Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-09
rrRoM A srArr coRREsPoNpENr.I

FRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, August 8.-Mr. Suther-
land, who is in charge Of the electric count
ing machinesin the Census Office, said to-day
that be expected to finish the actual count
of the country within the next week. Up
to this evening his orce had counted in
round numbers $4,000, 900 people in the
United States and it is making a daily
record of about 1000, 900 day.
The estimate of the Office is that there are
65. .000, 900 inhabitants in this country. SO
that there are still some 10000 more to
be counted. At the rate the machines are
now being worked it will only take about
five days longer to finish the count.
A QUICK COUNT.
It has been remarkably quick count so
far. and will makea very good record for
the machines. Some of the clerks have
counted as many as 5000 and 10000 day,
but the average has been for each machine
employed about 5000 persons. The pc-;el
card count has been completed and gives
result or the whole country of something
over 63, 500, 900 population, but this don't
include the penal, blind, insane and other
institutions, and has been shown to be in
other ways considerably below the actual
figures.
By this count the population Of New York
State is said to be 5.99s,OOO Ground num-
bers), Pennsylvania, 5,39l 900, and that of
West Virginia, TIA 900; while New Jerseys
population has been increased nearly half
million over what it was ten years ago.
The large towns having been enumerated
and got out of the way, the Office will, from
now on, be turning out the figures of popu-
lation several smaller towns each day.
SOME OF THE FIGURES.
According to to-day's figures, Wilmington
has been growing quite rapidly during the
decade. 1t has now 81 569 inhabitants,
while in 1880 it had only A, ATS, showing an
increase OF 1889 or 446 per cent The
New York towns do not seem to be making
very rapid progress, il the figures of popuia-
tion are any Indication. Albany, which in
1880 had 80. 1853 inhabitants, has now 90, 523,
or only z, ,765 more than it had then. Troy
with 56,747 people in 1880. has now GO, sos,
an increase of 1858 or 6.S per cent.
The new South is, however, fulfilling her
promises and is making good record. At
lanta has grown to be city Of St, 514 In
habitants against her record of 81, 4Q9 ten
years ago. This means an increase o. %, ,105,
or over 75 per cent in the decade-a pretty
good showing for paralyzed community
such as Atlanta had a quarter OF a century
ago.
Secretary Noble has approved the recon-
mendation of Superintendent Porter sub
mitted to-day, that the original order direct
ing recount o. the population oi the entire
city OF st. Paul be put into execution. Mr..
Porter, in his letter of recommendation,
gives detailed account of his
RECENT INVESTIGATION,
which shows that while perhaps the larger
share OF the irregularities were found in the
nine specified enume ration districts, yet the
gross errors in 35 districts render, in mis-
opinion, recount o. the whole city neces.
sary. An examination of the schedules
discloses among other Irregularities the fact
that at least 1000 Implications of names
were made.
The Secretary, while generating the citi-
zens of St. Paul from even a suspicion of
collusion in falsifying the enumeration
schedules, believes that the errors COM
mitted were OF SO gross character and so
general as to require in justice to all con-
cerned recount Of the whole city.
Assistant Chief Clerk wardie, of the
Census Office, who was designated BY the
Secretary and Superintendent Porter to coz
duct the recount, will leave Washington for
St. Paul Tomorrow. The work of re-
enumeration will be begun next Monday.
SOME PECULIAR FEATURES.
The overhauling of the returns from St.
Paul, which was made necessary by the de-
to have a new count OF that
town, has developed some curiosities in the
way OF census enume ration. Not only did
the enumerators count hundreds of people as
living in the large commercial buildings OF
the city, but they would count every boy
and girl in the day schools and then en-
umerate them again at their homes. Then
an enumeration, after having finished his
work in his own district would go into the
adjoining district and enumerate the people
there.
But the most curious of all the doings Of
these men was discovered by noticing that
in many of the schedules there we're a num-
Der Of persons counted without any age be-
ing assigned to them. 1t was found out on
investigation that these people were still |
unborn. An enumerstor entering a house,
and noticing prospect o. another heir in |
the family, would count the child, give it a |
name and thus increase St. Paul's popula- |
tion and his own profits ut the same time. |
There were scores and scores OF such cases,
according to reliable information.
LIGHTNER.