Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-01
CENSUS-AGENT RAY.
He AND SUPERVISOR YOUNG EXAMINE
ALLEGED OMISSIONS.
Over Five Thousand Persons Who Say
They Were Not Enrolici-Mr.
Portcr's Letter.

Special AGENT d, RI. Ray, of the Census
Department, arrived in Richmond yester-
day on the fast mail and went at once to
Mr. Ragland's Office in the custom-housc,
where he had already been preceded by
Mr. Young, supervisor Of this district.
FAIR COUNT.
Mr. Ray was seen at tho cas.om-houss orice
shortly after his arrival Ile has quick. bush
ness Ike mir about him aud declared his In
tcnii0n q fully investigating the alleged oni--
si3ns here. lie stated that hs had bcon In con-
sultation with Nr. Witty a. s0mc length.
Nr. Ray said the doubt raised IN Richmond as
20 the completeness of the census was similar
10 taat IN other places IN the country. especially
Wcstern cities.
IL was hardly - be supposed thatso stupcn-
dous work ~ the taking Of = census could be
ACCOMPLISHED without an error. In Washington,
he said, whore tho greatest Of care hid been
taken, cvcn down 20 sending ont sheets 10 al
vance so that parties expecting O. leaTe she city
could an them 0lt abd return, several hundred
people had been overlooked.
rHn GOOD OF IT.
Continuing. Mr.. Ray said that Ia many in
stances parties who hat been overlooked woro
discovered, whilst complaints OF omission a. 20
those who really were enumerated were bong
investigated. lie could, however, really recog-
nilo the fact that certain class largely resi-
dent here Uhs negro mA3c 10 much more diri-
cuit to take 4 census on account q the multi
phcity II names and otn9r causes.
HARD At WORK.
ur Ray and Mr. Yong went 20 work ~ once
invosu -aung omissions reported. Ia some in
stances the complaints proved % be groundless :
IN other cases portions or single members or
families were found o. BE- overlooked, aud then
again whole houses we're missed.
Tho work was not prosecuted ays'ematicnlly
as TO aoy one section. but vas more with avlow
20 testing the accur c. OF the onumoraIors In
general.
Egeylhlng moved meihoit,aly, and before
Nr. Ray had bsen hero May hours complaints
were beiug invc5' gated with more celerlly than
1t any time since me opening OF tho special Of
ncc.
Mr. Ray win continue his work to-day ami will
probably return home this evening.
lie will then make bis repor. % Supcrintend-
ent Porter and upon this viii be decided the
question as 10 whether or hot We shall have a
newcounL
CORRESPONDENCE.
The following correspondence explains itself
DEPARTMENT OF THs ISrERIuR.l
CKNsu- OFFICE,
WAsHfSGrOv, June e., lSsL
Sr,-l hnve tho honor 20 acknowledge th0 re-
coipt OF your latter OF June 2Ith. aud % sta IN
reply that Notwithstanding ths fact that conros
si0us have already been grantci 20 Richmond
such as haye not boon extended tO any otbel
city in tho country, am willing 90 go S,il further
in my efforts 90 obtain q complete and a.
curate enuo.eraiion OF that city. The super
visor has, a. you arc aware. beer
authorized 10 employ special CLERK
making h.s hoaiq' aters Ia Richuond, m.
tne schedules have boon retained I'm mis- hands
when thoy ought tO have been in hashington. N
Crloi tsnt any alleged Omissions might oe ln
wee atad aud tho necessary additions and cor
| cec:Io4e made. 1rhi '7ora having been hroIEh
/ 90 ~ END 40 o. 1rlcuro with tne INSTRUCTIONS 81
thi- on ,e, given on rho fair assumption tht
there Bere no reasous why a. should take longer
HHHFaaH rr "a
cities ~ tho samo or larger size has, m tho earn
est solicitation OF Jud.e Naliil, boon recon
meucei ani the supervisor laf Necu directed Z
retain the Richmond schedules in his hands until
| Wednesday. July ~. 90 givo further opport nj
/ ~ for the recuaceton of possible omissions
/ lie has also been authorized % employ fotovel
/ additional clerical as-is snce ho may deem ne
/ cossary m view ~ tho facl ttat no names cai
/ he added % the schedules without previous vert
fcatiOn az tho residences Of the persons nlleret
/ 20 have bcen omitted. Iaking tha country
throughout fully go per cent ~ persons allie 20,
/ tO have been overlooked ny tho enumeral0r
/ prove On investigation O. have been duly emu
merl eI, snl % Will probably he tho same IL
/ your city. II tho newspapers wil Invite por
sons wlO believe taem-slY 90 have teri
/ omlitei 10 send .n .tclr nlmss 10 tlo Sup"r
} yi-Ofs hichmOui Office rLcu cases wii bo iufes
I ucatei as promptly a. possible.
/ While lt is not Tor tls oficc % suggest th'
| adoption OF any plan lha, would impose upon
/ class m Government rfynnts dute, that DO no
properly belong % them, may ,ay that /. IA
| iea't one large cts iae postmaster h1s instruct
/ ed the iettrr-cCrriors 10 inquire at ths yauou'
/ houses ln tlnlr di-tIf f4 whether thore NCrl
/ pers,u7 resident hcrein who were not aware o
D nsgius been enumerated.
i viii only aid mat it there is cuyihing hk
/ The amount ~ pubuc Interest taken ln this "a 81
/ fns. would appra- irom tho newspapers an
] from your communication Of June goth th0r
I ought % 10 ~ uI1I 'uitr in obtaining tiat corn
/ plato an1 accurate enuUeration wLi,h i5 le
| sired by this onlcs equally with tho hOnOraL,,
! chamber IN WhUs9 behalf you write
Very respectfully,
ROBRsr i. Porter,
superlnteuIent Of census.
Il. 4. Dniop. Esq., secretary Chamber o( CoiR
mercf, Richm,ni, ld.