The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-03-19
SHOULD PROTECT
PUBLIC RECORDS
AMERICAN PEOPLE VERY LAX I'M
SAFEGUARDING DOCUMENTS
AGAINST FIRE.
LOSSES ARE lRREPARABLE
STATE FIRE MARSHAL KELLER
STARTS ACTIVE CAMPAIGN TO /
IMPROVE CONDITION.

State Fire Marshall, C. E. Keller, is
sending notices to all county and town
officials calling their attention to the
dire need of fire resistive equipment,
and the need of special care as to
their storage vaults and safes for the
public records.
Our readers may think that it is in
credible that communities in America
show a lack of care in regard to the
safety of their records. This instance,
unusual as it may seem, is true,
Reports gathered IN the Office of the
State Fire Marshal reveals the fact
that the losses of county, town and viz
lage records are of frequent oecu1enceI
Lack of care and proper freprcof
equipment made easy The destsuction
when the demon Fire attacked them.
It is of the highest Importance that
wills, deeds, vital statistics and sinailar
invaluable documents and records
should be placed where, in event Of
fire, however fierce, they win be safe.
No town or Village however small
can afford to lose its records. Think
OF the inconvenience and hardship it
brings upon the business man, the.
working man, and the widow and orp-i
han.
In an interview with State Fire
Marshal Keller, he said: 'srhe reports
which come to this office from all oyer
the country show losses of valuable
records in the United States that are
sad and deplorable. Valuable records
and manuscripts that can never be
replaced have gone UP in smoke Z
colder communities u che Eastern
and Middle Esates ,aiss l1sofsss "a ,sz53.c.
| in this respect than those in the West
ern States.
LET me give you what ought to be
an object lesson to every official and
every man who may have only scrap
of paper to go on record 1t happened
in Waterford, New York, the second
richest town of its size In the State.
A number of years ago Waterford had
a big fire. Nearly everything per-
tanning to town records was destroyed.
The trouble that fire caused has never
ceased.
J Waterford has not even profited by
her severe lesson. Let us not have
this kind of loss in Minnesota.
"After a careful inspection of public
buildings by our deputies, we have
found that towns in Jour own state
should be on their guard and provide
absolute safety for their records.
IF fire was to start in some of
these buildings valuable records would
be quickly destroyed and the loss
would be felt for long time.
every court house, and building
used to store public records, should be
equipped with fire proof vaults with
metal fittings and containers through
out. Books and records should be
properly bound. The use of wood or
any comubstable material in any room
where public records are kept, should
be strictly prohibited. ~
cit should be the duty of the Off
Gals who are responsible to the county
or town for the safe keeping of public
records, to agitate the question of
safety, without ceasing, until freproof
equipment has been provided.
Then rules should be laid down as
to the storage, each night, of the
records and every care possible be
made to see that they are safe"