Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-14

superintend the improvements and the ex-
penditure therefor. Deputy Recorder Dut-
ton, at the request of the recorder, ex-
planned to Mr.. Woods the requirements Of
the Office as to the character and extent of
the improvements and the suggestions OF
Mr.. Dutton were embodied in plans pre-
pared under Mr.. Woods supervision. These
plans provided for steel cases for the vol
umes in which the recorded instruments
since the inauguration of the office. more
than 100 years ago, have been copied; steel
file cases for the unclaimed deeds and other
instruments relating to real and personal
property; steel cases for the office station
cry and other supplies; steel shelving and
other conveniences for the clerks and copy
lists OF the Office.
The cases for the record books were placed
against the walls of the three rooms run
ming eastward from the main office. and
aisles were made OF them In the last two
rooms. In the room on the east, next to
the main office, cases were also provided for
the induces. these cases being provided with
roller shelves. In these cases the volumes
lie on their sides. while the volumes con-
tanning the recorded instruments are placed
standing to secure the required economy of
space. The file cases. containing the un-
claimed and current recorded instruments
and those for the miscellaneous papers of
the office. are erected in the main Office
room.
In these four rooms the floor and win
dow frames and doors are the sole pieces
of woodwork now remaining, for even the
desks and tables are now of metal and re-
Gently, after making a very thorough In
spection of the Office, Chief Belt of the
>re department expressed the opinion that
he office Is now practically fireproof. TT
would, said the chief. "be practically i'm
possible to destroy these records by fire,
protected as they now are. In fact, 1 be-
lieve that 1t would take fire of sufficient
magnitude to destroy the whole building to
destroy the records of this Office The
wooden floors, however. should be replaced
by floors of concrete construction, and a
steel door should replace the wooden one
between the Office and the file room of the
clerks office of the District Supreme Court.
for this file room Is a serious menace to the
whole building. and should fire start In 1t
now, filled as 1t is with papers and wooden
shelving. the total destruction of the room
and its contents could not be prevented
unless the fire department reached the
scene in the first minute or two. The re-
corder's Office l regard as one of the best
protected / have seen. and, as 1 have said
consider Its records now practically safe
from fire."
The cases in which are now placed the
volumes Of recorded instruments are Of
steel. They reach within foot or two Of
the ceiling and are about eighteen inches
deep. The only opening is in front, closed
after office hours by sliding steel curtains
which lock automatically, the upper half
OF these curtains rolling upward and the
lower half downward. The steel construc-
ton of these cases not only protects the
records against fire, but also prevents mice
from attacking them. They are also nearly
dustproof. The file cases In which are placed
the unclaimed recorded instruments and the
miscellaneous papers of the Office are as
tightly closed, and are locked in sections
by simple locking device. Sliding draw
ers are provided for all the cases. and the
lower part of several Of them are SO ar
ranged as to provide safe-like receptacles
for the storage of unused record books and
the like. The main office. where the cur
rent business Is transacted, now has the
appearance of banking institution, the