Evening star., 1898-08-03
Business Transacted Ira in the Office the
Past Year.
PRESERVATION o. FHE OLD RECORDS
Recommendation Of Special Appro-
priation for the Purpose.
FIRE-PROOF ROOM WANTED

veyor has submitted to Captain Beach, the
Engineer Commissioner, his report for the
year ending June 30, $685. The report
shows that during the year 5I6 lots were
surveyed for private parties and 5T6 GER
tif1cates of surveys issued, which, together
with the recording of the same, make a
| total of LIP plats issued and recorded.
In all cases of surveys of lots full or partial
plats of the square have to be made, show
ing the original lots and subdivisional parts
| into which the lots in the square have been
divided. This, says Mr.. Richards, is very
essential to the intelligent and correct max
ing of the survey required, and that al
though new plats are not required in each
| instance, still it would be fair to estimate
the number of new plats made at 200 max
ing an aggregate of 1872 plats.
Subdivisions Recorded.
One hundred and twenty subdivisions were
received and recorded, which, together with
the preliminary plats in duplicate and the
recording aggregate 800 plats among them
| the following:
Dedication of part of "Cliffbourne' for
widening Columbia road.
Dedication of part of "Engleside" for wild
ening Park street between kenesaW avenue
and Grant street northwest.
Establishing building line of 10th street
extended between keneSaW avenue and
Lowell street northwest.
West street extended through Cunning
hams land.
Arizona avenue between Canal and New
Cut roads.
Square 60, closing alley and opening minor
street-Newport place.
Square Az. opening and closing alley.
Dedication of L street south and 18th
east.
Dedication of land for widening Columbia
blocks = r. W1s iny-
ton Heights.
Closing alleys in blocks 1877 and 13S and
opening streets through blocks 1874, 1856, I3T
and 13S, Bureth addition to West Wash
ington,
One hundred and eleven reports upon mis-
cellaneouS subjects.
The report continues as follows:
The improvements on many of the ave-
nues, streets and alleys in the District rem
dered necessary the removal of many of
the marks of surveys which were of great
value, and in order TO preserve their exact
location for future Reference their positions
have been fixed by measurements SO that
they can be accurately replaced when the
improvements have been finished To pre-
serve these points, feqaired measurements
to be made on III avenues, streets and al
leys.
The card system. has been introduced
into this Office in alHvery modest way and
has been found tazwsrk very advantage
ously in the matter Of ready and correct
reference. It's use, thus far has been con-
fined to the personhel of the Office and in
order that the public may be benefited by
its advantages overotf1e old system of book
lndexing recommend to your consideration
and ask that a card-system outfit be pur-
chased for the use Of this office.
Suggestion renewed.
During the year5Sa seemplete inventory
has been made. of ,altS the maps, which are
of great value, after which they have been
iis5itxed and 2carefdiX hlgd away :, Three
Vclumes of nlisceilaaeouss- plats have been
carefully examined and iudexed. ss,-,
AT least one-third of the time of the
personnel of this office is devoted to the
public in giving information respecting the
original records and subdivisions of prop
erty, and other information concerning
proparty interests in the District oE CO.
Iumbia. e 5s1 = -. :
Il beg to renew the recommendation
made in former reports concerning the Old
1ecords of this office which are rapidly dis
lntesrat1ng, and which ere long will be
past saving, owing 10 the poor character
of the paper which they are made and
their continuous handling since the year
Ieo9 the date which first appears on the
records of the subdivisions. The records
IN some instances have become so badly
defaced as to render the writing AMI fig
ures unintelligible.. Every possible precau-
t1on has been taken to preserve and save
them from injury. but, owing to the fact
that they are the current books of record,
and the only ones available for the use of
The public, and are in constant use, their
condition cannot be wondered at. They
nave been bound SO often and the paper
cut so close to the writing as not 70 allow
any more to be cut therefrom without
wholly obliterating official signatures and
seals.
Ter the reason that they contain correct
information respecting the early history of
the DISTRICT Of Columbia under the Tnunic-
lpal governments of Washington and
n fhn tyafx l.; -,
prior to the year 1871. was under the ju-
risdiction of the levy court and embraced
all the territory in the District of Column
bia lying within the boundaries OF the
aforementioned cities.
Importance of the Records.
The foundation for all titles 20 property
u. this city is contained in said records in
asmuch as they show the relations existing
between the United States ard the original
rroprietors at the time Washington was
selected as the temporary and permanent
seat of government of the United States
and which. under an engineer and a COM
mission appointed by the President. was
plated. surveyed ard laid out into streets,
avenues and squares, the last of which
We're divided betwee the United States
ana the proprietors of the original tracts.
me books of record. showing the origi-
nal divisions and subdivisions of property
in this city. now in the custody of .he sur
Veyor of the District of Columbia, are the
only ohciai ones extant, and their loss
would be irreparable to the District CT Co
lumbia and the property owners. In order
to save the records from further deface-
ment and injury, 1 suggest that duplicate
copies be made of the records not already
copied. and that the copies already made
De yerined by careful comparison with the
originals. and their leoBrectness certified to
pS NE surveyor .er assistant surveyor of
them legal status and the originals could
then be put in a Aaeeeo of safety, and used
only In cases of litigation.
To execute the work necessary for copy
ing =. and comparing copies of said records
would require an annual appropriation of
5000 until the work lis completed. This
sum would be rednirfd for the employ
per annum, in making copies of the rec
o. erds. as, and and the en15loyment 5l of clerk at
ance of the work GENERALLY and the veri-
fication of the coYes,
Need of FIre-PrOof Room.
In special repent made by Mr.. Henry