The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-02-21

county that give talks in court that are
as interesting, instructive and entertain
ing to me, as the average lecture fur
nished by lecture bureaus
/ believe there are half a dozen law
firms in this county who are tit to go
against anything in the state as trial
lawyers.
In 1881 the legislature of Michigan
passed a law making the office of regis
ter of deeds of Shiawassee county a
salaried Office. The act to take effect
January 1st, 1883. That law provided
that his salary should be fixed by the
board of supervisors at not less than
$500, nor more than $2500 year
The board of supervisors was to fix the
number and salaries of his clerks, which
number and amount was to be sufficient
for the proper transaction of business.
The register was to appoint his own
clerks or deputies.
Before this law took effect the super
visors made an investigation as to the
amount of fees paid into the register of
deeds and reported that in 1884 the en-
tire proceeds of the Office amounted to
$273S.
The committee recommended resolu
tion asking the representatives in the
legislature from this county to use all
honorable means to procure the repeal
Of ~ thA o1.,fin
carried by IS yeas and 9 nays. One of
the reasons recorded for urging the re-
peal of this law was that under the
existing contract the register guaran-
teed the abstracts, bSlt under the law
giving the county the fee, the county
would have to guarantee them.
Although the population Of Shiawas-
see county has increased about 20 per
cent in the past 90 years, the early SOS
are spoken of as about the best time in
the register Of deeds Office. Owosso
and other towns We're booming.
The abstracts now in the register of
deeds Office We're bought by the board
of supervisors in January, 1881, Of Chas.
Holman and Roll Kelsey for $4,000.
The board at the same time fixed the
fees Gor abstracts, 25c an entry dor the
first 12 entries and 124c for subsequent
entries. One half of which was paid in
to the county treasury, and one half re-
tanned by the heregister who was to have
custody of the books and keep them
brdught down to date.
In six years the half paid into the
treasury amounted to something over
$1,000
Upon a petition presented tOfhe board
of supervisors setting up the fact that
the abstracts had already nearly paid
for themselves, the fees to residents Of
Shiawassee county for abstracts We're re-
dUeed one half, all of which was given
to the register for the work
7 l am informed that these are the
cheapest abstracts furnished in the state,
except one county.
There are three counties IL Michigan
in which the register of deeds, the
treasurer and clerk receive straight sal
aries and all fees paid in are turned
over to the county. In population and
wealth. the closest comparison toour
county is Saginaw.
IN Saginaw county the register, treas
lrer and clerk each receive salary Of
$4,000 a year, with deputies and clerks
to about the same amount.
Mr.. Hopkins of this city, who was
lately clerk of Saginaw county, informs
me that in addition to his salary of
$500 his chief deputy received 81, 600,
the second deputy $3.50, and about $500
was allowed for a typewriter. l find
that last October the salary of the Sec
ond deputy was fixed at $1,000 The
three officers cost the county between
$14, 900 and $4,000
The estimated receipts and perqpisites
of the several offices as reported by the
finance committee of their board Of
supervisors in October last was Sc, 900 or
about 40 per cent of the salaries
The salaries of the probate judges Of
Michigan are fixed by statute upon "a
population basis, giving Shiawassee
county's judge of probate a minimum
salary of more than half rs much as
Saginaw.
Upon the same ratio of comparison,
with like Offices in Saginaw county our
united register, treasurer and clerks
offices would get more than 1880 in
this county in salaries, and would col
lect fees for the comfy to the amount of
about $4,000.
The clerk now collects about 5000
year for the county. The register of
deeds collects small amount from non.
residents for abstracts.
The clerk gets from the county s., 900
salary. The treasurer gets 81 200. The
county pays nothing to. the register
In other words we would collect $3,-
900 with which to pay $1,000, leaving
us with $4,000 to pay as against 81, 200
now and 5000 of that collected for the
county by the clerk.
The county treasurer gets per cent
,,non tho H0uor tax which I think