The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-03
IkCKSONVILLE'S ATTORNEYS.
THE BIG FIRE HAS LEFT THEM IN
BAD WAY.

court Records, Legal Papers and
Cases of Long Standing Swept Out
of Existence-LegaI Business in
The Florida City Now Practically
at standstiII Because of the Con-
ditiOn of Affairs.
Jacksonville. Fla, June 2.-Among the
many complications arising as a result of
the great fire which swept out of exist
ence. temporarily, the larger part of the
city of Jacksonville, nothing is so con-
usug as the situation of the legal fra
ternity. Although the Legislature has
been prompt in passing measures designed
10 protect the property owner and has
provided, in a measure, for the re-estab-
Iishment of titles, the status of the liti-
giant and his counsel is causing many an
nble lawyer in this city a great amount
Of perplexity and misgiving.
Proportionately, no class of citizens
have suffered as severely either directly
or indirectly as these who make their
livelihood by the practice of law. Almost
without exception, the law offices were
destroyed and the members of the bar in
most instances, lost their residences also.
Costly libraries, the result of years of ac-
cumulation and careful selection, were ut
terly consumed. Very few attorneys
saved any considerable portion of their
papers, and as a consequence are at a
loss how to renew their standing in court
in many suits where documentary evil
dence is necessary to obtain a hearing.
While the individual losses are great
the most irreparable damage comes from
the fact that every record of the Circuit
Court, every document filed with the clerk
since the days of the old English regime.
followed by the recession of the territory
10 Spain and afterward to the United
States has been wiped out These records
were kept in a building separate from the
court house, and the structure was not so
durable and more exposed. The county
Judge and sheriff were more fortunate,
and so were the tax collector and assessor.
as they were located in the court house
and had time to remove their papers
The city records were also nearly all
destroyed Cases which, have dragged
their way through the courts for over a
generation, and have been handed down
from father to son as source of income
that could always be relied on, have, in
many instance, been thrown out of court.
The immediate result has been stagnation
in legal circles, and many young lawyers
have actually been put out of business.
Among the important bills which passed
the Legislature and became law is one
making an abstract of title prima facie
evidence of title.
But in the main the party in possession
is the gamer by the destruction of so
many legal papers.
Numerous cases are admitted to be
barred by the statute of limitations,
which, before the fire, were considered in
good standing.
There has been a rush 10 the office of
the Circuit Court clerk 10 have valuable
papers and deeds recorded, and over 800
instruments have been recorded within
the past three weeks The abstract COM
panes are employing an extra force of
stenographers and typewriters for the
purpose Of eXpeditng the work of estab-
fishing titles. The loss of law libraries
has been general, and it is estimated that
100000 would hardly cover the value of
books destroyed. AS a consequence, the
establishment of a law library on a large
scale will probably result Several months
before the fire the Jacksonville Law Lii
brary Association was formed, with ]. w.
Archibald president and quite a number
of lawyers had dubbed together for the
purpose of forming a library. They til
ready had a library of considerable di-
mansions, and, fortunately for the assoc
citation, it well insured. Since the
fire many of the leading lawyers who have
lost their libraries have expressed a de-
sire to join the association and the re-
suit will be one of the most complete
libraries of the kind in the South.
President c. NJ. Cooper of the bar as
ISOLATION is of the opinion that the relief
afforded by the Legislature will help
matters considerably but does not think
that it will prevent many suits from be-
ing discontinued, where witnesses are
dead; property involved destroyed or
where in many instances the statutes in
tervene.
The uncertainty which exists has had
some effect on real estate transactions
where parties wished to SELL When court
sits again there will be a rush of per-
sons into court for the purpose of per-
fecting title. Until then legal business
IN this city will be practically at a stand
still.