Imperial Valley press., 1922-05-20

port upon conditions existing at
the present location of county
q offices was made by the grand
jury of 1920:
FL Centre, Calf, April 7, 1920.
Hon. Phil d. Swing
Judge of the Superior Court,
Department No. 2, Ell Centre, Calf.
Dear Sir: The following report is
hereby rendered concerning the housing
conditions of the public records and the
county employees in the present lmper-
ial county court house:
First: The county's property housed
in the court house consists, among other
things, of the following: In the clerk s
office are found the records OF every
legal proceeding had in the county, from
its beginning, together with numerous
records transferred from San Diego
county prior to the formation of Imper-
ial county. 1t has not only the complete
files of every civil and criminal matter,
but in condemnation suits, quite title
proceedings, among these including the
county real property and public lands,
and particularly, Probate proceedings,
in which are found the records of the
transfer of all property, both real and
personal, of all deceased persons in this
county since it's formation. The clerk,
also, has the minutes of the court and
of the board of supervisors as well as
the, vital statistics showing the record
of maria ges, divorces, births and deaths
as well as numerous other important rec
Ords and documents such as corporation
records, bonds, wills, exhibits in civil
suits, etc. The clerk s office consists
of one large room, where all of, the rec
ords must be kept together and where
there is serious danger Of confusion and
mixing of important papers. His only
protection from fire or theft is small
vault which contains practically moth
IND, except the minutes of the court,
Judgment books, exhibits and few mis-
cellaneous matters. Even SO, this vault
is more than filled. Two safes are kept
by him in the main room. At least
three -fourths of the valuable records IN
his main office have positivelg no pro-
lection from fire and little protection
from theft or other mOlestation.
Second: The chambers of the board
of supervisors are separated from the
clerk s office by wooden rail, approx
imately two feet from the floor and
their records have the same protection
as those of the clerk.
Third: The recorder has in his office
practically every record affecting the
title to real property in Imperial county
and there is no piece of real property in
Imperial county whi h is not
d epen d EN- on some record m
the recorders office for its title.
All of the maps and plats of towns and
subdivisions are kept there. The size,
dimensions and measurements OF lots
and tracts of land are determined and
fixed by these maps. The recorder has
one vault of more or less questionable
value. This vault at the present time,
lis so filled with records that it is al
most impossible for persons to get IN
there to work, and great many OF the
valuable records are necessarily outside
of the vault and, of course, unprotected.
Fourth: The auditor g office consists
of one large room and small vault
of more or less questionable value. In
this vault are kept the tax rolls, records
of tax sales, paid warrants and vouchers
of every description and the large port
of his office is filled with records,
books, furniture and equipment, with
out any protection whatever.
Fifth: The assessor has an exception
ally fine set of maps, plats and field
notes. This record has taken years to
compile and at great expense 1t is
conservatively estimated, that it would
cost not less than $50,00.00 to dupli-
cate it and it is wholly without protec-
tion of any kind.
Sixth: The tax collectors office is
separated from the assessors by an
ina sinary line. The whole records OF
the assessment and collection of taxes
are without protection, except at night,
when certain of the books are labor
iously moved into the auditor S vault.
Seventh: The surveyor and superin-
tendent of schools, are housed in the old
Jail building, which at the best is only
makeshift, without convenience OF
protection.
Eighth: The treasurer's quarters are
cramped and not sufficient in size tt
] properly handle the county business