New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
ONE, OF BUSIEST
PUBLIC OFFICES
A Hubbub of Activity Daily
at the County Clerks
Headquarters.
DETAILS OF CHANGES
MADE SINCE 1909
William F. Schneider Defines
Character of His Many
Responsible Duties.

William F. Schneider County Clerk Of
New York. recently wrote an article for
The American Magazine" describing in
fun his many responsible duties About
four thousand persons visit mis- Office daily
The article is in part as follows.
If YOU could transport yourself In I'M
agination to the old county courthouse
between the hours Of and O'Clock YOU
would find yourself in the midst of as
vigorous a hubbub Of activity as ever
marked the operations Of busy manu-
featuring plant. You would see lawyers
rushing in 10 file papers or 10 examine
them; clerks hurryng to obtain important
documents To be used In the trial Or
cases young men and women from law
Offices seated at desks assduously copy
ing records. and the public at large COM
ing in for information on every coaceiv-
able question, from marriages and births
10 death and divorce. all thinking that the
County Clerk is "A well Spring Undecided
Of inexhaustible facts and fancy for the
people of the world.
II is a safe Gale Ilation that next 10
the postofiice. and possibly the office Of
the Collector Of tho Port more people
call at the County Clerks Office OF bust
ness than az any other public office in the
City Of New York
There are very few people who under
stand the various duties the County Clerk
is called upon TO perform. By virtue Of
his office he is the clerk of the Supreme
Court and the custodian Of all court rec
~ sta tut ba &c oil ~ ho ~
Board OF Canvassers and officially not-
fes successful candidates for member Of
Assembly OF their election lie must also
be present at all jury drawings other than
those OF the Municipal Court. and he is
head of the Bureau OF Naturalization Of
the Supreme Court OF this county
He is the custodian OF marriage H.
censes where the ceremony has been per-
formed In the county. and the office Is
also the repository Of all divorce DEGREES.
He keeps the seal of the Supreme Court
Of this county; registers all medical prac-
titioncrs trained nurses, and issues all
hunting licenses; he keeps all original
election records and registers all notaries
public, dockets all judgments for money.
and In many other ways enters intimate
y into the life OF the community.
Assuming office In January. 1910. / soon
discovered that throughout the whole
office there was an absolute lack Of sys-
TEN. and Immediately found it TO be the
most unsanitary public office that | had
ever visited. brought the attention OF
Justice Giegerch. chairman OF the Court
house Committee. and Borough President
McAneny TO the necessity OF at once re-
arranging the physical condition of the
office. and by special invitation had them
inspect the premises and note their I'M
saritary state. So impressed we're they
that Pre- sident McAneny requested NE TO
submit al once plans Of changes | de-
sired m de. and he almost Immediately
acted upon hem
In removing old partitions II was dis
covered that dust an inch thick had re-
maine1 untouched for many Years Nalu-
able papers were covered thick with dust.
and In many cases were unreliable The
condition OF the basement was such that
when an attorney had 10 go down there
to examine papers IL was as II he had
been sen, TO prison to do the work Ab-
solutsly 10 care was taken OF anything
Carelessness and Indifference seemed 10
reign supreme. and In the event OF
fire records would have been destroyed
which could never have been replaced.
| had the old wooden. flooring ripped
out in al. the rooms and in its place a
cement flooring laid. thus making the
building hreproof wherever records were
Continued on second page, third column.