The times., 1898-08-04

information respecting the early history
of the District of Columbia under the mu-
nicipal governments OF Washington and
Georgetown, and also the county, which
prior to the year 1871 was under the ju-
risdiction of the levy court, and embraced
all the territory in the District of Colum-
bia lying within the boundaries of the
aforementioned cities.
THE foundation FOR all titles to prop
erty in this city is contained in said rec
ords. inasmuch as they show the rela-
tions existing between the United States
and the original proprietors at the time
Washington was selected as the tempo
rary and permanent seat of government
of the United States, and which, under
an engineer and commission apo nted
by the President, was plated, surveyed
and laid out into streets, avenues ard
squares, the last of which were divided
between the United States and the pro-
prietors of the original tracts.
THE books of record. showing the orig
inal divisions and subdivisions of prop
erty in this city, now in the custody of
the surveyor of the District of Colum-
bia, are the only official ones extant. and
their loss would be irreparable to the Dis
trict of Columbia and the property own
ers. In order TO save the records from
further DETACHMENT and injury | sugges.
that duplicate copies be made of the rec
ords not already copied, and that the
copies already made be verified by care
full comparison with the originals, and
their correctness certified to by the sur
veyor or assistant surveyor of the Dis
trict of Columbia This would give them
legal status. and the originals could then
be put in a place of safety, and used only
in cases of litigation.
ITO execute the work necessary for
copying and comparing copies of said
records would require an annual appro-
priation of $500 until the work is cor1-
pleted. This sum would be required for
the employment of a competent drafts
man at 81, 400 per annum, in making copies
of the records, and the employment of a
clerk at 81, 200 per annum TO assist in the
performance of the work generally and
the verification of the copies.
I'm special report made by Mr. Henry
b. LOCKER, the surveyor of the District of
Columbia, February @ 1898, to the EnSi-
neer Commissioner he strenuous;v adYo-
Gated the fire proofing of one of the Office
rooms used by him in the new wing Of The
city hall, so that the records of the sur
veyors office might be placed therein az
the close of the official day and thus he
saved from destruction in case OF .lre ,idr-
ing the absence OF the surveyor and MS
subordinates. The floors of the offices are
made of wood and rest on brick arches.
but the entire construction of the rooms
overhead is OF wood and liable to destruc-
ton by fire at any time. The buidirEs l.
patrolled by a watchman boch day and
night, so that while a confiagratinr might
be remote possibility and might NOT &C.
cur during the occupancy of the rooms by
the surveyor, l think ii advisable 10 use
every means to preserve and protect the
valuable records of this Office from de-
struction injury by either fire or water.
The surveyor gave this matter serious
and thoughtful consideration and devised
a plan. which he submitted 10 the EnGi-
neer Commissioner of the character of the
work and the manner in which ne wished
il done"