The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-08-22
OVERLOOKING THE REGISTER OF DEEDS

once in a while a public official enters office with
~ plenty of equipment, human and otherwise, to prop
erly perform his duties and finds that an unexpected rush
of business swamps the office force. Az such times relief
is needed in the interest Of the public service. Mr.. Bodine
the register Of deeds OF this county, appeals to the board
of county commissioner for more clerks to handle the
extra business.
II is pointed out by this officer that the work in his
department is 100 days behind 1900 instruments are wait
ing to be recorded, but a shortage of clerks makes 1t i'm
possible for the office to make the proper entries.
IT will be recalled that similar situations developed at
the Oklahoma City pos,ofiicc and also the one at Cush-
ing several years ago In the local case Elmer Brown,
postmaster al, that time. asked the department at WASH
ington for more postoiice clerks, representation having
been made that tive local office had grown at a rate which
made it impossible for the force to handle the publie
business. Whercupon an inspector was sent here to in
vcstigatc.
A situation was found. Of course, as represented. The
inspector recommended that additional clerks and carriers
be employed. The slow machinery OF the civil service
was put into action, examinations provided new clerks, and
in a few months from the time of the postmaster's appeal
more help was in service,
But, while the examination was in progress, business
at the Oklahoma Cty postofiiec grew and grew, BY the
time the additional men were put to work congestion OF
business was worse than before. Oklahoma City kept RICH,
on growing. The postmaster worked long hours so did
the clerks. But it was many long months before pcrma
nent relief reduced the worries of the postoffice force.
Over at Gushing a few years ago the postoffice con
ditions were acute. Gushing was a fine little town OF
more than 900 population. The postmaster had no trouble
in handling the mail, since business was quiet and normal
the head Of the postofiice had a fine little job with a nct
salary.
Then, something happened. A few bold men went ou
beyond the limits of the town of Gushing and brought in
an oil well Instantly there was a stampede on the par
OF prospectors. Gushing was filled with oil men; big teams
filled the streets in their trips to the oil fields with casing
and timbers. Gushing had come to life overnight.
The railroad companies found business doubling; ther
it doubled again; station agents we're swampcd; hurry III
calls TO headquarters brought more clerks on the frs
train and business went on smoothly
Not so at the Cushing postoiiice. The postmaster ap
pealed for help The department at Washington prepared
to investigate. Meantime the mail poured into the offic,
by wsgonloads for the new population of several Thousand
that located in Gushing. The postmaster, in despair, re
signed and abandoned the office. He was promptly ap
pretended, since the law doesn't permit such action on tn
part of a postmaster. He was the victim OF a system, slug
gish and with too much red tape,
To get back to the local situation. Of course there vii
be a lot OF people who will say that Tom Bodine wer
out and campaigned for a public office while KNOWN
just what the duties amounted to and that he should TAX
his medicine il he's overworked. But that's not the que,
ton.
The public service must not be crippled. II Mr.. Bodir
can show that the public business is suffering some metho
must be employed at once to give the public protecto
and service in the matter Of recording the important trans
fes of property which are made in this county. Unde
no circumstances must the serious situation be evaded o
the pretcnse that no funds exist to pay extra clerks. !
a cfisis the skill and resourcefulness OF the proper Official
must be brought into play to give the public the servic
it is entitled to and for which it is willing to pay.
Hungarian iails are being emptied on account of a lac
Of food to supply the prisoners. We fancy that there ar