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

provements he became thoroughly interest
ed In the office, and. with the energy and
thoroughness characteristic of him, Mr..
woods determined that the whole office
should be placed in a condition fully in
keeping with the improvements for which
appropriation had been made. The city hall
being IN his charge, Mr.. Woods directed
that his force of carpenters and painters
should give the recorders Office the benefit
OF their best efforts. and also directed Mr..
Z. p GLEN, the chief electrical engineer
OF the Capitol to rearrange the electric
lighting system of the office. Mr.. Woods
directions We're carefully carried out, with
the result that the recorder of deeds office
has been transformed from a dark. over
crowded place to one OF light, and, consider
ing the limited dimensions of the Office.
one of ample space. The walls are OF
light lemon shade and the ceilings of white
the combination lighting up the office, the
olive coloring OF the steel cases pleasantly
harmonizing.
The effect of these improvements is best
illustrated by the effect they produced
on a well-known resident of Washington
few days ago. Walking into the main
room of the recorders office with a deed
he wished to record, he looked about him
to leave. AT the door he met friend, a
member of the bar. Look here" said the
citizen. man who has visited the office
hundreds of times. where in the thunder Is
the recorder of deeds officer Being In
formed that he was In that very place, he
remarked well. IL any one had told me
1 would live to see the District of Column
bia provided with such record Office 1
would not have believed it." Then. after
having his deed recorded, he walked into
the private offices Of Recorder Dancy and
Deputy Recorder Dutton and heartily con-
graduated them, saying: You deserve the
gratitude of every citizen of the District for
the improvements you have secured, and X
neither of you does anything more your adj
minietration will be ever memorable for the
greatest Improvement ever effected in this
Office"
The improvements made in the recorder
of deeds Office have been most favorably
commented upon by all that have seen
them, and several days ago Justices Bar
nard, Anderson and Wright of the District
Supreme Court made a personal inspection
of the Office. So well pleased were they
with what they saw that they remarked
that the office is a model for all others in
the city hall. AS a result of this visit It
Is understood that the District Supreme
Court will at the coming session of Con-
gress make an earnest effort to secure an
appropriation for improving in a like man
ner all the offices under the control of that
court.
The first instrument recorded In the office
of the recorder of deeds was the appoint
ment of John Mackau CAN'T as clerk for
recording deeds of lands within the terri
tory of Columbia" This paper was filed
and recorded January 5, 1892, and was
copied in what is known as Liber (the
firsD of the land records of the District
Although written lib years ago. the writ
ing is still plainly legible. although the al
cient book. like many of the early record
books of the office, shows the sad havoc
played by age. Indeed. many of these early
record books are in such bad condition, their
pages being torn and worn so that parts of
them are missing. that it is the intention
of Recorder Dancy to invite the attention
of Congress to the matter, with the recon-
mendation that he be authorized to have
them recopied and the originals retired 20
the Office safe.