New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01

citizenship they would exceed the native
born citizens by over 10000
The work in the Office has increased In
every direction since | assumed office.
For instance In the year 1909 there were
filed and copied in duplicate 1857 mar
riage licenses. In 1910 they increased TO
34,647; In 1911, ss,62l, and in 1912, $500.
The total figures for 1913 will exceed
1900
One of the most important functions
the County Clerk has TO perform is that
Of acting as clerk Of the Board OF Alder
men when they are sworn in TO act as
Board of Supervisors to canvass the votes
cast at the yearly elections. In addition,
one of the deputies is obliged to act as
secretary, and the services OF at least
seven or eight clerks are required con-
tinuously from the time the canvass be-
gins until the official result is announced
Another important function Is the issu-
| ing yearly OF the notarial certificates.
and these have varied in number from
| 800 to 1000 during the last four years.
! The appointments are as a rule re-
ceived from the Governor about March
| I, and from then until April Is seven
or eight clerks, in addition to their
regular duties, are obliged TO swear In
the appointees and issue to them the nee
essary certificates.
| I do not believe that any mans name Is
signed more frequently to public docu-
ments than that Of the County Clerk OF
New York County, There are at least
fifty people who are authorized TO sign
my name to various documents, and |
fully believe that my name Is signed at
least !, 500 times each business day.
So many miscellaneous papers are filed
in our office that the clerks were very
much annoyed by people making In
ouiries as to where to go and what to
do with certain papers they desired 10
file. | conceived the idea that an In
formation desk would relieve the clerks
of that annoyance and also be consider
able help to the public. l had this desk
established in the latter part of 1911, and
find that on an average OF 200 people a
day stop and inquire at that desk as TO
how to proceed with the business that
they bring to the office.
r, After having made all the necessary
| changes in various departments OF my Of
| fee, and particularly the sanitary condi-
ton, ] transferred my attention TO two
' other departments, that l purposely re-
served for the last, on account OF some
new sections of thet code, which were
being prepared and drawn up by the spe-
| cal committee of the Bar Association. for
: the purpose OF establishing n more order
: ~ and methoiicaI system OF fling papers
! in actions I'm the Supreme Court, as the
| County Clerks office handles more liti-
gated work, probably, than any other
similar office in the world.
Up tc this time papers in actions were
filed haphazardly. at different times. in
| different places and different bundles. IL
keep the records OF these various papers
there were at that time various books
used for that purpose in these two de
partments that I speak of. known as the
Equity and Common Law depart
ments.
The chairman OF the special committee
Of the Bar Association called at my office
and we had few very lengthy confer
ences on the subject. and subsequently
the enactment OF the new section OF t.t
code. known as l2i5-A, which went into
effect on September |, 1911. and provided
for complete. comprehensive and mod
ern fling system. the purpose OF which
was that each judicial action. or pro-
ceeding. should be given a file number al
the time the first paper IN the action. oil
proceeding. was presented Tor Ming
which number so given to be maintained
throughout and all papers receive ed In al
action be placed in the same file, In theil
chronological order and not scattered
about In different points and entered uI
in different books In my office.
Up to this time there were about fifteeI
different books in use in both OF these de
partments. for the purpose OF making en-