When a county treasurer is entitled to administer an estate as public administrator, prior to appointment he is authorized to act on behalf of the estate to identify, secure, protect and take charge of all tangible and intangible assets, including incurring reasonable expenses for those purposes, provided that no disbursement from or liquidation of such assets shall be made prior to issuance of letters of administration. Whenever a public administrator takes charge of an estate which he is entitled to administer without letters of administration being issued, or by order of the court, he must, with all convenient dispatch, procure letters of administration thereon. No notice of application for letters by a public administrator is necessary, and his official bond and oath are in lieu of the personal representative’s bond and oath, but when real estate is ordered to be sold, another bond may be required by the court.