The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1915-09-17
Tract Index Endorsed
By The Taxpayers
Position of County Commits.
sioners on This Matter
Explained.


keeping up complete tract index
system for Latah County has been
attacked in the Courts, presumably
by certain interests, and the good
intent Of the Board Of County Com
missioners in ordering same INSTALL
ed, questioned, we think that few
lines Of explanation in regard to
the benefits to accure to the real
property owner of the County, es-
pecially, in the installing of said in
dex, will not be amiss.
Perhaps all do not thoroughly un-
derstand just the system of indexing
a tract, or numerical, index, said
method being very simple an | a meth
cd of taking each subdivision of
Real Property, 40 or 160 acres, tract,
or town Lot, and indexing all instru-
ments, such as Deeds, Mortgages,
Releases, Liens, Attachments, or all
other papers recorded which affects
said tract, all under said subdivision
on one page, so that when the owner,
or any one interested in said tract,
calls for the title or cares to look up
the record on said tract, the tract
index is produced with a complete
history of all matters effecting said
real property indexed under said
tract or subdivision, all on one sheet,
condensed and easily checked by any
one, thus enabling property owners
and tax payers of the County, or
any one interested to feel free to
call for this public record and look
up the title to his or her property,
and to know that the person in
terested has a perfect right, and
access, to all information contained
therein, and with a great saving to
the taxpayer individually, and of
inestimable value to the farmer, and
taxpayer, or to any business or pro-
fessional man.
We quote below extracts from let
ters received from County Recorders
of other Counties in Idaho showing
how they. as well as the taxpayers
and patrons of their Counties, feel
in regard to this tract index, which
has been in use in said counties for
a number of years.
d. E. Dandy, Recorder of Koote-
MIA County says; "The system of
Tract Indexes was introduced COun-
ty Auditor Bregaw something like
twenty years ago. At this time the
Recorder depended upon fees for re.
numeration, and among other duties
furnished abstracts of title, which
of course, necessitated the use Of g
complete tract index showing owner
ships and all manner of Liens ant
membranes. We find that thu
work of keeping the index for own
ership is very inexpensive after ;
set of books has once been properl.
prepared. Under the present Law
which requires our Assessor to indi
cate on pIatts the ownership of al
property, we find the system almos
necessity, the question of expens
to the tax payers has never bee
brought to the attention of ou
Court, and these indexes are yer
popular with the patrons of the office
especially those seeking informatio
regarding titles. We consider thes
indexes to be more than worth tn
cost of maintenance"
Sam A. Trude, Recorder of Ere
mont County, says; " In referenc
to tract indexes, beg to say that W
find them indispensable to the o.
flee, they are very valuable in givin
out information to the public as t
who is the owner of certain tracts Q
land, whether there are judgements
attachments, Mechanic Liens, Etc
against certain pieces or parcels
They are again indispensable for tn
use of the Assessor in checking tn
ownership of lands, in fact too muc
cannot be said in their favor, "
consider that they almost save tt
hiring an extra clerk in looking L
difficult information in regards
ownership, Etc, the work of keepin
the books up after you have the
once installed is very small, ju
half the work it is to index the i
struments in the alphabetical inde
es. | cannot say too much in fav'
of having said indexes. These boo
were installed in this Office abo1
Is years ago.
John P. Elmers, Recorder of Idal
~ County, says; "To any one at s
conversant with modern hooking al
recording systems there can be |
possible question aoout tine supe