The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-04
MORTGAGES OF MONTANA
Tho National Census Now Ascertain
ing the Prosperity of the
Citizens.
a Special Agent Conducting Elk
aminations in Two Counties
Of the State.
One Feature Of the Census Which is Of
Great Practical Use-Progress Of
the. Investigation.

There is one branch of the national CEN
sus which has not attracted so much gen.
eral attention as that part Of it which has
caused the cities of Minneapolis and st.
Paul to call each other bad names, and ar
ray their citizens against each other in a
quarrel as to the number of inhabitants in
their respective towns. This feature of the
general census was provided for by sup
Elemental act Of congress and in its results
will probably be far more accurate and of
more practical use than some of the figures
gathered in Montana by Mr.. Speer's enum-
orators. The work is being done. in a quiet
and business, lkefway and there are no un-
,plaasant features about it. The object
which congress had in view when passing the
supplemental act was to ascertain the num-
Der Of mortgages in the United States and
their relation to the general prosperity of
the country.
The work has partly been done in Mon
tana and tho special investigation now 60
ing on is confined to the counties of Lewis
and Clarke and Custer. The examination
has been placed in charge of Mr.. George G.
kimball supervising special agent of the
census bureau. who has been on tour
throughout the west. Mr.. Kimball says
that 80 far as the examination has gone in
Montana it has made very creditable
showing. The authorities at Washington
in order that the agents might not run out
of blanks sent out 6,OOO of them on which
the record of uncancelled mortgages is
made. It required but ], 400 of these slips
for the uncancelled mortgages in Lewis and
Clarke county. When it is known what
data iS procured by means of these slips the
financial condition Of the people Of the
county is found to stand very high. The
record of the uncancelled mortgages is first
obtained from the books of the county
who has given mortgage. small card
containing the data of the instrument is
sent in a sealed envelope. On the back of
the card is a request to the mortgagor ask
ing him to state upon the card
whether the mortgage has been
money has been paid on it. A return gov
eminent envelope accompanies the card in
which the reply is to be returned to the
special agent. These inquiries are made so
that the results of the examination may be
as accurate as possible as it often happens
that the county records show mortgages as
being uncancelled when as a matter OF fact
the Indebtedness has been paid and the
mortgage has not been cancelled on the
records. The information which the gov
eminent seeks through its agent is already
easy of access, rs he has but to go to the
county records for it and his further investi-
cations are made for the only purpose of
securing accurate results. The replies given
to the special agent are treated with strict
confidence and long before they become
embodied in the grand totals of the work
all identity of the parties who furnish the
additional information obtained outside of
the public records is lost.
The final figures will afford valuable
source of information and will be of great
use in stu. ing the general prosperity CT
the country and the relations of the differ
emit industries to each other.
Mr.. kimball expects to complete his
labors in about three weeks. He is thoi-
oughly conversant with this class of work
and has met with no difficulty in securing
such information as he seeks. OF course
from the nature of his work he does not
meet with many of the people to whom he
sends his requests for information, but
more gentlemanly and competent agent of
the national government has never been to
Montana.
Mr.. Kimball has been in town for several
days and has looked it over thoroughly. He
has no doubt but what the city has the
number of people claimed. He attributes
the failure of the first census to the small
pay allowed the enumerators.