century are copies of agreements by which boys
bound themselves TO serve AS apprentices. They
promised obedience and industry, and were for
hidden to haunt ale houses, taverns. or play
houses" and in return were to get instruction
in the art or mystery OF a butcher" or the
art or mystery of a barber or periwig maker"
There are a great many OF these rare old rec
ords In the Office. and most OF them are in hope.
lessly confused piles OF papers. and books in
these two dark rooms. In case OF fire they could
never be reDlaced.