Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-14
TAKING THE CENSUS.
How the Work is Divided and Sub
Divided Throughout the Country.
From the Washington Post.

VIII De an accurate ana exhaustive
report Of births, deaths, Goldfish,
coal, oil, lumber, honey, beeswax,
peanuts, live stock, Libraries, news
papers, wages, health, wealth, debt,
and taxation. Up to 1850 only the
heads Of the, families were enumer-
ated; the census being taken were
to determine the political represen~
tation. In 1850 the law was
changed, and has since then de-
handed the name, sex, age, color,
birth, place and occupation of each
individual. Ability to read and
write, is also included, and thus we
get the basis Of educational stats )
tics, which will be more fully ascer>
tanned this year than ever before.
Experts are already in the field
obtaining statistics of gold, silver,
iron and copper mining. The work
ing force is now taking the census
Of the great lakes, getting the
statistics of the fisheries and the
fishing population.
"Under the Census act of 1879"
said Gen. Walker to a Post reporter,
"we are required to investigate near
ly every known industry-railroads,
fire and life insurance, telegraph
and express companies. Agricul-
tural resources, timber culture, all
manner of social and industrial
statistics are now being collected.
Every effort is being made to secure
accuracy and reliability in the re-
ports. An eminent geologist is
now working up the quarrying in
dustry; social scientists are busying
themselves with the statistics OF
cities, persons and reformatory in
situations. A specialist who as
devoted years to the subject will
prepare the report on the cotton
cultivation. These will be standard
reports when finished. There is
nothing so misleading and in
coherent as inaccurate and incom
plete statistics"
Glow many Supervisors will
there be-"
"One hundred and fifty. That is
the number of districts into which
the United States is to be divided.
Each Supervisor will then divide
his district into enumeration dis
tricts. The actual work of emu,
meration is all to be done during
the month of June %
"And by condensing the work
you will get more accurate results?"
Certainly. And we draw the
lines still closer and take the census
in all cities where the population is
over 10, 900 within two weeks. We
shall try to avoid the June exodus,
which would, very mutually, cause
people to be counted twice, if the
time were not limited"
"But has not the LIST of June
always been census day."
Theoretically, but practically,
the work took five months" When
examined, the statistics on which
the mortality tables are based are
very unreliable. In very few States
is the registration of births and
deaths rigidly enforced. Probably
Rhode Island and Massachusetts
have the best management in this
respect. Many of the States have
admirably constructed laws, which
are not enforced. In these NOR
tally statistics physicians will be
employed and accuracy as regards
causes Of death will be secured.
We have sent out 10000 blanks to
physicians and Boards of Health.
"What pay will the Supervisors
receiver"
''They are to have $500 each in
full for services and expenses, with
clerk hire at the discretion of the
Department, New York will be
entitled to eleven Supervisors,
Pennsylvania ten, and the other
States according to the work to be
done"
GLOW many persons will be doing
census work during that month Of
June 2"
"About 100000"
"And how much will it cost ?"
The amount is limited to $3,OO0,-
900. That is 100000 less than
the last census cost. It is a good
investment. In the one matter OF
the fisheries, for instance. When
the question came up we did not
know anything about the value of
our inshore fisheries. Canada had
her statistics. Our fisheries were
really more valuable than hers, but
We had no figures to prove it. Ac-
curate knowledge of that fact would
have saved US between one and two
millions Of dollars which we paid to
Great Britain"
"What classes do make most mis-
takes p
1.-THE illiterate, because of their
cruda ideas of 1enoth of tima TT