Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-29
STATE LAND TITLE
INSURANCE URGED
National Commissioners or
Laws Favor Salus Bill Now
Before Senate
AIDS OWNERS OF HOMES

Influential citizens Of Pennsylvania.
led by representatives OF the National
Commissioners in Uniform State Laws.
stand behind the bill proposing state
registration Of land titles, which has
been introduced in the upper branch
of the General Assembly By Senator
Samuel W. Salus.
Announcement that the principles
and aims Of the bill were approved by
the commissioners was made today by
Judge William II. Stake. of the Philn-
dclphia Courts of Common Pleas. one
of the leading members of the National
Commission
Briefly tho bill would provide for the
registration and insurance Of land titles
by the state at virtually nominal. fees,
cutting out the present heavy costs,
and the repeated fees for frequent
searches into tho validity of titles.
Sponsors Of the bill say it will cncour-
age individual home owning by remov
ing the burden Of fees for recording and
for the investigation and insurance Of
titles. Under the present system, and
in the case Of n small property. it was
explained. comparatively small num-
Der Of transfers of the property would
entail cost in attorney fees and alb
the value of the land.
Judge Harsest Watches Bill
Walter George Smith and Judge
William II. largest. of Dauphin coun-
ty, also are interested in the Salus bill.
Judge Stake said that as Judge Iar-
gcst resides at Harrisburg. he will keep
an eye on the progress Of the bill.
William =. Siegert. chairman of the
Pcnnsylvania Commission, said the cost
Of operating the system in Pcnnsyl-
vania would not be more than Si5.OOO
n year and that thc expense would soon
be fully offset by fees received. The
cost to the state Of Massachusetts for
the first year. he said was only 500 900.
Illustrating the saving effected by the
Torrens system, as it would be adapted
to Pennsylvania. Mr.. Segert said:
THE first registration Of title on n
small property would be about SD
Then there would be about s. more MS
contribution to the insurance fund.
The title would then be fully registered
and guaranteed.
"FOr this service the lowest foe Of
title company would be about 500,
while for every transfer thereafter there
would be additional charges for exam
! ination of the title. Under the pro
posed act Of the title will be- insured
once and for all and the first fee will be
the last. 50 far as the guarantee of the
| title Is concerned
The Court Of Land Registration pro-
vidcd by the Salus bill would be n
special court, created for the purpose
of settlement. registration. transfer and
assurance Of titles to lands. Its power
would include all the powers possessed
| by the Courts of Common Pleas and the
Orphans Courts in law and equity for
the purpose of enforcing any provision
of the act. The president judge of the
court would receive an annual salary
| of $4,000 and the associate judges,
$4,000. The recorder would receive
! $1,000.
Chairman Siegert said the detailed
procedure under the Massachusetts sys-
TEN was indicative of how the Pennsyl-
vania law would work. In that state
he said. the maximum time required &c
register n title IS thirty days. The costs
| for first registration approximate $50
and are made up as follows:
Filing application, So ; filing plan. =
cents; examination of title. $50: six
notices by mail, 81 80; three notices by
publication. - cents: cost of publica
tiOn. 81 90: services of deputy sheriff
$3 -: entry OF decree. 81 copy of dc
| cree, Sl : tenth OF per cent ol
assessed value for assurance fund, $50
total, $30.10
''Thc foregoing, of course said Mr.
Sicgcrt. "is the cost Of first rcgistra +
ton. Thereafter. transfer can be made
for a fee of $3 or So. In addition tc
the above fees, the applicant has NJ
expense except that which he may pay
his attorney. Although it is not nrCcs
sary under these acts to employ an at,
torncy. the practice has proved that ir
most cases an attorney is employed anC
the work is SO simple that the attorney
can we'll afford to attend to the same fol
small fee.