Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-07-30
COUNTING THE PEOPLE.
THE WORK or TAKING The CEN
sUs or The UNITED STATES.

sss.dy and Remarkable Improvements
Made In the Methods Empioysd-rhs
Fir.s Css..s Wa r.hss In ifoo-rhs
Thoressh Way % % Nov Deas.
In n big room In the attic ~ the inte-
rior department Ia ono % the most inter
es,ing collections In the possession Of tho
goyenmsnt-and yet there are not q
hundred persons In this oiis who know
OF it, existence In this room are thou
sands of leather bound books OF all siIe-.
lettered on the backs AZ the case may BE-.
"Firt Census Second Census" etc.
These hooks are the original returns
made by the enumcrators In taking ev-
cry census from the year 1900. when tho
first census was taken. down 30 1880. the
year of the lat census Prior 10 1850
only the names % the heads of families
year was collected the name OF every In
dividual In the United States was emu
mcrnted This room. consequently. con.
tains the name 81 every man. woman
and child who has been born or who has
lived In this country since the nrst day
of June. 1850.
THE Old WAY.
do not think many people know Of
this. and At some time IL may b. of the
greatest u.e 10 lawyers and others who
are engaged In the search for missing
heirs. and who want 10 AsoertAin whether
= certain person was living at a particular
time.
II IL an interesting study 10 note ths
evolution % the census. % 10 SPEAK. For
Instance. In turning 10 the hrsi census
the flrst volume on which laid my hands
happened 10 bo the returns for North
umbcrlAnd and Mifiiln counties. Penn
sylvanla IL IL a book Of about couple
OF hundred pages. trs inches On the
ay leaf appears this inscription written
In a fair hand
james rOsfsrs return Sorthsmh~'i.sd ssd
Min
Tho inside page facing tho first leaf.
reads
he hunter q psrsDn. -ithin my divi<i0o.
soasi.tins q a. ra spp-.r In schedule her.
unto Annsret sat-sibsi ~ ne ths stA DAY a
Aprl iTyl J.sI. rorTu
ASSISTANT 10 the aArsAAI q rean.yiv.nlA
There are no printed headings as are
found In later census returns. and i
the top Of every page the subdivisions
are written. At that time all that the
enumeraior was required 10 do was 10
take tho names OF the heads % families,
the number Of males In each family
above and under 10 years Of age, the
number Of females. without regard 10
age, "all other free pssons" and the
slaves Apparently tho government did
not provide books Of a uniform sire for
the uss Of the enumerators. fos some OF
them are big and others small.
In the second census a great stride ~as
made In the way of obtaining a more
accurate and thorough enumeration.
This year printed headings were used.
and the ages were divided az follows:
Under 10. Of 10 and under 10, Of 10 and
under 20. Of 20 and under IS, Of Is and
upwards The same classification was
adopted for females.
Tho third adopted the same axe di-
visions. bat In addition some slight aiten-
ton vas paid 10 manufactures
Tho changes made In the fourth were
the addition u a column Tor the ages "
male. bctwecn 10 and rs. the enumera'
ton % unnaturaliEod persons, the mum
Der of people engaged In agriculture
commerce and manufactures. Separate
volumes for the tirst time were devoted
10 industrial statistics. and the occupa'
tons were minuiely divided An invos-
/ ugation was also instituted as 10 the
amount Of material used In manufaetur-
ing establishments, the number Of per-
sous employed. value Of the plant. pro-
duction. revenue, etc.
The hfth made the enumeration still
more definite. Tho age schedule was d.
yided In this way; Under 8. from 5to 10.
10 % rs. IS 20 20. and from 20 In 10 year
periods up to 100 The deaf. dumb and
blind were also enumerated.
In the sixth for the first time the mum
bsr Of pensioners "for revolutionary and
military services" was given. The edu
cati0nal. industrial and commercial sta
tistics are very complete.
The seventh was really tho hnt
thorough census. "a II gave for the hrst
time the name Of every person In the
United States at the time that the census
was taken. The occupation or profes-
sion Of every male. the value OF bis real
estate, the school attendance, the num-
Der Of illiterates. the insane, indigent
and criminal were all counted. Slaves
for the first time were enumerated In
separate volumes. as were also the NOR
tality statistics The amount ~ taxa
ton. the number Of Libraries. news
papers. the different religious denominA'
tions, sith the value q their property.
and the question Of wages all received
attention.
The eighth and ninth were on about
the same scale. with some slight addi'
lions. a noticeable feature o. the latter
being the cause Of death Of every indi'
yidual who had died during the census
year
When We come 10 the tenth, IL would
be easier 10 tell Of the subjects which u
did not handle than those which u did
Almost everything capable Of being put
into figures went into that work. and
the number Of volumes Is almost without
limit A sight % the returns OF tho
enumerators conveys a better idea OF the
magnitude Of the work than any amount
Of description can. -washington Letter
Great Mu.ls.i Ey.ssA