The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-03
An Effort Will Be Made to Secure q
Full Enumeration Of Citi-
xenS ~
An Exchange OF kilograms Be-
tween Superintendent Porter
and Supervisor Speer.
Tho Supervisor Asked to Send Rack the
Returns for Complete
Enumeration.

Mr.. W. Q. Speer, whose freshness ia q
strong feature of his character, evidently
intends that Helena shall have no popula-
ton at all in the returns of the next cen
sus. It is difficult to find man in Butte
whose hide is not actually green with jeal-
ousy over the wonderful growth Of the cap
ital city of Montana. Mr.. Speer is evil
der tly afflicted with the same disease, but
the fact that he is resident of Butte is no
reason for neglecting the duties of his Of
flee. Apparently he fails to understand
that it is his business to SEQ that full
enumeration of all inhabitants in the state
goes INTO the department Mt Washington.
On tuesday he received the following dis
patch from Superintendent Robert =. POr-
ter:
WASHINGTON, July Prominent citi-
zens of Helena telegraph Senators Sanders
and Power that you have ordered the re-
turn OF schedules before completion. They
claim that they have hundreds of names
yet uncounted. There is no reason why
sufficient time should not be allowed emu
merators to make complete and satisfac-
tory enumeration of the people of Helena"
Mr.. Speer. who has before demonstrated
q freshness in his official correspondence
by no means in keeping with his position,
returned the following answer:
oA 80 MY AAO A4SRdtCA VI p0TSOu6
to Senators Sanders and Power from Hell
ena Is absolutely false, without the slight
est foundation for any such statement.
Enumerators were granted all the time
asked or required and were required to 90
over their districts again; also to take all
me names presented by the citizens COM
place them there upon being satisfied that
such persons were entitled to be enumerat-
ed. cannot compete with newspapers
and real estate boomers in fixing popula-
tion.''
The fact of the matter is that just as the
committee ct citizens was about to get
down to work the returns were forwarded
to MI. Speer thus removing the opportunity
OF the citizens to secure full enumeration
OF the inhabitants. Mr.. F. II. Wallace in
talking about the matter yesterday said
1.-The enumerators have certainly done very
poor work in Helena. They have omitted
hundreds of names. In the Fifth ward at
least l75 people have not been enumerated.
These include members of many prominent
families is the Seligmans and Carpentsrs.
believe in the Sixth ward more than 800
names have been omitted. This is the way
the work has been done. When the citizens
were about to begin the work Speer sent for
the returns. I know man who will wager
$4,000 that Helena has population of o.
GOO people by actual count understand the
figures of the enumerators do not show
anywhere near this population. The direc-
tory contains the names of nearly 5000
adult citizens. We will get those returns
back If possible and then make general
effort to secure figures showing the correct
population of this city. Butte is insanely
jealous of Helena and, of course, will do
everything possible to misrepresent u.s.
Mr.. Wallace said last evening that he
would send letter signed by prominent
citizens asking Mr.: Speer to return the re-
CANT TvHS
might be made on the part of citizens to
secure correct count in this city.