The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-05-29
NO. FAMILY SECRETS.
THE .CENSUS-TAKER MUST KNOW
MORE THAN YOUR AGE.
He will be Abroad in the Land in Two
Weeks Looking for Cork Legs, False
Teeth and Past Records.

| Teeth and Past Records.
1 I7ron the Nc,o York Worli.l
When the 900 census enu.nerators
begin their work two weeks from to
morrow there will be music in New
York h,usholds. the echoes thereof in
| all probability reaching to the courts.
The twenty six questions which are tn
he answered concerning each inhabi-
ant df this big city are calculated t.,
eau rebellion even among those for
Ewhom previous censuses ha,i no ter
rors Here i, the list of queries:
/ Christian name in full and initial OF
middle name.
Surname.
Whether a soldier, sailor or ma
riue during the civil war Omitted
States or Confederate), or widow of
such person.
Relationship to head OF family.
Whether white, black, mulattn,
quadrnon. octoro,p, Chinese or Japa-
nese or Indian.
Sex.
Age at nearest birthday IF under
| one year. give age in months.
Whether single, married, widowed
Tor divorced.
Il Whether married during the census
year (June 1, 1889, to May 81, 1S90).
Mother of how many children and
number of these chi 'dren living.
p Place nf birth.
Pisce of birth of father and mother
Number of years in the United
States. I, ft{
Whether naturalized.
Whether naturalization papers have
been taken out.
Profession, trade or occupation.
Months unemployed during the
census year.
Attendance at school during the
census year. fA -
Able to read; abe to write.
1 Able to speak English. If not, the
language or dialect spoken.
- Whether suffering from acute or
chronic disease, with name of disease
and length Of time afflicted.
Whether defective in mind, sight,
hearing or sreech, or whether crippled,
manned or deformed, with name Of de-
feet.
Whether prisoner, convict, home
less child or pauper.
Is the house you live in hired, or is
it owned by the head or member of
the family?
If owned by the head or u member
of the family, is the house free from
mortgage encumbrance
If the house is owned by head or
member of the family, and mortgaged,
| what is pnstoffice address of owner?
The last six questions have been
| added to tae usual list by Superintend-
ent Robert P. Porter, and are expect
ed to cause trouble A refusal to an
swer may mean. arrest and 500 fine.
1t may mean contest in the highest
courts, too, for well-known lawyers
have already expressed the belief that
some of the searching queries are of a
character that reDler their legality
doubtful. 1t is not hard to imagine
how woman with physical defect
would throw hot water on a census
taker before she would confess to a
club foot or sny other little deformity
|, "hiSh al anu AOhS ~ oSeISO uoU CLIO
bled her to conceal. Family skele-
tons will be dragged from closets in
very truth if a man must tell a census
taker, who may be his neighbor, that
he spent u year in Jail somewhere a
long time ago, or that the fine house
which he is maintaining in elegant
style is mortgaged to the top notch.
Must glass eyes be removed from sight
less orbs or waxen: noses lifted or false
teeth taken out to make a holiday in
the family of the census taker? 1t
seems so.
A recent newspaper story was of q
cork legged man who plunged knife
through his trousers in a crowded car
one day and soon had all the stats to
himself. What is to prevent census
taker-who is only mortal after ali
from trying to CRAFTY long bottled up
curiosity regarding the halting gait Of
some acquaintance and putting him to
the knife-test under threat Of having
him placed on Uncle Sans roster for
1889 as minus = leg? There will, no
doubt, be many an argument before
unmarried women of certain age will
confess to defects in hearing, aud will
near sighted people. want to be set
I %,