The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-22
City Recorder Brings Order Out Of
Chaos.
STRENGTHENED UP PAPERS
DOES MORE WORK AND WITH
LESS HELP.
Secured the Payment From the State
to the City of a Claim For
$500 That Had Been Twice
Turned Down, Thus Saving More
Than the Amount OF His Salary.

A mention of the excellent records
made by Democratic city officials would
be incomplete without some data from
the office of City Recorder Backman.
Too much credit cannot be given to this
careful and palnstaking official. He has
not made his office a mere side issue
to further political schemes.
Instead he has devoted to it his en-
| tire time and the results are shown by
an inspection of his books. Prior to
his first term the affairs OF the Office
/ We're conducted by five men. When, in
| 1894, Mr. Backman took up the reins
i for the first time, he saw that if the
head OF the department was sufficiently
diligent the force could be reduced.
Force Cut Down.
He therefore suggested that the work
be done by three men. This was done
and the work was never so Well kept
UP. An insight into Mr.. Baekman's
first difficulties must be given i'll order
to SHOW the Herculean task he set for
himself.
AT that time all papers were labeled
and filed away in the vault by dates
and no check on papers taken ont could
! be had. If Il visitor desired a paper,
an extended search of the vault became
necessary. The system adopted by Mr..
Backnlan and still in vogue, is adapted
from the county recorders Office.
It consists Of consecutive numbering
and filing, o corresponding number ap
pearing in the record and index and
the finding of any matter wanted in the
index locates it in the vault without
further search. If for any reason the
paper desired is not there, in it's place
viii be found a receipt showing just
who took it.
Improved the Indexing.
He also improved the system of in
deXing by adding a subject-ipdex. Pc
titions prior to his time We're indexed
only under the name of the petitioner,
and in the case OF several persons sign
ing, it was difficult to find the paper,
as the name of the first Slgner only
would appear indeXed, The triple in
deX now in use gives the name of pc
titioner, subject-matter and depart
ment. Reports of city officers and COM
mittees, also ordinances and resolu-
tons, are similarly indeXed, which is q
great convenience to the public, though
entailing mere work in preparing the
record.
MI Backnan desires it stated that
Mr.. Emery, who held the office during
the term intervening between his two
terms, was a painstaking official and
followed closely the system adopted by
bdCAItldlb Ill lcJ4. rOQIlllS5 lIiG pics
eTat term Mr.. Backman has gone over
all the files conveniently labeled each
class CT work, numbered the pigeon
holes, and made an index of the vault,
which materially facilitates the finding
of old matters.
Secured Payment of Claim.
There is another sample of Mr.. Back
mans diligence which is entirely out
side the routine duties of his office.
During the last session of the legisla-
ture he investigated the claim of the
city against the state for 49, 700 for
improvements at the capitol grounds.
Although this claim had once been de-
MED by the state board Of examiners
and once by the capitol hill commission,
Mr.. Backman was not discouraged.
He gathered his facts and marshaled
them before the board of examiners
in such q forcible style that the claim
was promptly allowed. Subsequently
the CLAIM was allowed by the legislature
and the city got its money. Thus in
this one item alone the present city
recorder saved more than the amount of
his salary for his entire term of two
years.
Another matter that might be
touched upon in this resume of the
recorders department relates to IL
censes. The recorder issues ali IL
cenSeS upon the receipt of the treas
urer, and keeps the license register.
The fact that this is always up to date
has in some measure aided the treas
urer in making the good record he has
in making collections, as the re ord
show that formerly many licenses ere
not issued nor registered until after
their expiration.
Saving In Salaries.
A saving has been made in the de-
partment during the. past two years
in salaries. In addition TO a reduc-
ton of the recorders salary of $500 per
year, the record of the board of public
works has been kept by the recorders
clerk thereby saving the expense of a
clerk for the board: and although about
5000 licenses have been issued in excess
of the previous two years no extra
help has been paid for by the city.
Through his exertions the city has
purchased a record-typewriter which
prints directly upon the record, and the
work of which presents an appearance
far surprising that of a pen-written
record or one bound after being writ
ten. The neatness and accuracy of his |
record is commented upon by those who |
have occasion to do business with his |
office.
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