Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-08-01
COUNTY CLERKS OFFICE.
NEW SECTION OF FILES ADDED.
Last Available Space Occupied and
More Room Required.-A Fire
proof Building Almost
Necessity.

The county clerks office is under
going needed repairs in the way of
overhauling to make room for another
section of filing boxes for the reception
of court records and other legal docu-
ments and important county records.
The office quarters are already over
crowded and this latest addition to its
facilities" takes up the last available
space that can be devoted for the pur-
pose, and the section of files now being
placed in position is inadequate to ac-
commodate the demands of the office.
If one will take the time to make a
visit of inspection to the clerks effice
he will be convinced that means must
be devised before long to relieve the
stress of conditions that is imposed
upon not only the clerks, but some of
the other important county offices.
The court house, rightly considered a
fine structure in the early days, and at
that time deemed adequate for capi-
tOl building for an indeterminate
period, during the 43 years since its
erection of necessity could not expand
with the growth and settlement Of the
county, and the chain of records ac-
cumulating year upon year have been
packed away wherever convenient and
in every nook and corner of the build
ing. In these days, when the value of
records is appreciated, counties COM
bine their court houses into fire-proof
buildings and great safety-vaults for
the proper conservation of important
documents. Such a provision is an
absolute necessity to avoid the danger
of destruction by fire, and the expen-
diture is rightly considered an economy
when compared with the imminent
risk which otherwise is involved.
The time is not Tar distant when this
county will be compelled to make such
provision for the storing of its records
indeed, the demand is already here
and has been tor some time. The over
crowded condition of the restriesed
capacity of the vaults necessitates that
the accommodating records be stored out
side instead of being deposited within
the protection of steel walls and abes-
tOs, out Of danger. To say nothing of
the inconvenience to the incumbents of
the court house the danger of loss
touches every tax payer and property
holder in the county.
The destruction of the records would
involve pecuniary loss that cannot
be estimated in dollars and cents.
Every freeholGer's title in the county
is dependent upon the records, and
the perfecting of an abstract of title
involves a careful perusal of the court
records as well as of those in the audit
Or's aud recorders offices. AS the
county grows in age the chain of
transfers becomes technical, and once
the chain is broken there ensues an
noying delays and tiresome legal pro-
ceedings to again invest the title in the
rightful owner. The perfecting of
titles employs no small part or the
courts attention at every term, and
then his decree is based upon the
county records. If perchance all, or
even portion, of the invaluable re-
cords were destroyed by fire or accident
the condition can well be imagined.
Although every possible precaution
is taken under the circumstances to
guard against fire at the county build
ing, still the possibility of such disas-
ter is always present in the minds Of
the custodians and creates an appre-
hension in keeping with the gravity of
the danger. The Importance of the
question of providing absolutely fire
proof compartments for the county is
thoroughly realized by the board of
supervisors, and that action upon it
must be taken before long. Its sOlu-
ton is one in which every citizen of
the county is vitality interested. A
fire, originating in any one of the Of
fees, would quickly do an incalculable
and irreparable damage.