Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-07
Census Of 1850.

THE WORK TO BE CONTINUED BY VOLUNTEERS.
AS has been announced In THE STAR, the an
preparation for the Census bureau has bacome
go nearly exhausted as to necessitate a whole
sale discharge Of clerks. The fact is, though,
there is plenty OF work to be done, and the ser
vice VICE WIN De crippled II It is not done. With a
heeGeo, the Secretary Of the Interior has issu "a
eli cular to the employees OF the Census bureau
Which, after reciting the fact that the aspro-
pllatlon IS exhausted, says that II they das, re
to continue upon the work of the Census Off .e
as volunteers, expressly disavowing any clatn
against the government in consequence there
matter entirely with Congress- they will be
permitted TO do so. This Arrangement will cor.
tlnue IN force at the pleasure OF the department
70 10 LODE as the interest OF the service may seem
vices OF an efficient force can be retained.
Blk HUNDRED LEFT OF FOURTEEN HUNDRED.
There are now about 600 people employed in
the Census Office. The force was formerly
1,4oO, so there has been a reduction OF 500.
Tne volunteer force which will work without
under the orders OF Secretly KirkWood. be
mace up exclusively OF the present force. No
otners VIII De taken on; the privilege of volun-
ployes who were dropped from the roll under
the recent necessary reduction. TIE star re-
porter today had
TALK WITH GEN. WALKER
superintendent OF the census, That Official
estimated that $500, 900 was necessary to com.
plete the work OF the census and Congress
made the appropriation. "My estimate was
II desired to finish the work with as little ex
lenSe as possible In the first place. and cut the
ngures down as low as 1 thought we might
squeeze through with. Then had no starting
point from which to calculate. The census
OF 1850 was so much wider In range than th at
OF 1910, and covered SO many more subjects,
tnaI t mere was no comparison between the
Matters are handled in the present census at
were never touched In ls70. and then the
iIgniries II over the same fields as
Sers eSe1oed e9versd sdr In So have been more
the head OF agriculture, there were
only 40 inquiries In 1850 there were lO4. When
i,I ! made my estimate OF $780, 900 for the compile.
OF field work to be done. This work, Of course,
foots up in expense much more than off ee
No,k. M Inere was no basis upon which could
much 1t would cost. The cost In one section Of
me s1 county, co. r. owing to surrounding circum-
sdsnees. varies much from the cost IN another
see.lon lor the same class OF work. SO the
slbly IN not reducing the force some mon hs
ago TO 200 and working along with thar. A desire
TO complete the WORK as early as possible led
rednced down to this: Either to dIsband the
force altogether for eight months until Con-
gfess could provide, or go along with volun-
teer force ald complete the work by the tinle
Congress met. 1t would have been pity to
d1sorganize The force has been very Ell :ieat
and has worked admirably. 1t would ba milch
aE trouble to get such body of employees together
every average OF work is higher tnan the
best man employed In 1870, and the once
then was regarded as very efficient. Nat.
uTally | was desirous OF going on.
General and the SecretarD Of the Intenor
they AL agreed that the best plan would be
10 work With the present force as volunteers
ana get through With the census as early as
possible. For these reasons the volunteer
force is organized.
How about the miscellaneous expenses?"
asked the reporter.
them; We only suspend the pay roll for q Jew