The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-28
OVER 1900 IN ONE DAY.
REPORTS OF OMISSIONS FOUND
Blythe CANvASSERS.

CreditabIs Work Being Done degrading
the Census Returns by tho Chamber OF
Commerce Committee on Information
and Satisfies.
over 600 omissions found in one day.
This is what the labors Of the canyassers
appointed by the Chamber Of Commerce
Committee to list all those whom the cen
sus takers had not enumerated, resulted in
Yesterday. Think of it! And not Il full
DAYS work either. In about five hours.
this showing was made. What could the
census enumeraiors have been doing when
they were at work.
This result is startling to the committee.
Speaking about 1t, last night, Mr.. Witty,
the chairman, said: "We had expected
there would be several hundred forms re-
turned, but we had no idea there would he
so many. If one days work shows over
] 800, in two or three days we may be able
10 add some 5000 names TO the census re-
turns,
HOW IT WAS DONE.
The work was done by sixty policemen
ana twenty cOlOred graduates Of the Rich
labored in jackson ward-among cOlored
people mostly. Each cauyasser was pro-
yided with blanks, in which these questions
were asked: Has the census cnumeratOr
visited your h0useg Are you sure that be
took down the names ot all the residents on
your premises, including occupants Of de-
tached buildingsy State total number OF
persons on your lot. 1t one or more persons
have been omitted, give their names and
color. Sign your name. Give name OF
street and number of house. When the re-
turns were brought in they were carried to
Dir. j. III. Chataignc's Office. Main and
Eleventh streets, and "a force of eight or ten
men were pat TO work sorting them and ar
ranging them in shape TO hand TO Special
Clerk Ragland this morning.
RAGLAND's FORCE.
Mr.. Ragand's force is utterly inadequate
70 handle the returns. The work yesterday
OF the canvas crs is sufficient 10 keep his
men busy until the Office closes on the even
ing OF Wednesday next. Unless at least
six more clerks are secured the efforts of
4 the Chamber Of Commerce committee will
20 for naught. Mr.. Witty and Mr.. Rag
land have each written 10 Superintendent
Young, IN PETERSBURG, and supervisor POr-
ter, IN Washington, stating the condition of
things, and assistance is expected to-day.
NOT HALF THROUGH.
/ The special canyassers are not half
through with their work. The Butcher
town section Of jackson ward has not been
visited and the police have not called at half
the houses in their districts. OF the returns
yesterday over 1000 were brought in by the
| policemen and Cos by the co0red men. Some
! blanks show one name. some five or six, a
whole family, a hOuseful. 1t is not likely
! that all wh) filed the blanks are not in
Guided in the regular cnumerators' list.
! The same old trouble exists now
I That was experienced when the
Special Clerk Ragland began work. so
many persons do not know whether their
names were listed b. some other member Of
the family. An instance came under re-
| porter's notice yesterday. 4 young lady
hiled out the blank. and said the enumera-
tor had not visited her house, when, in fact.
he mad been there when she was away. and
everybody in the house had been taken in
the returns. Many cases will doubtless
prove 10 be- like this, but tine bulk, il is fair
10 presume, mas not been enumerated.
THE ENUAERATORs.
Some Of the enumerator5 did their work
well, there's no denying that. But others
were sl0yenly and some really have not fin
shed and sent in their reports yet. The trout
| bic was that there was no head here. over
| fifty men started out 10 do something they
knew nothing about and with only written
| instructions. or course mistakes occurred.
| They couldn't be helped hardly. Many a
| house visited was found closed and the cen
sus taker forgot 10 return sometimes.
VINO PAYS TOR IT.
This special cauyassing by the Chamber
OF Commerce will cost about $500. and will
be borne by the chamber. .'When frs.
| thought OF the plan" said Mr.. Witty,
went 90 Colonel Purcell. our president and
got permission TO spend $3.50. The colored
men get SID day. and Mr.. Beech. the
school principal, under whose charge they
are working, will have 10 be paid. and then
Mr.. Chataigne and his assistants will Ie
quire remuneration. so that altogether the
cost viii be about $500. But it will be-
worth thousands Of dollars to the city.
DUNNfNG DRUSDiERs.
Mr.. Whitty's committee mas also sent out
more than three hundred postal cards TO
! travelling statesmen, who live here, asking
them to ascertain il they were enumerated,
and, fnOt, to send their names in.