Evening journal., 1890-10-28
NO RtCUUNT FOK 6kAnl.
Secretary Noble Denies the De-
mand of New York.
FEDERAL VERSUS POLICE CENSUS

hRs just made public his letter to Mayor
Grant denying the latter's application for
a recount Of the population OF New York
city. The letter is nearly {, 800 words long.
In it the secretary reviews the CORE
spondence between Mayor Grant and the
census office officials and quotes the law
under which he makes this decision. The
secretary says that the demand rested
solely on the alleged supervision OF the
municipal enumeration by a reprensenta-
tive OF the United States census, and de
votes large portion Of the letter in dis
cussing this question. The secretary says:
The Letter OF MIR. OIcott.
''The letter Of introduction to the mayor,
given TO Mr.. Olcott as supervising the mu-
nicipal census, clothed him with no such
authority. It strictly confined him to in
forming himsef by conference and other
wise as to the methods that were pursued
in the enumeration. This was the plain
import Of the words of the letter, and it
cannot be fairly claimed they extend fur
ther. Moreover, the expressions in the
mayors letter to the secretary, saying
'Mr. Oicott came to me at the beginning of
the enumeration, and again, He was here
constantly during the progress Of the emu
meration, essential as they are to the va
lidity of the claim insisted on, are not at all
correct Mr.. Olcott in point of fact, did
not reach the mayors Office and deliver
his letter until Aug. l, which was the third
day OF the census; that it was expected
would be finished in six days, ending the
night OF Oct. 4. Besides supervision in all
its important details, influencing results
had taken place even in advance of the
enumeration. The methods of the census
had been fixed before Mr. Olcott arrived;
its census books, tabulation sheets and
other papers" mentioned by the mayor as
submitted to him, had been prepared,
printed and with instructions distributed
to the policemen who had been selected
and detailed as enumerators, and they
were acting under their orders.
Not Supervised by the Bureau.
''Mr. olcott was supplied with no data
from the United States bureau to make
any comparison Of the enumerations of
districts as they occurred, and he did not
attempt it He did not and could not ex-
anime the names and residences put down
by the police, nor consult with the mem
bers OF that force, direct them or speak
to them as to the performance OF their
duty. They were a body entirely apart
from him and beyond his control. He was
an observer, as were very many others
present, while the work was being done.
Il was impossible, therefore, that the clerk
of the census bureau could in point Of
fact have supervised the taking of the
municipal census even had he been author
lied to do So"
A Very Weak Claim, He Says.
The secretary quotes the letter Of Act
ing Superintendent Childs in reply to
Mayor Grants, and says that the latter, in
stead Of accepting the superintendent in
vitation to show proof and forwarding the
evidence that the United States census was
inadequate, turned from the superintend-
ent and demanded the Intervention Of the
secretary upon mere formal assertion.
The demand was that the secretary
should decide that Mr.. Oleott did super
wise the municipal census; that he did re-
port daily fully and in detail to the census
bureau; that it thereby had information
already in its possession sufficient to show
a recount necessary. This claim, the sec
retary says, rests upon very weak support.
The Mayors Statement Incorrect.
"The census bureau has no such informa-
tion as will enable it to act intelligently,
and no such information was given to the
secretary. The statement made by the
mayor on information was found TO be in
correct Olcott did not make full and de-
tailed reports to the census bureau from
day 20 day. The applicant seems to think
that merely because on a census taken by
the New York authorities from Sept. 20 to
Oct. IA, it appears greater result has been
found than was found by the United States
in June, therefore the June census was un-
questionably insufficient and unreliable
when taken, and remuneration should
be made. 1t is to be observed that the law
required the census TO be taken ia such
cities as New York within two weeks from
the first Monday in June and of all the
country before the 1st Of July last"
Federal Versus Police Census.
The secretary says that the position that
the United States census is incorrect must
be met by something more than an asser-
ton that the municipal census Is right
and that because it shows more inhabi-
tants in New York city in the fall of the
year than that taken in June is not evi-
dence enough to require a recount A
careful examination aud an analysis of the
police census, Judging from experience
in like counts, shows great inaccuracies,
and many absolutely fail of any evidence
that those correctly counted were all in
habitants of the city in June last aud not
then enumerated.
Also, it is a matter Of common observa-
ton that many thousands Of the people
Of the city Of New York give up their
abodes in June of each year for vacation
or recreation abroad or in the surround
ing country. and many thousands more
go to service with them or seek employ
ment elsewhere, but none of them take up
residence in the city again in the fall
No Reason for Amendment.
In conclusion the secretary says that the
United States census has been taken at
vast expense and the enumeration of the
whole population is about TO be announced.
The United States enumerators Of New
York were its citizens and deeply interest
ed in it's progress and distinction. They
were intelligent, educated and industri-
ous. They were paid all the law allowed,
and there Is no reason why their work
should not have been done we'll. They
did it and their proper returns were made.
If this good work is attempted to be
amended now for this and that, without
clear proofs Of great errors, its harmony
and usefulness villa be soon eauselessly
destroyed.
Young Lobden Goes TO Jail.
DAEBURY, Conn, Oct. 28-William Lob
dell, the 16-year-old boy who shot Clarence
I na1.,-. l. a.. fc.a fn.-.--..a-..-