The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-03-20
Historic Papers Missing

AAAoAOAk& QRCl0 iFAlSSlUk
i A bill is pending in the Legislature
which, il adopted, will establish a de-
partment Of Public Records. It pro-
vides full opportunity for investigating
the condition of all public records in
the state, by ascertaining what records
are in proper control, which are miss
ing and the cause and location thereof:
the Reinforcement of all lost records and
manuscripts, and the general preserya-
ton OF records.
In support Of the bill a committee
Of citizens Of which Nelson Burr Gas
kill was the chairman, made an inves-
tigation of the condition of the public
records Of New Jersey, and submitted
an interesting report to the Legisla-
! ture. The report shows that there are
thousands Of pieces Of original manu-
script closely connected with the his.
tory Of the state from 1876, lying in
boxes and bundles in the State House,
unavailable for inspection and refer
ence, but accessible to marauders. The
abstraction of records has been in
vogue for more than century, and
many Invaluable state documents are
now in private hands, or appear from
time to time in the catalogue of auction
sales.
The missing records have not always
been abstracted. In some cases officials
have retained the papers of their Office
alter retiring; in others courteous pub
lie officials gave them away, and many
have been simply cast aside by careless
custodians. In many cases in the past
documents known to be in the posses
sion Of the state have disappeared, and
been forgotten until some auction
offered them for sale. This condition
is true of the townships and cities, as
well as Of the state itself A public
document may not be known to exist
until it is offered for sale by some pri-
vate person. The record book of Ches
terfield township, from December Is,
1892, to December 2, I'LL, was sold at
auction some years ago, and is owned
in, the District Of Columbia. The
record book Of Mansfield township.
from January l, 1897, to September Is,
1878, was sold in Philadelphia, in 1906,
for 500. Northampton township has
no minute book prior to 1847.
Burlington city was incorporated
May Z, 1892. The city has no records
prior to 1925; but in December, 1916,
the original oaths Of allegiance 10
King George II, sworn to and subscribed
by the mayor, common council, alder
men and constables of Burlington,
from 1875 to 1858. was sold at auction
in New York.
The docket of the Burlington County
Court from the June term, 1765, to the .
October term. 1772. was purchased at
public auction in New York, in 1910, /
by direction Of Governor Fort, and re- (
turned to the state.
The committee presented list OF |,
nearly one thousand public documents
known to be held in private possession;
and another lengthy list Of New Jer-
sey State documents which have APP
peared at public auctions since 1900. I
Those relating to Burlington county
il odd;tion - tha aho,,e .a.,.:r.-sys'
are;
Petition OF the goaler at Rnrlinoton
to the Governor and Council AnT;l .
l77l. r.
Letter from Gov. Hunter To the So
cietv for the Propaeation az the (sos-
peI. Dec. &. 1712 reiativa n their mr..
chase Of the Tatham bousa and nlant.
alton at BURLINGTON. - f'''-'
Return Of the magistrates Of Bur-
lington. Nav 81. 1880.