The morning call., 1890-06-19
FALLING SHORT.
Mayor Pond Alarmed at the
Census Enumeration.
Supervisor Davis on til, Capability Of His
Men-Causes Of shOrtage-A Woman Who
KNEW Washington.

Mayor Pond has received letter from Andrea
sbarboro. The grocer and capitalist, complaining
that the work OF taking the census In this city
has been very imperIectly done. He cites an
instance that occurred several days ago when he
was Iuuching In a public restaurant with six
gentlemen, all OF whom are in business IN the
city, having Offices, residences and families, and
every one OF them Lad lived in tile city over ten
years. DuIng the meal the fact was brought out
that only one of the number had been visited by
a census enumeration. Mr.. Sbarboro says that
the other five represented thirty persons by
actual count.
Mayor Pond in commenting on the letter said
that lie was somewhat doubtful of the accuracy
OF The census now being taken in this city.
Thele are" lie said, many elements which go
TO render aboIIlYe the Efforts OF the census tax
eTs 10 secure a correct enumeration. Let me
say In tile FIRST place that the stipend paid the
enumerators is altogether too small. You can
not expect capable men 10 WORK for that sum,
and where CAPABLE men have undertaken the
work IN ignorance OF the amount OF labor III
VOWED The temptation 10 Sink Inc WoIk mas
been very great
"Of course al this season Of the year thousands
OF people are IN The county. Lab0rers who be-
long Iere are working in the farming and min
ing districts, many families are spending Vaca-
ton at tile summer resort, ana CHINATOWN is dc-
pieIed OF large share Of IT'S population. But
Tor all that, if tie citizens OF san Francisco had
known beforehand OF Tie meagef pay That The
funds 10 supplement H. better results might have
been Obtained"
MR.. DAVIS EXPLAINS.
Supervisor Davis, on being asked about the
SbarbUrO letter, salu:
Il lave no doubt that the gentlemen men
tloned by MI SbAi boro are IN error. 1t is more
than probable that lie eEumeratOrS have OBJ
tanned the names OF them and their ialniles
without THEN being aware OF II. / have found
innumerable such instances. HE enumeration
obtains The information from some III mber OF
the family While The head Of the family is away,
CT, PEI aps, at thai time the enumetatOr had not
reached him. The gentlemen III question nave
certainly been counted and SO have their fam
lies.
Il have not the slightest hesitation in saying
that The Instances where any regular citizen OF
the city has been missed are so rare as 10 cut
no figure IN The result. II is only where people
are out Of Town that they have not been reached,
or Where Ill lOdGluE-houseS tile pTOprletOrs them
selves can give no account OF their dodgers. 1t
frequently happens That there are more people
Touming IN a house than the PROPRIETOR has any
record Of. The TUOmers Urlug friends, OF which
they give no account. In instances OF this sort
you cannot expect an enumeraGor to undertake
the role Of detective at remuneration OF cents
per name.
ia regard to Mayor Ponds inference that the
men employed IN this enumeration ale not capd-
bic men, wish 10 say that the inference Is er-
TOneous. II has been a subject Of remark ana
surprise on tile part or both General Sheehan
and myself hat tie men obtained were such
capable lot. " c have been slngulaIly fortunate
IN that regard. doubt II b tier men could have
been obtained even at higher stirend, though
OF course, tie men nj ght have ben induced 10
do the WOIk With greater care.
PEOPLE UUI OF TOWN.
"But that Is not Tie cause Of any falling of in
the number expected. The cause lies IN The
great number Of people that are out OF town--a
humber greater TINS year than ever before. The
recent ado made over the unemployed nas seal ed
hoIdes Vi people Out OF Tie city 10 seek employ
meut elsewhere. Railroad fares are cheaper and
many have gone on pleasure trips on that &C.
count Then, loo, the Inhabitants OF San Fran
cisco have lately gUlten more into the habit OF
spending the vacation months out OF town. All
these things have counted TO maEe the returns
lower lAau they Otherwise would have BEEN"
Only Sky OF Tie districts Stl uncOm-
pleed, Whl!e The Il turns from the completed dis
ITicts are being Slipped 10 Washington as fast as
possible Ii IS likely that to-day VIII practically
close NJ tile work OF the enumerators.
Back Of lie Baptist Chul eli on Powell street a
colOied woman has been found who Is over JOG
years OF age. Her name is Maria Price, aud
though she IS deaf crippled and partially par
RlyZed, heI memory is still vigorous. She dis
timely remembers Washington at New York.
Size is a native Of Virginia, and tells The names
of her owners dUfiug The lime when she was a
slave. Size puichased her Own freedom.
Ramel CuTIat was arrested yesterday for refus-
ing 10 answer the questions OF Census Enumer-
aiof Hughes, but was released by United States
Commissioner MoEckton on baitbond OF $3.50.