The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-09-30
HUMOR5 oF TIE CENSUS.

The Troubles Of the Census nYen In Isish~
town, Broeklys-whas EulIgktoned Gu
SENS Have to Say.
Although the tssk q census taker may be remu-
nerstive In the end, 1t Is very dicult one. espe-
cially when he II compelled to 20 among the poor
and ignorant In the slums Of tine cities. The man
whose duty II was TO scour "lrtshtown,"a part Of
the Firth ward Of Brooklyn was one OF the uniortu-
mates who met with rebu6s and curses while per.
forming his work. II IL pretty well known by this
time that irs,Itown Is perfect nest OF Illicit dis
tere6, which continue TO thrive despite the efforts
Of the revenue collectors to extlrpate them. and
great majority Of the people who i've there are OF
the very lowest order Of society and jealous OF tho
liberties Of the peculiar nstitutionsin other words
the whiskey stills-amonx them. Notwithstanding
the fact that these establishments are owned by q
certain few, the people down there seem TO take a.
great interest in them AZ The owners themselves.
The result, therefore, Is that whenever
WELL DRESSED STRANGER
appears there they eye him suspciously. ana, Is
often the case, tho intruder Ia glad 70 escape
with his life. Then the men and women have
pleasant recollcctlons OF tho DRAFT the who
camo among them during the war to enroll the
names OF all able bodied ITEMS so whom the cen.
sus man made his appearance, with Ills huge book
under his arm and pencil Oh hs ear their fears
were renewed.
The census man was mild hut persevering youth,
but DO Gil he Could, In hundreds OF instances he was
unable to Obtain the names Of parres from che par
ties themselves He assembled 10 the top noors Of
tenementS, where poverty and squalcr re,gned SUI
premc, only to be repused ana threatened with
personal violence. Al other times the interviews
would be
HIGHLY HUMOROUS,
and by good nature and persuasion he would sue
coed In hla object.
One day, however, the census man entered a petty
tenement, knocked at a door, which was opened by
stout, 1erce-looking amazon. who demanded 70
CENSUS MAN---Madame, am taking the census.
AMAzoN-Fhch IL ttS
CENSUS MANI say am taxing the census, the
AMAZON Unterrupting)--i don't care a d---n mat
CENSUS MAN On q conciliating tone)-It won't
make any difference 70 you. Ii IL not for any draft.
1t Will be difference 10 me II you don't give Inc the
names.
AMAzoN-Fhat defereacef
CENSUS MAs-Two cents name. understand
there are your husband, Yourself anu Fix children.
That would make sixteen cents.
AMAzoS-It wud en- Wen, thn yen not make
any sixteen cints out NV us. Clare out, now.
Ana as she advanced threatcningy, with appraised
fists, the census man retired IN disorder. Proceed
Ing to another room he found a woman more COM
municatlve, who not only gave ner own name but
which he had Jusg LEFT. So Mr.. Census Man pianked
down the last name and chris,ened them all to suit
himself.
This thing happened time and time again, and
had the census man obtained the names Of those
who refused 10 disclose them themselves In thu
manner directed he would have been compelled to
omit them altogether In one Instance he was
MET AT DOOR
by a woman with huge knife in her hand, who or.
dered him to leave, which, 1t may be unnecessary to
state, he did without any delay.
At other places he was well received. In one place
nc was surrounded by group OF chattering women.
who were giving him ther names. He said TO them
that he was not going 10 draft the men this tune,
but the women.
'Oh. begorra ~ exclaimed srour, elderly female
with arms akimbo, "thin, wish yez wud for there's
too many widdes about nero altogether" And 40
the work went on to completion. Tue result in the
ward showed
AN INCREASE or SEVERAL THOUSAND
names over the fast census. Complaints have been
made that the census in certain sections OF tho ward
was very incomplete; but the evidences are to the
contrary, and the complaints themselves arc un-
founded.