The morning call., 1890-05-24
CENSUS RETURNS.
Losses Reduced Considerably by
Recanyassing.
superintendent Anderson Given Carte Blanths
BY the School Board and Employs
Experts With Effect.

The decrease in the number OF school children
mas been so great and alarming that Superin-
tehdeDt Anderson dispatched a number of ex-
peils through all blocks where the losses ex-
ceeded five.
Ihe result was more satisfactory and crafty
ing and pulled up the losses so that now the
shortage IN 300 blocks is only 275. AS this year
Inc city Will receive about So for every child, The
financial gain to the city by the employment Of
experts may be readily appreciated.
Inc announcement in yesterdays CALL that
Inc loss In ninety-three blocks aggregated 1914
rather startled the members OF the Board of Edu-
cation, and the special committee appointed 10
ala Inc Superintendent in the census was called
together at once. President Dalton and DI-
rector Flint responded, Director Denman being
conhned TO his home by sickness When the
state OIL affairs was disclosed In all its fullness
lie committee gave Superintendent Anderson
carte blanche as 10 methods ana expense to In
Sure correct census.
EXPERTS SWORN IN.
A number OF extra experts, some OF whom off,
clated during the past three years, were at once
sworn III and sent out. They covered the ground
carefully, with The pleasing result that the entire
loss Is reduced to 275 on all The blocks canyassed
during the first five days.
SUPERINTENDENT Anderson stated yesterday
mat he had sent FOR more experts, and would put
on 800 II necessary. IL Will have the work done
right or throw over The whole thing. Every care
possible Is being taken 10 insure correctness,
ana am also willing to receive suggestions from
newspapers or anybody else. / am following
Out The only method that insures any correct re-
lulhS, and am not keeping on any incompetent
men.
"Only this morning l discharged two men for
lack OF knowledge, and have since learned that
one OF them named johnson, is a nephew of
Chris Buckley, but that makes no difference one
way or tie other l am obliged TO make cor
!ect return OF children, and intend to do it if il
G1FU tn .1I~
city.
INFLATED CENSUS RETURNS.
" The whole trouble is that since 1872 the CEN
sus returns have Leen inflated beyond all de-
gree. This was emphatcally shown at the lime
OF The last census, Tor In The year before and
ailer The returns were out Of all proportion TO
1--WE estimate that there is one school child
ior every lye persons, and OH this basis, allow
Ing iof 1000 Chinese children, there should be a
populaton IN This city OF $4,000, with $4,000
school children. These figures Will be verified
Dy he national census"
" 1t IS inc0mprehensibe TO me that we should
experience heavy losses in the populous Eighth
and Eleventh wards We have no doubt that
when We come TO the outlying districts large
gains VIII be noted. hut they VIII not eXplaln The
losses In those sections OF town where families
are increasing.
VALUE OF REcANvAssING.
-. Inc value OF recanvassing may be judged by
we gained 13l. Block 403, in The same ward,
nau Z33 iasl year; this year the Marshal re-
turned loss OF 40. Expert Peter Beanston re-
covered 131. This is due undoubtedly to The
iDeXpereuce OF the canvasser.
- In Block 50 of the Eleventh Ward loss of
80 was lound but the recauvass by an expert
gained 70. In another block Mr.. Beauslon not
only recovered loss OF 81 but made positive
excess OF 20 In 1880 the Federal census
showed that The population OF San Francisco was
Dul $4,000, when somebody supposed 1t would
be 100000. According TO my estimate OF
S2o,oOO, there must have been an Increase OF at
least 20 per cent, which l do not believe has
been gained.
Z" With such population we would only be en-
Tilted 10 81 600 children first drductng 10000
Chinese who are single men. / have sent for
some more experts and Will be able 10 conclude
The canvass 10y the last day Of The month, as re-
CURED by law. and l expect TO have II done cor
lcctly, too"