Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-12-03
REGISTERS OFFICE
TOOK IN $4,000
$2O,SlO.23 Went to County
After Expenses We're
Paid.
ALWORTH'S REPORT FOR
YEAR is ENCOURAGING
Changes Made Since He Took
Office All Proved Ben
eficiaI.

County Register Thomas p. AL
worth today made public his annual
report for the fiscal year. which
ended November 10 last. The report
showes the total receipts for the office
during the year to have been $751;
4s4.74, an increase of 5 1,sS7.76 over the
preceding year.
The total number of documents
handled during the year was 60,227.
an increase of about 1000 over 1911.
Deeds, mortgages, cancellations and
transcripts make up more than 1900
of the total of documents hat passed
through the office.
The number of each sort of docu-
ment handled n the amount re-
ceived for the same is as follows:
Two hundred and sixty-flve certi-
fled copies. 615.40; 1856 deeds, sl9.-
1851; 12,S32 mortgages, $19,45475;
1850 assignments. $2,61e.25; 5,313 chat
tel mortgages, sc, 154.51 1,105 releases,
81, 1874. 80; 426 discharges, $236.S0; lab lis
pendens, 500. so; so powers of attorney,
$3.50; 317 miscellaneous papers,
$264.10 9,092 cancellations, ST.
$3.50; 10, 541 transcripts. 50, sos. 20. Fl
maps filed, s91; 6 official searches, $52;
a total of $50, 434.7 "a. or an average of
81, 952.S8 per month. May was the
heaviest month, when the volume of
business reached $5,512.44.
Out of the total receipts the salaries
of the office were paid, amounting to
s31. 124.51, and also the salary of the
county register, 81, 800, a total of $780,
624.51, leaving q balance turned into
the county treasury of $50, S10.23.
During the two years incumbency
of Mr.. Alworth numerous changes
have been made in the conduct of the
office, and all have proved vastly bet
ter than the old system. During the
year just closed sixteen new type
writing machines have been installed,
so sthat now practically all of the
copying of records is done by ma
chine instead Of in longhand.
Not only does this save time and
enable the office work to be kept
right up to date" said Mr.. Alworth,
but it also helps the searchers and
others who have to go through the
records. Typewriter records are far
easier to read than the old style record
written in many different styles OF
hand penmanship.'
Another improvement has been the
recopying and reindeXing of the lis
pendens and discharge records. The
Ole records in these two instances
were so badly worn and torn as to be
almost undecipherable in some cases.
This work was all done by the regu-
lar staff of the Office without calling
in extra help.
During the year 1O5 maps of build
ing plots were made to replace worm
out and torn ones, another improve
ment that is appreciated by those who
have dealings with the office.
County Register Alworth and his
deputy, w. X. Thomas, today exhib-
tied two books that are more than
record books; they r historical rec
ords. One Is a book of deeds dating
from 1725, when the first entry was
made in It by Michael Kearney, clerk.
The writing and spelling is of the old
English type, and each new entry is
commenced with a fancy Gothic in
itial letter. Only about seventy-ffve
pages are filled in this book, the last
entry having been made in 1901. AL
though the first entry was made in
this book almost 200 years ago. the
writing is still perfectly legible, al
though the ink has faded to a rusty
brown. The fact that only seventy
1--WE pages were used in this book
show that very few real estate trans
fers were made in those days.
The other book is the original field
book of the Morris and Essex canal,
dated 1927, and shows property en-
tirely vacant at that time that is now
covered with factories, stores and
dwelling houses.