Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-14
THE COUNT OF THE PEOPLE.
The Counting 10 be Done by nm Electrical
Machlne-The Work Progressing Salts.
fhctorily and Rapidiy-Finding Baby
Uirh,uf Mann.

| hhctorhH anu hnP'uiy-rtnaing q Buby
Without n Name.
| .FRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
| WAsHINeToN. June 18-Only small force
Is at work at the Census Office as We,
| counting the returns from census enumerators
as only scattering and less populous districts
from nearby States have yet been heard from
But the returns are increasing at o rate which
| foretells the tremendous work that will be
piled up within week. The facilities for the
vast labor of the Census Bureau are not of the
best The reports are received and arranged
at the headquarters on Third and G streets
which is place not easy of access. A portion OF
the counting will be done at headquarters
but the bulk of it at big mill building away
out near the Government printing office. An
other portion, with the process of verifying will
be performed in bank building near the gen.
eral postoffce. As has been fully described in
these kilograms the counting is done by an
electrical machine somewhat similar to a type.
writer. one machine doing the work of ten
counters by the old method. and also indicating
by an electric current the aggregate on a dial
placed on the wall 1t is impossible for the
easy to operate. Superintendent Porter said
to-day that from all the information re.
ceived from supervisors and enumerators the
WORK was progressing satisfactorily and
rapidly and the statistics of population might
be complete even earlier than had been autici-
pated. From one enterprising enumerator in
Indiana, Mr.. Porter received the following let
ter to-day: FINDING baby without name
that was born just in time to have its nose
counted and the family undecided as to a
name, the matter was finally left to me, where
upon christened him Porter F. Crabb. the
hrst after you and the second for myself. As
the kid is from long line of good old Ken
tueky blood hope the name will not handicap
him in the race Of life"
<rz
First Returns From New York.
n Sa in
and about AZ districts will be counted first
from that State. Mr.. Hollerith, the inventor
Of the electric tabolating machine bearing his
name, has 40 machines now ready to begin the
work. Owing to failure to get the rooms
ready in the Inter-Ocean building. superin-
tendent Porter was forced to secure temporary
quarters in the Mcdowell mill. corner Massa.
street. There being no accommodations for
ladies in the present quarters, male operators
will be employed for the machines, which work
chnes about 8 more than the contract as @ cas %
Tor, but Mr. Hollerith says he wanted to be
prepared for any emergency which might
office robed in a white flannel shirt and vigor-
ousiy manipulating large palm fan. He ex-
pressed himself as well satisfied with the prog
ress OF the WORK, and gratifed that no unpleas-
ant collisions had taken place between enumer-
ators and citizens.
Interesting Correspondence.
FoR several days past an interesting CORE
spondence has been going on between Su-
perintendent Porter and Mr.. Lewis n. Doug
lass regarding the CHASING of people as white,
black, mulatto, quadroon, octoroon, Chinese,
Japanese or Indian" The question does not
appear easy one to solve, and in his first let
ter to Superintendent Porter Mr.. Douglass
says he desires information as to whether the
nat he off fhnr y
He says: The class numbers up among the
millions, and they are descendants of many
European and African races, but do not truth
fully come within the classification European
or African, neither are they Chinese Japanese
nor Indians. In color they are neither white nor
black. they are not mulattoes, quadroons or oc-
tlonaries. What are they and will the census
of 1890 take notice of themf If SO, under what
head?
To this Superintendent Porter replied that
population schedule had been used for many
censuses with the exception of the extension OF
the inquiry as to black. mulatto, quadroon. or
octoroon. IF the class co which you refer"
says the Superintendent "is not covered by the
above classification this office will be glad to
have you indicate the classification necessary
to be made to so cover it. A negative answer,
to correct solution of the matter, and should
be glad to receive from you such additional in
formation or explanation as may seem desirable
to you.n
MIR. Douglas Reply.
To THIS Mr. Douglas wrote lengthy reply, in
which he says: The questions as to whether
a person is a quadroon, mulatto or octoroon
has nothing to do with color. For instance,
.'person of color" may be SO white as to be able
to ba fle an expert, and the parents may one be
a quadroon proper and the other an octoroon
proper. The so-called colored population of
this country is of a variety OF shades from the
whitest white to the blackest black, as they
draw near to or recede from the African or the
the Caucasian. The person who is not properly
a mulatto, quadroon, or octoroon, should
race more than OF the Caucasian, II
am black man with Caucasian blood in
my veins" stating whatever fraction he can de-
termine. If of the Caucasian race, more than of
the African, Il am white man with African
blood in my veins" stating the fractions. In the
classification in the schedule there is no account
to be taken of the very large number of blacks
and mulattos, or OF mulattos or quadroons or
octoroons, or of the gradations of the above;
think the distinction of the African
with Caucasian blood and Caucasian with
African blood will come much nearer reaching
the case than the schedule now in use. Super
Porter studied over the matter care
fully, but the act providing for taking the GEN.
sus says that the population schedule shall in
clude an inquiry as to 'the number of negroes,
mulattos, quadroons and octoroons."
No Way Out of II.
..LNTHAT can be done?" asked the reporter of
Mr.. Porter.
"AsI wrote Mr.. Douglas" was the reply,
''both DIR. John S. Billings, who has charge of
the census inquiry in regard to vital statistics
and who is one Of the highest authorities on
this subject in the United States, and myself
fear that at the best this office will only be able
to tabulate black and mixed 1t is hardly
likely that the enumerators will report with
sufficient accuracy to enable the Census Office
to adopt the exact classification called for in
the law. At least that is my opinion now,
though it is possible that 1t may be changed.
1 think Mr.. Douglas distinction of Africans
with Caucasian blood and Caucasians with
African blood is a good one. but the primary
obstacle in adopting it is the wording of the
act"
"Then it will be black and 'mixedT"
THAT is the present outlook. don't see any
way out of it."
CURRENT TIMELY TOPICS.