Whenever it shall appear that the records, or any material part thereof, of any county in this state have been destroyed by fire or otherwise, any map, plat, deed, conveyance, contract, mortgage, deed of trust, or other instrument in writing affecting real estate in such county, which has been heretofore recorded, or certified copies thereof, may be recorded in the place of such county records; and in recording the same the register of deeds shall record the certificate of the previous record, and the date of filing for record appearing in said original certificate so recorded shall be deemed and taken as the date of the record thereof. And copies of any such record, so authorized to be made under this section, duly certified by the register of deeds of any such county, under his seal of office, shall be received in evidence, and have the same force and effect as certified copies of the original record.
R.L. 1910, § 7271.