New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-17
HOW OLD ARE YOU, MADAM?
TELL. THE WHOLE TRUTH OR A FINE Is
IMMINENT.
A HORDE OF ABOUT ONE THOUSAND INouislToKs
PREPARING TO STORM THE CITY AND
CLASSIFY ITS INHABITANTS
FOR THE CENSUS.


FOR THE CENSUS
The last Government census oil this citN ell
braced 6l5,7s5 Ncw-YorlI females. That was
pretty plucly CENSUS. But the one which Charles
II. Murray will turn loose here on Inc hrs'
Monday in June will do better than that. On
that day about 900 inquistive persons, armed
with authority 10 enter homes, Offices, factories
and shops. TO ask every one they meet his OF
her age where he was born. how much lie owes
if he can read and write. If he has neeh
divorced. if he is deformed, or pauper,
how many of his family are idiots. and how many
criminals will swoop upon the decncelesS lhnaol-
tants of New-York. and if truthful answers 10
these searching and embarrassing questions are
refused. possible fine of 800 may be invoked
10 open the mouth of the stubborn one ana make
him trot out the family skeleton Tor correct
classification. The whole thing is 10 be done
I'm in hurry. TOO. When Robert !. Porter,
Superintendent of the Census, was IN town last
week. he said to Tribune reporter:
At this time ten years ago the SUPERVISORS oi ''0
had not vet been appointed and confirmed. NO" d" ="
the 175 have been appointed, and have i''e"'u ,
s,ructons This Is by means reflection on M van
ey because in giving out this work we nave INC u","
NJ his experience BY 80 the preliminary WORK WI"
no COMPLETED The schedules Tor compiling the s.Is'Vs
Of which there 100000, are about f'aos 'o'
use and are stored in Washington We VIII DC "pe %
announce the totals quickly after te sbd's'0S nav
bcon obtained II the supervisors do their duty well ue
roou,ato, can be given out by August !. They must
subdiyde their districts and appoint their chumesato
and IL the men appointed follow Instructions this Va" "
the quickest census taken
we have electrical cnumcratine machines when 10 IS
much work I'm Ave hours a. formerly done In iifty-
I've hours The machines do their work on inc basis %
10000 001 names. and think that "'n'n '"'"F u''
from the receipt OF the last schedule cio'c ,''' "
totals can be given the time that the schedules begin
N come in 600 clerks will be employed IN Na-hNs''h
Tho system OF abulang is such perfect one tnss 20
no: look for trouble from that direction Inc la'''
home and mortgage statistics are new oiehch eSps
,rcated by Congress. Within week VIII nave nun
s,ods ~ agents al in every county searching 'hr
records OF the ten years for statistics o. af anu
- ,-6nsr,v and mortgage indebtedness. Inside OF
ninety DAYS the census agent, viii have gone through
the recorders books county in every STATE III ts
Union. 49,.
Mr. Murray, who has charge OF the work III 'hiS
CITY. has been hard at work for some time already
cutting out the work for his biz stan OF enumcra-
TORS. and getting everything in readiness to SCI
the machinery going without a hitch on June .
lie will spare no pains to make quick, thorough
and satisfactory census and get the agony over as
soon possible.
MR.. MURRAY OUTLINES HIS PLANS.
In describing his plans and his hopes for the
immense task, he said the other day:
One of the first things IS to divide the city a evenly
as possible into districts for the enumeators. Each
,umerator will be assigned TO district containing, a.
acarIy As 1t is possible TO estimate it, 1000 persons In
order to map these districts begin with the oca
division of the city into Assembly and Election dis
tricts take then the total registered vote al the
last election, as given by the Police Department. and
multiply il BY six. Experience has shown that this
gives about the proper proportion Of total population
TO voters in each election district At any rate, there
is no better convenient way 10 reckon H. 1t Is not
f1v NJ the
limit each cnumerator at 1000. and rs set it by
my estimate at 5000, Will sec that there is no
danger of overstepping the mark
When I have thus roughly estimated the popula-
tion of each election district. if districts ex
coed the 1000 limit subdivde them if they fall
below it I shall divide them up with others to
produce the desired result 1t is task that requires
care and judgment. and have not thought well to
delegate il TO any one, but have expended good deal
of time and study it myself. In some Of the
moro thckly settled portions Of the city single
block will give cnumeiatOr all he can do
TO take down the names and other data concerning its
population, while in certain districts far up town the
cnumerator will probably find all he wants 10 do Ia
the way Of covering territory in order to fiji his tally
sheets. For instance that block in the mn A
somby District bounded by Canal, Forsyth Bayard and
Chrystie SIS. has registered vote Of 1-0 forming an
election district by itself. and containing estimated
population OF about 1850. In this comparatively
small Assembly district. extending from Stanton II
Division and from the Bowcry 10 Norfolk St. there
arc thirty nine election districts while in the huge
XIXth Assembly District extending from Fifty second
ST. to spuytcn Duyvi Creek and from the North River
10 scventhave., there single election districts in
which the whole With Assembly District might be
swallowed up.
DUTIES OF THE ENUMERATOBs.
Naturally some districts are much movr desi.td By
enunieiat0rs than Others. The law provides that cscl
enumerstor shall be resident Of the district in which
he cnumcratcs. but If there Is lack OF eligible appl
cants resident in any subdivision, then the super
visor may recommend suitable person from any Other
district, and the superintendent will make the appoint
mcnt.
IL Is expected that about 900 Of these cnumeraor
will be required They will be selected with reference
their fitness of course and not with reference 10 the
political affiliations Their physical activity, thei
sptness, neainess, accuracy In writing and In the u.s.
of figures. energy good address, politcness. etc, will b
the factors that will count in their choice, for onll
men possessing snch qualities can do the work will
satisfaction to the Government profit to themselves
Each applicant for appointment "a census cau;cratc
must make written application to me. giving hi
Christian name in full his place Of BIRTH his presen
legal residence and postoflice address, the princips
facts Of his education and professional or business
perencc including statement of all National, State
county o municipal Offices at any t;mc held by him
and the place and nature of his present occupation
This application must be throughout In the andwiitn
Of the applicant and he must certify therein.
1t will be necessary for each enumeration, befoT
entering upon his duties, TO receive a commission
under my hand. and 10 take and subscribe oath O
affirmation that lie will faithfully discharge all IN
duties required Of him under the law.
The small size of tho enumeration districts, an
the employment Of large number % enumerators wi
operate largely 10 the advantage Of the census, bot
as TO accuracy and completeness of returns ri
snumerstor. II 9 resident Of the subdivision. know