The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-04
THE COMING CENSUS
Supervisor Jenkins Will Ask
the Chamber to Aid Him.
MANY wouLD-sE EnuMERAToRs.

MANY w0uLD-eE EnuMERAToRs.
xAstr Dsflss ars Nee AissessAss Pleas
ass ssd xhsy win Have -
Lar. TAsir Fsy.
AT. VII ID. jenkins. supervisor Of CENSUS
TOT Western Washington, ID IN the city for
.ns purpose OF securing the cooperation OF
sns tna9ber Cf Commsrcs IN the hig task
% tAkine the enume<atson al this city.
- Jenkins nays be has received many
sppucAfzons from those Who wish 10 b
enumeratcfs. and large nnmlser OF them
are evidently from men who think they
VIII have "a easy time at the expense
oI the government Mr.. jenkins says that
tnose Who accept . position under this inn
precision viii ind Ia June that he has been
ssday mistaken Under the present law
my eLameEascr who has accepted m APP
poinfnent II compelled TO finish his work,
Ahd be refuses 70 do 80 without giving
reason satisfactory 70 the superintendent
No msy b tined and imprisoned. Ten
years ago many Who lad counted On IN
easy Job were appalled, when they received
theif books Of instructions, and over 5000
Of them resigned
In 1850 the census act provided for county
supervisors. With general supervision over
The enumerators: bat this year no county
omcers are provided for. the district super
visor having direct control Of the whole
work This viii make II very necessary
Tor supervisor Jenkins TO choose only felia-
oae and competent men - enumeYators,
and II II also his desire TO have special
ceputy 10 oversee the enumeration In Seat
Tie IL had been his intention TO appoint
Hon. William n. Hughes, deputy county
assessor, 70 this position: but be finds upon
examination Of the oct that he has no author
ity to make the appointment II il his
idea that the Chamber OF Commerce should
employ Mr.. Hughes. or some other COM
petent man. ct . liberal rate Of compensa-
uon, to oversee the work. Mr. Jenkins
says he can easily check against errors, but
unless he has the assistance Of competent
man he cannot prevent omissions, which
may make . shortage Of several hundred
IN the csnsus Of tho city. He viii 80
members OF the chamber today and interest
them In the matter.
The census 10 10 b taken between June
and June Is. II viii require between
eighteen and twenty enumeratoEs for
Seattle. In special cases the enumsrator
may be paid b. the day, not 70 exceed "a
The great BODY OF enumefat0fs will Be paid
as fellows: For every living person, 2
cents; for every death, cents; Tor every
hFm. Is cents: for every factory, % cents;
for each veteran or veteran,s widow, scents.
Mr.. jenkins last night said: II think
that my district, which includes ell Of
Western Washington, or nineteen coun-
ties. will show greater proportiouats In
crease over the census OF ls60 than any
other district In the United States. I have
50 advised General Supervisor Porter and
have tried to impress upon him the necss-
sity OF allowing . sufficient number Of
enumerators 10 do the work thoroughly
and promptly. ] shall also need the ~
distance Of chambers Of commerce and
other public bodies in tho work"
The following facts concerning the work,
Published in the New York 1InsAs, may Be
Of interest to those who aspire 70 the posi-
ton OF census-takers:
The enumerator as . rule comes into
direct contact with only about one In
seven Of the population. He carries with
him schedules Of population, Of agriculture,
OF manufaeture. Of mortality and vital
statistics. and schedules relating 10 the
deaf. blind and insane. and criminal. At
the close of every days labor he must
repors by postal card TO the supervisor. He
viii meet with many curious experiences,
and his most useful faculty will be tact
Every citizen 10 compelled to answer his
questions or pay dne of 500. An improve
ment this year over the former methods
al taking the census has been the dissri-
button. in advance, of several millions
Of family schedules, SO that the enumer-
asor Ut many points win ind II already
tiled. and so viii bs greatly facilitated in
his work.
II Is curious fact, as shown by the last
census, aud in fact by all, that while there
are perhaps | 5000 women of the age of
- or 81, or AZ, there viii only be about
90 onasof the age OF 80 or 30. or 50. The in
Eerence IL irresissible--thsy do not like 10
acknowledge having turned the corner OF
defade. Il would. of course. be unreasona-
be TO presume that once in every ten
<esrs there Is sucb an alarming decrease
lin the birth of girl babies.
Another difficulty which the enumera-
tors viii encounter IL the collection Of
statistics OF what are called the defective
ciAsses-those who are deaf, blind anu
idiots. Ten years ago the question was
pat before the head OF a family In Italy,
Are there any deaf. damb. idiots or
blind in your housesn This Was often con-
strued as offensive. and tended to increase
the difficulty IL sscerta.nins the true facts
This year the snumerators have al been
instructed To ask st each house: as the
speech sill right, is the hearing perfect. Is
the mind correct. can everybody sea-
The census. too, instead OF calling these
classes dependent. detective and aelin-
quent.s will call them special" and viii
not class them with criminals.
An especial feature Of the census viii be
a separate enumeration Of veterans and
their WILLOWS. which of itself Is gigantic
task. bat 1; il hoped the result viii be .
great aid to the pension bureau The list
of names OF all the veterans in the land
will make . large vogume, for In the state
of Wisconsin alone the returns of soldiers,
sailors and their widows made book
three inches thick
The cost Of taking. tAhalating and print
ing The census wili be very great, bat il il
impossible as yes 10 say lust how great
The chief item ct the expense. of course. il
the raw of the enunaerafors. which In 1850
exceeded $500 600. and this year viii
Doubtless he mere than t4.e1o .oa. The
aurrovrsatloa maize FOR the eleventh cen-
.as j. 81 40. 10. aside from 81. 500 90 APP
x..,,.-f.,sxs snr nrfrfsne hut il ia est natal