The times., 1899-05-10
4 Dispute over THE
SURVEYORS RECORDS
Criticism of the Methods of
Transcription.
Confusing AnnOtations Made in Red
Ink and by Pencil.
Nr. LOCKER Replies That the Remed! !!
Has Been Appiicd-Further Inn
provements Suggested.

A dispute recently arose over the tran
scription of the records of the office of Dis
trict Surveyor into new books. Conway
Robinson, an attorney, called the atten-
ton of Commissioner Ross to certain aBno-
taticns which appear on the plats in this
Office, and which he thought should not be
transcribed on the new records, inasmuch
as they were not part of the original plats
now in the archives of the War Depart
ment. Mr.. Robinson said that the records
as transcribed were being compared in the
Surveyors Office, and showed that certain
annotations in red ink nave been very i'm
properly" made from time to time.
Mr. Robinson thought that in compar-
ing the Transcribed records the copies now
being made should be exact reproductions
of the original copies in the Office of Col
onel Bingham, Superintendent of Public
Buildings and Grounds. He also believed
that the original records should be util-
lied for comparison, and all notes omitted,
to which end only one volume should be
made at time. Mr.. Robinson also thought
the new copies would not be evidence un-
der the law if they carried with them new
matter not on the original records.
The Commissioners forwarded these sug-
gestions and objections to the Surveyor,
who replied that the facts were stated cor
rectly as they existed at the time Mr.. Rob-
nson examined the transcription.
Since then Surveyor LOCKER states,
''in the new copy of Book 1-327. Record
OF Squares, now in constant use in the
Surveyors Office and to which no object
ion has as yet been raised by the large
number of title-examiners and attorneys
who have used it, l have appended to each
transcribed ncte not originally on the page,
statement as to the form in which such
note appears on the original, whether in
red ink or pencil.
I'm that way ! have Simply made re-
production to prevent entire destruction by
wear and tear. 1t is obvious that some
thing must be done to prevent such ire
parable loss. AT to Mr.. Robinsons point,
that any copy made now should go back
directly to the unbound sheets in the War
Department, which are presumably the or
iginals Of all data in existence as to the
subdivision of the squares of the City of
Washington, and their partition between
the United States and the original pro-
prietoTs, feel constrained to say, in view
of the conditions of the case, ] think il a
matter of grave doubt that such action
would be either feasible or legal.
In the case of Ashley against Bradshaw,
recently decided by the Court of Appeals
l am informed by Mr.. Darlington. upon
whoes standing at the bar is unnecessary
to comment, and who was counsel in said
case fol those who base their claim to
title to certain lots in square $685. on the
penc.iled numbers ON these lots as shown
in original Book 1-S27, Records OF
Squares that the court has sustained the
verdict given him in the lower court, and
in effect sustains Mr.. Justice McComas in
the opinion that the books of Records OF
Squares which have been in constant use
in the Surveyors Office for nearly one hun
dred years have become themselves the
record, without rgard to differences from
the War Department records that undoubt-
edir exist; differences of vital character
the books were made, not to speak Of the
"anrotations" mentioned by Mr. Robinson
The careless or intentional erasure of
pencilied figures, In square 939, would evi-
IDENTIFY have greatly complicated the case
mentioned. II is easy TO rub out pencil
mark, but different to erase completely
mark in red ink, when the records are
under such thorough surveillance as here
Al of these pencilled notes and many Of
those in red ink and other colors are fast
becoming illegible. The old booh is al
ways available in settlement OF any ques-
tion as to the accuracy of the copy, but IS
retired from active service, to be followed
by all the other worn-out books whenever
/ obtain sufficient Office force TO proceed
with the work, now perforce suspended.
Il fear if Mr.. Robinson's suggestions be
adopted, confusion of the worst descrip-
tion would now result in many cases,
where the changes made in the books
many years ago have been absolutely
acquiesced in by all parties affected, in
Guiding this office. To disregard these i'm
portant addenda would now seem to me
almost. if not altogether. revolutionary,
would be removing the ancient land
marks, and would be not greatly con-
ducive TO the 'quieting of titles In con-
nection with this matter / cannot too
strongly urge that no completion Of the
fire-proof vault in this Office the Commits
sioners take action on my exhaustive re-
port Of January %. 1898, on the right of
the Surveyor 10 the control of all records
of divisions of squares now on file in the
War Department, which report shows the
extreme inconvenience to the general pub
lie having occasion to examine these rec
ords, by reason of the distance of the War
Department from the centre of legal and
land business in this city and to the fact
that these records are not generally acces-
sibie TO the public, as they would have TO
be. under necessary restrictions as to hand
ling, in this Office where by law they be-
long
The Commissioners have endorsed the
statement made by the Surveyor.