The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-18
THE CENSUS IN HELENA,
From the Best Information Obtain
able it is far From
Complete.
A Meeting to Devise Means tor a
Better and Moro Perfect
Census.
49,. suneryisor for More Time
Committee of Ono in Each Waro
Appointed.

Tho call for a meeting of citizens OF this
ci4v last evening for the purpose OF TAXING
come action in regard to the census emu
narration was very well attended. from
49, h.st information obtainable. it was
,.,~rad .hat the enumerators had not come
.,,wberc near taking complete census.
Not only men at tho meeting, but very
I'm, others in very various parts OF the
~, stated that they had never seen an
,n,,,ora+or. The meeting was for the pur-
.oso If deyisino means whereby complete
census could be had. ,
There was a general discussion OF the
situation before the meeting was Calico 10
order. and the general expression was tnat
the census as taken was worthless. Inc
ernmerators present said the time was too
s,,o-t The work could not be done in two
.raaLs the time allowed by the supervisor
d. " r Palmer. enumerator in the Fifth
ward said he found the work very dlfhcult,
and wrote to W. o. Speer, OF BUTTE statng
that ba thought two months would be little
. ennv time to complete the work, and
asked for an extension. In reply to this
he received the following:
RTTrr. June Ct. t: Palmer, Hell
ena:-Your pathetic vail from across
the range was sxmp fefssteu tears ears Re-
msmber that this life is but vale of sor-
rows and that its only object is not race
for filthy and sordid lacre. You should feel
fsttered at the idea of having received a
lob that will last SO much longer than that
of all others. Yours compasslonately'
An organization was effected by the cleo
ton Of 4. J. Steele, chairman, and h. f.
me chairman stated the object of the
meeting was for the purpose of determln-
ING the best manner for getting more COM
plete census, and an expression OF tne cell
ans enumerators was called tor.
The enumerators in the First and Second
wards failed to materialiZe, but the third
ward man said he thought none mad been
missed. The enumerator IN the fourtn
ward said he had taken the names OF all
dodgers. ~ so;a +,ero
uare several houses he could not get into.
The occupants would not admit MN. he
thought he had probably missed fifty people
in the ward.
MIR. H. M. Parchen said we wanted dlner,
ent enumerators from that; men who would
The enumerator, Mr.. T. T. Palmer, re-
nlied that he had no authority to KICK a
mans door in. The enumerators acted ac-
cordino to instructions. He was not at lib
erty to give any facts in regard to the WORK
done.
Major J, J. Palmer said he had been gu.
peryisor of the census ten years ago, and
knew from experience that The work coulc
not be properly done under thirty days. II
was hard and poorly-paid work. me emu
imprisonment if they refused to go on witt
the work after having once agreed to do SO
The fault was with the commissioner, Wh<
evidently did not understand his business
and the department at Washington:
Il was here suggested that the object Of
+ba meeting was to gain more time, bu
it was thought the enumerators would no.
care to do any more of it. They expressed
themselves as having had more than they
wanted.
Chairman Steele said telegram had beer
sent to Census commissioner t;,ne ana tina
Mr.. Speer had agreed to telegraph the re
quest to Washington.
Judge Davis called upon Count Del !estry
enumerator in the Seventh ward. He re
piled that there was no "Count preseh
and that If the meeting was called for tn
purpose of assisting the enumeretors 1t wa
too late. The meeting was altogether to-
previous. The action should have BEEF
taken two weeks ago. He said the news
papers, that is, The lNpEPE ,S1, mad a,
\ 49,
SO, and the files of the paper DO not sho'
it, He evidently attributed all ms trlt
ulations and woes to lew r.
marks made by The lNDEPENDEST ut IN
beginning of the canvass, that hau as ntt
to do with the troubles of the enuntera1ol
has a grievance. People slammed the
doors in his face. For what? Because he W,
census enumerator? Probably not.
would be interesting to know the real re-
son the good people OF Helena shut C .he
doors in the face of the illustrlous Coul
De Lestry. census enumerator of the Sc
enth ward. He says he telegrapnea
Washington and got an extension OF tnr
days time and does not lntenu 70 seMu
his report until he has completed ms Wol
Ben Folk said the same +, s St Pul n nnd NJ
neapolis. and that the people had taken N.
matter in hand, and the people OF bn
were doing the same thing, having secul
an extension of three days.
De Lestry thought there haa nos pe
MANY neoi,le were enumerated who were
G. Z. Connolly said the enumerators W
not to blame. It was the fault OF a o.
horse government at Washington;
The best plan to secure a complete cen
nj the citv was discussed by number
citizens present, and finally u motion Y
carried that the chairman be instructed
telegraph to Washington 1cr seven o'
more in which to complete the work.
Little wanted a committee OF nifty IN et
ward to assist the enumerators. wi
Major Palmer stated that all the enume
tors but one had sent in their reports q
ii was doubtful if their services could
secured.
MT. Bernard Brown thought if the PEG
would prepare list of those who had b.
missed it would have weight IN securing
tension of time. Parchen said If we co
show the census had not been complete,
government would require the enumerat
to complete it and more time would
given.
The following committee. was appoin
by Chairman Steele to begin work at o
and secure the assistance OF nifty mex
their respective wards to assist them:
First Ward-C. X. Wells.
Second Ward-H. NJ. Parchen.
Third Ward-W. Z. Cox.
Fourth Ward-Bernard Brown.
Fifth Ward-Donald Bradford.
Sixth Ward-D. A. Hanley.
Seventh Ward-F. Il. Wallace.
The above committee is requested to
the names of all those who have not l
listed.
The enumeration in the Sixth ward,
was made at all, is certainly very
excuse of a census.