The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-12-03
KENOSHA COUNTY
TOPHOTO DEEDS
PhOtOstat Method of Re-
cOrding Instruments In
stalled Here.
FIRST IN WISCONSIN
Big Saving in Money to County
Expected, Quicker Services,
Mere Accurate Copying.

Kenosha county is several jumps
ahead of every other county in Wis
consin in the matter of modern re-
cording equipment through the pur-
chase by the county board of the most
improved, most complete and fastest
photostatic equipment made, which is
now in course of installation in the
office of Register of Deeds John F..
Schmitt. Kenosha county thus be-
comes the first county in Wisconsin to
put aside the old, Anticipated, slow
and costly pen and ink method Of re-
cording deeds, mortgages and real es-
tate docum ents of all sorts, in favor of
system that it is figured will more
than pay for itself in the first year
of it's operation.
The photostat, as it is called, is a
complete, almost automatic method of
making clear, exact and permanent
photographic copies of every instru-
ment that is filed in the Office Of the
register of deeds. It's photo copies,
page size and uniform, are filed in the
regulation books of the registers Of
flee and take the place of typewriter
and pen and ink copies which in years
past have been laboriously transcribed
by clerks.
Now Installing Machine.
The machine comes from Rochester,
N. Y, where it was purchased on or
der of the county board at cost of
$1,000. When in working order it is
capable of turning out a complete
photographed and developed copy of a
legal document ready for fl : away
in the records Of the county, within
five minutes of the time the process
was started. Instruments of record
may be handled by one man, whereas
now this work takes several clerks,
hours and perhaps days to accomplish
by hand.
Under the old hand method in use
in every other county in Wisconsin,
and prevailing here ever since the
register of deeds Office was estaD-
lished, to fill book of the regulation
size and dimensions used in deed and
mortgage recording, the most in ma
aterials and labor, figured conserva-
lively, cost about $500. Under the pho
tostatic method, operated by one per-
son, figuring cost of all materials
used and cost of labor, book may be
turned out at a cost not to exceed
SIS to $500, thus effecting saving to
the county of 5000 per book. It's use,
Register Schmitt further states, will
make possible a reduction in the cler-
ical force of the office which will save
$500 a year additional to the county.
In addition to the money saving, the
process is said to be fast and accurate.
The photographic method gives an ex-
act duplicate of the original. Sigma
lures are recorded in the exact, orig
inal handwriting, and there is no
chance for error or legal dispute to
follow.
Under the old method with from rs
to rs instruments coming in daily, the
work Of recording by hand oftentimes
was two weeks or more behind. I'm
der the photostatic method, Register
Schmitt states, he expects to be able
to give twenty-four hour service.
The photo copies Of legal documents
are also enduratle. They are printed
on a linen paper and after photo is
made are coated with a silverized
emulsion. Before the machine was
purchased Register Schmitt took sam
pies of it's work and tested them by
leaving them for long perioCs IN wa
ter. They came out as good as they
went in.
Attorney General H. L. Ekern has
ruled that the photostatis method is
not only legal, but more accurate and
permanent than the old hand method.
In his ruling the attorney general
says: "'The requirement of accuracy
is fully complied with by this method.
The record shows that prints properly |
made are as permanent as the paper
on which they are made, and SO the
requirement of permanency is met.
We are satisfied that no other known |
method Of recording instruments is as
accurate as the Photographic method"
The machine is now being installed
by an expert from the factory, and it |
is expected it will be in operation
by December 8. |