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in addition to this the essential facts concerning the policy written are recorded. This card is then filed, also alphabetically, in a customer's case, where it is preserved always.

"Improbable" Prospects.-The records of persons upon whom the solicitor has been working, for whom no policy has been written and who are apaprently hopeless, at least for the time being, are taken out of the buff card case, and are filed in a pigeon-hole, with others of their kind. These are read periodically, every few months, for information of any new facts concerning any persons who are entered on the cards. Death, alone, is necessary to designate a card as "dead," in which case it is destroyed.

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Whenever the person whose record appears on a buff card-placed in the hopeless file is found to be in a more receptive mood, the card is again placed in the card case with the cards of others who are being solicited, and work is again begun upon him.

Future Prospects.-Persons who may for some good reason not be approachable for soliciting for three, six months, or even longer, have their cards left in the regular file, with this information recorded on them. Their names may either be entered on a calendar pad on the date on which they are to be seen again, or it may be good policy for this and for general pur

poses to look through the file of buff cards every month, and so keep track of all these individuals. In any case, all such information is always written on the card under "Remarks," so that it can be referred to when

necessary.

The Value of a Record of Policies Written.-The white cards are kept partly in order that the solicitor may always have at hand the list and facts of all the policies he has written-a record which will be found very serviceable and convenient, as for one reason or another a solicitor has many occasions to look up his policies. If he has no such record, he must either go to the books of his company or to the document which his customer holds. But these cards fulfill another function. A solicitor is never satisfied with writing one policy for an individual. He will wish, when a time has passed since his first policy has been written, to solicit him for another. He has then all the facts at hand which he formerly had on his buff card.

If a customer is approached for a second time, a buff card is again made out for him, if a second policy is secured another white card is filled out.

LAW

Following is described by Morris R. Osborne, a method by which the documents of a law office may be kept in easily accessible form.

The Common or Envelope Method. The ordinary method of filing papers in the legal department of a large corporation is generally that used in most law offices-that of placing all the documents in a case, in a large envelope, writing each step that is taken, and of making a notation of each document on the envelope, and filing the envelope alphabetically under the name of one of the parties. The disadvantages of this method are many. In the first place, the envelope used is rarely printed so that important information can be prominently displayed, and the whole envelope must be searched to discover what disposition has been made of the case. Then, the space on the envelope, even if both sides are used, often proves insufficient to contain

all the steps which are taken, and it is inconvenient to provide another envelope merely for writing purposes. Also, these envelopes are usually filed in a vault, and eventually become torn and mutilated and the writing on them undecipherable.

With this system attention is called to cases by means of a note, made on some calendar, or more often by memory, and in this way it very often happens that action is not taken on the day on which it should be, and damage often results.

In order to obviate these disadvantages, there is here presented a system which is as easily handled as the

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old envelope method, and which gives much better results. By its use all the information concerning a case is available at a moment's notice without the delay of searching in a vault, and with the ordinary amount of care no necessary action on a case can be overlooked.

Classes of Cases.-The matters which come into the legal department are of various natures, but may generally be divided into two classes-those in which the company itself is plaintiff, or at least aggressor, and

those in which the company is defendant. These may be treated distinct from each other, if desired, but I have found it perfectly suitable to handle them in the same way. Accordingly, as each case is received in the department, a card is made out for it-a yellow card for claims against customers and similar matters and a white one for actions against the company. These cards contain spaces for the names and addresses of the parties to the case, the names of any other persons, such as witnesses, who may be involved. The nature of the claim is to be described in a suitable space and a prominent place is left for an entry as to the ultimate disposition of the case. Thus, by reference to the card, it can be told at a glance whether the case has been settled or not, and, if so, how.

Use of the Card Index. These cards are numbered consecutively, and when made out are filed alphabetically under the name of the person involved. At the same time that the card is made out, an envelope or folder is taken, bearing the same number as the card, and all papers pertaining to the case are placed in it. These envelopes are filed numerically in a vertical file, from which they are instantly obtainable by reference to the cards, should it be necessary to consult any of the papers or insert new ones.

Filing. As soon as the case is received, some action is taken, and a notation to this effect is made on the card. The card is then filed alphabetically, a computation made as to the date on which the next step ought to be taken, and a tab placed over that date in the list of numbers at the top of the card. As each step is taken, a note to that effect is made on the card, and the tab pushed forward to the next date when action is necessary. The back of the card is ruled, so that when the space available for entries on the front has been utilized, more information may be entered on the back.

Dead File.-When the case has been brought to some conclusion, a notation to that effect is made and the card removed from the live file and placed in a general case, where it is available should any question arise

in the future, as it often does, concerning the adjustment.

By a rapid glance over the tabs, all the cases which need attention on one day, and for two or three days to come, can be located at once. In order to facilitate location of the cards, it has been found helpful to indicate ordinary claims by a black tab, justice shop cases by a red one, and cases in an upper court by a white one. Another valuable factor in this system is that only the live matters are before one at any time.

NUMERICAL SYSTEM OF FILING

The old style of filing correspondence was by alphabetical arrangement in flat files. These as they became full were stored with their contents. Unless the files were rearranged-which was a rare occurrencethey contained live as well as dead correspondence. For instance, when the file "Sa-So," was removed with its contents from the series, letters from the Smith Manufacturing Co. might be needed daily with no recourse except to either assort them and place them in the new file or refer to the stored file. Then, too, letters pertaining to and even coming directly from the Smith Mfg. Co. might be indexed under other letters and be overlooked when the firm's correspondence is assembled.

The Vertical System.This system of filing letters, papers, circulars and similar matter is an improvement over flat sheet files, just as the card system is an improvement over books. It consists of a cabinet of drawers in which folders are placed on edge between guide or index cards. In the folders is placed the matter to be filed, there being one folder for each firm or subject.

If the folders are arranged numerically, which is advisable in almost every case, each firm or subject is given a number corresponding to the folder representing it. Guide cards with numbered projections to quickly catch the eye are placed at intervals of 10 or 20 and facilitate quick reference to any folder. In the best system, the cards bearing these numbers are

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