New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-03
BEGINNING THE BIG COUNT.
A FEW REFUSALS TO ANSWER.
SOME FAINTHEARTED ENUMERATORS RE.
SIGN
IGNORANCE HOWEVER, THE GREATEST o.
sTACLE OF ALL-INCIDENTs OF THE
FIRST DAYS WORK IS THIS CITY
AND IN BROOKLYN

! AND IN BROOKLYN.
| Nearly all Of the men who had taken the oath
OF office as census onumcrators began their work
yesterday morning, but Supervisor Murray will
| not know how much work they did until this
| morning, when their reports will begin to come
into the census headquarters in Eighth-st on the
postal cards which were provided for that pur-
pose. The men were ont bright and early. and
| before o'clock all of those who had decided to
work had started out with their portfolios sheets
and maps Only two refusals answer tie
! questions were recorded, and these cases will be
dealt with by the Department of Justice in Wash
| ington Immediately
Louis Marks, the enumerator in Of the East
Side districts near Second-avc, began his task at
| tle liquor store owned by Bernard Smith, No.
| 23j East FOrty-ffth-st Marks intended TO so
through the entire building but began in the bar
room. II was lis first case, and he went about
it with good deal of diplomacy in opening the
proceedings by buying a glass of sarsa raria.
After he had paid for and drank it he announced
that he was census enumerator, and began TO
ask the necessary questions. He was not allowed
10 proceed further than the introductory ore be-
fore he was interrupted by the rumseller telling
him to get out. Marks insisted that TIE questions
should be answered, and Smith was equally per.
out what his name The bartender and Mrs.
Smith joined the proprietor, and of them
| threw beer glass at the enumerator. who by this
time had become rather badly frightened Marks
| hurried from the store, and it is said that beer
glasses, which came uncomfortably neor his head,
| accompanied him for some distance. BY this
time reinforcements in the shape of number OF
young hoodlums joined the Smith family, and
aided Markss flight ny warke demonstrations
Marks found policeman on the street corner
and TO him told his troubles Tie officer returned
with Marks to Smiths beer-shop and explained
| TO Smith and his wife what the enumerator
wanted. Smith was more obdurate than ever
! and positively refused answer a single ques-
tion. After the officer refused to arrest Smith
the enumerator hurried down to the Census
Bureau for instructions. Supervisor Murray
took Marks's statement and telecraphed ac-
count Of the affair the Superintendent Of Census
| in Washington Mr. Murray said that Smith
would he proceeded against Immediately and tried
| for misdemeanor Of which refusal 70 answer
the questions asked makes him guilty
FAINT-HEARTED BEFORE STARTING.
About dozen cnumerators got sick Of the
! place which they had taken before they began
! work Yesterday. and appealed to Mr.. Murray 70
excuse them from service. AS it is a misde-
| mcanor for cnumerator TO refuse 70 work after
he has taken the oath of Office they could not
be excused. Mr.. Murray allowed them, how
! ever. TO write the statement that they declined
TO act as enumc rators, aLi was, Of course com
pclled Ia fill their places from the reserve corps,
| in which there about $50 men. All sorts OF
excuses were given by the men who did not
| want 10 work Some had found employmens
elsewhere, others going ont of town, several
were frightened, but did not wish to admit
it. and one had sore eyes. Only one really valid
| excuse was given out of the dozen. Mr. Murray
will not know until after the mail has been sorted
! this morning how many vacancies he will have
to fill This will bc told from the absence Of
reports from the districts 10 which the enumera-
| tors were assigned. He will not be surprised if
! 100 men fail to make report, but all of those
! who do not will be punished.
Several hundred people applied yesterday for
| enumeration blanks on which write their
swcrs Ii kept one clerk busy supplying them
and mailing letters TO those who applied by post
An application was made by the supervisor TO
his chief in Washington for permission for report
! ers TO accompany the enumerators through bhe
districts where there a likelihood Of trouble
| occurring This was allowed during the
! tenth census, but Mr.. Porter telegraphed
! from Washington that under no cir
! cumstances would reporters he allowed to
| accompany the enumerators James IL. Wardell,
the chief clerk of the Census Bureau, was in the
| city yesterday and will remain here until this
| evening. He said that he was much pleased with
! the way the work in this city had been begun.
! CHNUNCEY NJ. DEPEw DOES NOT sHlRK.
At o'clocl, in the morning young and timid
man. staggering under the weight of the large
heavy title of Enumeration rang the hell OF
No 81 West Fifty-fourth-st. and asked is
the gentleman at home?'
Yes, was the reply.
All right" said the cnumcrator, rs he thruss
n schedule into the hands of the surprised servant
| at the door. and ran rapidly down the steps, I'll
call LATER when the gentleman isn't in
Tho gentleman of the house had the schedule
for breakfast When the enumerator calls again
hc will find that the Christian name Of the gentle
man is Chaunccy, that the initial of his mid
die name is NJ, and that his surname is Depew.
Mr. Dcpcw will yield this information without re-
serve, and he said last night TO n Tribune re-
porter. his answer 10 Question No. 3 "Whether
a soldier. sailor or marine during the CiVll war;
will be- Thirty days in the war
Mr. Dcpew is the head Of his family, ana .
| white man, an exceedingly white man. age NO
nearest birthday tiny-siX last April, ne re-
marked reading the schedule and making COM
mcnts ON il Married, and married before tho
csrsus vear too Place OF birth, PeelSskill. Place
of birth of father Peekskill. Number OF years
in the United States. ffty-siy, / suppose fro-
fession trade or occupaton-well, that rather gers
mc-lawyer. trustee railroad man. Months uh-
cmpoyed during the census year-shouio n"'o
said minutes Able to speak English-now' now
many people, do you think. can answer 'n"U
How many people, do you think speak 0''''''
EngliSh?" ...-
~ ihout one in 6fty" suggested the reporter.
.ono in n thousand would be more accura"'
v,o,hor suffering from acute or chronic dis-
sosc-I don't think it would he serious tor man
70 saw he was suffering from presidency on on 'ne
broin. for instance. is the home you i've ~
birrdg bin We live under our own roof ana ns
,rns .,s put do YOU think that anybody's going to
answer that question about mortgage man
lin adwit a wart on his nose, but he won't con-
,ess 70 n mortgage This census is made III oruef
leSo W " - :. =. In the first place the an