Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-05
Census Preparations.
Porter's Big Machine Getting
Into Working Order.
BEAUTY AND UTILITY COMBINED.

The Pretty Typewriter Girl an Important
Element In Its Make-up-A Proposed
Corner In Water That Dies a-BOrnin'-
Tho warship Michigan to BE at the Mil
waukee Encampment-Our Embarrass-
ment of Dampness.
WASHINGTON CITY, Aug. 5.-A surpris-
ingly large machine is that which Mr.. Porter
has set in motion in the quarters of the CEN
sus office in this city, and it is not tenth
part as big now as it will be year hence.
About hundred typewriters and clerks are
now at work. In March of next year 9, 900
clerks will be at work, and in June the 40, 600
enumerators will take the field Ten pretty
girls are now working typewriters in the
census office, and soon there will be Fifty. 1t
is a remarkable fact that every one Of the
ten is really pretty, though good looks are
not among the tests applied by the little
imitation of the civil service COM
mission which examines applicants for en-
ployment.
Value OF the Typewriter.
In 1890 the typewriter was not used at all
by Gen Walker, but Mr. Porter considers
| that the day of the pen copyist has gone,
and will not have his records in script where
| the iegibie WORK of the typewriter is prac-
| ticable for his purpose. This substitution of
the typewriter for the pen, Mr.. Porter cal
| culates, will result in saving of 100000 to
| the government, consequent upon the rapid
My with which the work will be done
Work for the Pen.
The only work for penmen at the Office is
| the addressing of envelopes, and this will
| not require a large force for several months
| to come When the work of the censu.
| taking is at its height there will probably be
| forty OF fifty ladies employed in addressing
envelopes The numbers of these coverings
| of census office communications called in
| use seem Incredible Even now, when the
| work is not developed, it is not uncommon
| for an order of quarter million envelopes
to lie given
John Roach's Niece.
Among the pretty lady clerks whose work
| it is to address these missives, is Miss Ellf
Byron, a niece of the late John Roach, tht
Philadelphia shipbulder. She is said to have
| the remarkable record of 8, 800 envelopes ad
| dressed in one day of seven hours, while I ;.
200 is considered very good days work for
| the usual penman. The mail of the office al
| ready comprises several thousand letters
daily, largely composed of applications for
positions
Many Applicants for a Poor Job.
The Office of enumeration is accompanied
by very small compensation, yet 100. 00t
applications have been put in for appoint
ment Each letter received is answered
which involves tremendous correspond
ence. Several hundred of these letters daily
have to be answered by the superintendent
who employees four stenographers Not q
small part of the work now beng prosecuted
under Mr.. Porter is that of preparing the
maps showing the census districts for al
parts of the country. These districts do no
correspond with the congressional districts
but are composed OF counties, giving eaci
supervisor about five times as much terri
tory as congressman have inclosed within
| their fences