Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-06-17
The Next Census.

The duties of the enumerators in the next
census will co nmence on June l., 1890, and
in cities have To end in fifteen days. and in
the country within thirty days. Those who
think the duties of an enumerator are easy
and who accept the place with that idea will
be DOOMED to disappointment. 70 give
some idea of the various schedules which
these enumerators have to carry around with
them from house TO house, it is only neces
sary TO mention some of them. Schedule of
popDla ion; schedule of agriculture; sched-
ule of manufactures; schedule of mortality
and vital statistics, To say nothing of supple
meniary and special schedules relating to
the deaf, blind insane. criminals and indi gent
manufactures banks and every other con-
ceivable branch of business. An additional
schedule to those formulated ten years ago is
a schedule relating to veteran soldiers and
sailors their widows and children. Also, as
to the number of mulattoes, quadroons and
octaroons to be found in the country. And
In the case Superintendent Porter desires to
collect the the statistics of recorded indebt-
edness OF the country by special agents this
information will also be collected by the
enumerators. Should this be done by the
latter employees it will necessitate a personal
visit by special agent to every county seat in
the country A there are nearly 5000 coun-
ties this is in itself will be an immense task,
The enumerators will thus be seen to have
plenty on their minds, and many of them get
into a terrible state of confusion. and their
minds be come perfect buzz often before
starting upon the lsbors of the day. The
enumeration of the soldiers. sailors. marines,
or widows of the came, will in itself be
gigantic task, and when completed will be
book of great interest. In the State of Wis
consin alone the returns of soldiers, sailors
and their widows recently made book more
than three inches thick. The returns will
include the name of every veteran in the
country and will make q Tremendous vol
ume. Its chief use will be to aid future
pension legislation. which until now has gen
orally been in the dark as to the humber of
veterans in the country, there having been
nothing by which to form an estimate except
the returns in the adiutant generals Office,
which, however, do not give any information
as to the ~idows and children Of old soldiers,
sailors and marines OF course the census
turns will not be able to give the present
ph, .ical condition of the veterans.
These returns are not made up in Wash
ington until the work is all completed and
revised by the supervisors.
alt is entirely mistake" says Mr. Por-
ter. "to suppose that the eleventh census is
not going to be so far reaching as former
csnsuses 1t will be more thorough than
any heretofore taken, but will not, possibly,
contain as many essays" As to the number
of volumes which will be published there is
no restriction placed upon the superin,end-
ent, but Mr.. Porter said to me, II do not in
tend to get out any more hay than | can
cork up and get into the barn
wi a. are you going 10 do with the Wild
ows of veterans" was asked of Mr. Porter.
al propose to put them on record and will
give them as far as possible the army service
of their husbands -
As soon a. the schedules are all in the
office here the work of tabulatlon begins
This work will be very interesting and II is
not improbable that large amount of it will
b, d ne by IN charical means. In order to
accomplish this the records mnst be put in
such shape that machine can read them.
This is most readily done by punching holes
in cards or strips OF paper, which perfora-
tlons can then be used to control circuits
through electro -msgnstes operating counters
or sorting mechanism or both combined.
This machine was invented by Herman Hsl-
lerith and is now in practical use IN the sur
geon generals office in this city. 1t Is ef-
pectei to save an immense amount OF time
and labor and to be absolutely accurate in its
| figures.
From August. 1880, to March and April,
| 1881 from 400 to 1000 clerks were EN-
ployed by the census bureau, and in Ali
probability this number will be expanded to
/ aOoO for the eleventh census. This fact,
which has been largely circulated by news
pspers all over the country, has caused Mr.
| Porter considerable annoyance. Applics-
tons for positions have come to him from
every Stste in the Union, and his only
response to these applications can be that the
cen.us will not be taken before n. II year
! The requirements for clerks in the census
| bureau are that they shall be experts in
arithmetic. and be able to read writing easily
ard have good eyesght. Mr.. Porter thinks
! ,ba, IL his bureau comes under civil service
rules the employees ought to pass special
examination.
emith to be Court Martialied.
| A naval court-martial has been ordered to
assemble at the New York Navy Yard, Wed
,s.5.v June 10 The detail is: Capt
Isme. o Kane. Commander G. W. Sumner
psyms.ter Arthur Burtis, Paymaster ). A
smith Lieutenant commander Joseph
v,r,ben. Lieutenant Commander A. b. Lit
lie Lieutenant Commander A. X. Conden
Iieut. II. Tremaine and Capt. G. G Reid
Il. S. NJ. C., as judge advocate The conr'
i. ordered to try Paymaster Henry X smith
late of the Essex. on the charge Of sbsentns
himself without leave on the return OF MI
vessel from q long cruise
Trial Trip OF the Patrol.
The secretary of the navy has appo'nte'
the following board Of naval ofhcer' to a,
tend the trial trip of the new boat rsroi
~h;ch will come of within ten days at bai'l
more: Capt. Skerrett, Chief Engineer Der
Aim. Commander Hon, Lieut.. Tiiiey' an
Naval Constructor Hanscom. The board
machinery will consist Of Chief Engineer
Dev.lin, Ayers and Whitaker, assisted o
Pissed Assistant Engineer Freeman and Al
s;.tsnt Engineers Kammeriing, Redsrave an
Rommel.
New Secretary for Commissions
Tanner.
Commissioner of Pensions Tanner has &C
csnted the resignation of George B. Squire'
h;s confidential secretary, in order that D