, 1880-06-20

lAe cases OF noteIS, D0aIuluH"A'oooo1 Ao'A5
lighthouses, and such buildings rs are
rented out to numerous tenants. Ot course
1t is impossible to estimate how far short o1
the actual population Of this city the census
will fall. but the omissions seem to De so
general and widespread that it Will not pe
surprising II the deficiency In the count snail
amount in the aggregate to $1,000 or more
The system Of remuneration under which
the census enumerators are paid seems to be
largely responsible for the carelesness that
has been shown in the taking Of the census.
The enumerators are paid two cents per
name, with a limitation OF St per day, anu
there is stipulation that the work OF each
district shall be completed within certain
time. The slow enumerator. anxious to earn
the full amount OF 81 per day, is naturally
tempted to waste no time upon house
where he finds it difficult to obtain admission
or encounters any indispositfon to give him
the required information. The rapid emu
merator will get his 200 names in halt day,
or do two days work In one, and rest the
next day. In all cases, however, there Is no
encouragement to 20 beyond the 200, for
there is no pay for extra enumeration; and,
after having obtained in any one district as
many names as the limitation In time and
compensation provides for, the enumerator
is naturally inclined to stop at that number
(no matter how many more residents there
may be in the dlstrict), because any addi"
tional work he might do would be gratu-
itous.
Chicago was districted for taking the cen
sus into such divisions as was supposed
would include about 1000 persons each, and
we believe ten days were allotted to con-
plete each district This would exactly meet
the rate Of compensation at 81 day and two
cents per name. But the growth OF the city
and increase Of population have been so
much larger than the estimate upon which
these districts were mapped out, that, In very
many OF them, there were several hundred
more residents than we're guessed at, and
large proportion of this surplus has been
omitted for reasons already stated. We un-
derstand that the time has been extended in
some OF the country districts IN Cook Coun-
ty, and similar extension should be made
in the case Of every city district where there
is reason to believe that omissions have oe-
Cured. If this be not done, the United
States census will be Of little value 80 far as
it shall undertake to determine the popula-
tion Of Chicago.
Thereisa provision for supplying omissions
within few days, but, Us this depends upon
the personal exertion of those who have been
overlooked or avoided, and as 1t Involves
considerable time and personal inconven-
ience, it is not likely that the corrections will
be numerous enough to insure any degree of
accuracy. The rule, as We understand 1t, is
that the cnumerators shall post notice in
three different places in their several dis
tric.s That they may be seen for the space Of
two days at the County Clerks office, after
an interval Of five days, for the purpose OF
making corrections. But the number Of peo-
pie who are likely to run across these Oh
scnre notices OF pay any attention to them
will be comparatively Insignificant. Of
course, everybody who has not been visited
in person or by proxy By a census emu
merator should have pride enough in the city
to call at the County Clerks Office to verify
the returns so far as his family is concerned,
but the great majority Of the unenumerated
to the County Clerks Office or to Commis-
SlOHEF w T1S1iL ) OlIG6 WILL lelll| Ollll StIft
as an indication Of shortage that may be
reasonably multiplied several times.
If Commissioner Wright has 1t i'll his pow
er to extend the time, verify the work, or
otherwise assure more accurate and COM
plete enumeration In this city, he owes 1t to
Chicago and to himself to do so. If not, the
census-taking III this city will merely serve
as basis for rival cities to under5tate the
real population Of Chicago, and afford them
an excuse for reducing the actual growth Of
this community during the past ten years.
Such injustice will not take away from the
progress that has been made nor retard the
future progress Of Chicago, but it will be
as we'll as unjust, There is no
question in the minds OF those most familiar
with the growth Of Chicago that an accurate
census would show population Of at least
475, 900 within the city limits, and any figure
short OF this will simply reveal the extent OF
the omissions that have been made.