Evening star., 1926-11-14
z DEEDS OFFICE
CHANGES PROPOSED
Efficiency Bureau Would Put
Recorder Under District
Government.
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

Legislation which Will bring the
office of recorder of deeds under the
District government is contained In
22 recommendations by the Bureau of
Efficiency, covering reorganiZatiO of
the recorders office in the interests of
economy and efficiency by which the
work can be brought current, where
now it is Is months in arrears, and
by which a saving Of 100000 a year
can be made.
Five recommendations are made
regarding the Office of register of wills
which contemplate a change in the
method of handling and accounting
for the receipts of the office, in the
method of recording and simplifica-
ton OF the method of indeXing, which
the Bureau of Efficiency claims will
safeguard the handling of cash. effect
saving in personnel and speed up
recording with a net saving of $4,000
the first year and $4,000 annually
thereafter.
A detailed study of these two offices
was made at the request of Chairman
Madden of the House appropriations
committee and Chairman Zihlman OF
the House District committee in con-
nection with abolishing the fee sys-
bringing them under the budget sys-
tenn for annual appropriations.
Copies Given to Officials.
Copies Of the report have been
transmitted by Herbert .. Brown,
chief OF the Bureau of Efficiency. to
Representatives Madden and Zihlman,
TO the District commissioners, the
Bureau of the Budget, the recorder
of deeds and the register of Wills.
Chairman Gibson of the special sub
committee of seven members of the
House District committee, which is
making a special investigation of the
municipal administration has asked
for copy of the report.
This report is especially timely, AS
Mr.. Gibson is now questioning Dis
trict officials regarding the delinquen-
cy in recording deeds, and why 1t is
necessary for property purchasers IN
every instance to he obliged to engage
the services of title guarantee COM
pany. He has been told that the big
gest cause Of trouble has been that
the work of recording deeds is is
months in arrears.
The report on the Office of the re-
corder of deeds contains section COW
taring the functions, organization ana
personnel OF the office the Bureau or
Efficiency'S recommendations; its es-
Inmates for appropriations for the MS
cal year 1928; the draft of a bill to
transfer the office to the government
of the District of Columbia: a section
covering its legislative history and
statement Of the present organization
and methods of the office.
Office is Independent.
It is pointed out that the office of
the recorder of deeds at the present
time is not attached to and forms no
part of the District government, nor
is 1t q part of any courtenor of any
Federal department or establishment.
It Is an unattached office, self Support
ing, and is without administrative
supervision except by the recorder
himself"
The % mendationS contemplate
Il change in the method of recording
and indexing land records and mis-
CellaneOuS instruments; the diScOn-
tinuance of some activities: the reaS-
signment Of certain functions in the
office, and the amending of the laws
pertaining to the office. Mr.. Brown
says that if the bureaus recommends
tions are carried into effect they will
bring the work of the office current
IN q short time, reduce the expense
of maintenance and result IN better
service to the public.
Mr.. Brown stresses particularly two
recommendations. One of these pro-
vides that printed forms be used on
which to record land records and
other miscellaneous instruments re-
quired by law TO be recorded in this
office. This method IS now used in
number of cities throughout the
United States and in those offices Wis
tted by the Bureau of Etticiency's in
eStigatorS-ChiCagO Detroit, CleVe-
land, ri, -Sburgh, Boston, New York.
Philadelphia and BaltimOre-it was
found that the use of printed forms
Is an intermediary step between the
recording of land records by type
writer in bound books and the record
ing OF land records by the photostat
machine.
FavOrs PhOtOstatic Method.
The other most important recon-
mendation provides for the introduc-
ton OF the photostatic method of re-
Cording in the office Of the recorder
of deeds as soon as a new building
is ready for use by that office, unless
legislative action should be taken to
put this process Of recording into i'm
mediate operation. The Bureau of
Efficiency does not recommend that
the photostatic process be immediate
~ adopted, owing largely to the ply
sical arrangement Of the building in
-
deeds is housed.
Mr. Brown says that if the bureaus
recommendations are adopted and put
into effect they will result in saving
during the first year Of more than
$2o, 900. When the photostatic method
is introduced this saving will be aug
mented by a further sum of about
$4,000 annually.
The first of the five recommends
tions for the register of wills office
provides for the introduction of pho
tostatic recording in that office. This
method Of recording, in the opinion of
The Bureau of Efficiency, Mr.. Brown
SAYS. is particularly adaptable for the
work and there is no reason, as eX-
lists in the Office of recorder or DEEDS.
for postponing its Introduction.
II the five recommendations made
for the office of register of wills by
the Bureau Of Efficiency are adopted
and carried out. Mr.. Brown says. they
will result in the saving OF $4,000 dur
ing the first year and about $4,000
annually thereafter. The introduc-
ton of photostatic recording in this
office will reduce the personnel by six,
affecting saving of $4,000 in sal
aries The miscellaneous expense
item. however, will need to be in
creased by 81 900 in order to provide
for the purchase of the machine and
necessary equipment. thus making the
net saving 5000 for the first year.
The Little Egotist.