The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-29
A SPECIAL MAN COMING.
CENSUS EXAMINER COMING Hthe
FROM WASHINGTON.


Mr.. WhItty's Able Efforts 10 '''"''
r,,, coupt of Rlchmoud's Population
soo Omissions Discovered In
,tackson Ward Alone.
with policemen, United states enumera-
tors Normal School graduates and direc-
tory people all at work, Richmond VIII evil
IDENTITY have her full population recorded be-
fore the census is completed. To give the
ms and downs Of the census-man's lot
would be task, though 1t may be
stated. in the first place, that
the government authorities doubtless
made a mistake when they selected
Petersburg AZ the headquarters for the SUI
noryisot. The most important work done
by the census has been going on IN klci-
moud. and matters would have been iaclil-
tated no little if Mr.. Young had been IN
Richmond instead OF the Cockade CITY,
SOME WORKED WELL.
rinv.one enumerators were sent out Tor
Richmond. forty-nine of which have re-
norted. some did their work well, but there
are others who made dismal failures. III
cannot be reasonably expected that man
who is machinist or carpenter or motor
man has the same head for statements ana
tables as the CLERK or bookkeeper, ana
though they all did the best they could, 1t
was at best. taken as whole, very III
complete service.
THE FIRST DAY.
Eleven hundred complaints of the l,6OO
RETURNS were handed into the census once
bv the Chamber Of Commerce Yesterday
these complaints were the result oil the
census that has been taken by the police
and cOlOred graduates. Each policeman rs
soon as he finished his district turned his
papers over to Mr.. j. II. Chataigne. ms
gentleman makes record OF an
citizens who have not been enumerated
and the number of the house, and sends the
lists TO Mr.. Whitly and Mr.. Dunlap OF the
Chamber Of Commerce, and these SEM the
lists TO the Office Of Mr.. Ragland. when
the names get there clerks at once go over
the books. and in many cases find that the
person or persons have been enumerated.
If they have not the census taker IN the as
trict i'm which they live is notified, ana ne
calls and procures the information.
The enumerators complain that they have
been poorly paid for their work. Inc!
worked at the rate Of two cents name, ana
average about twenty dollars for their
twelve days work. The men who ana not
complete their work in twelve days were
smarter than their fellows, inasmuch as
they are being paid for all over time thal
they work.
THE PAY.
In regard TO pay, though, the remunera-
ton TO be received by the census men now
is harder to work out than Chinese puZ-
zle. One Of the clerks explained to re-
porter Yesterday that as he understood the
law it was something like thls: IL II II
found that a census man skipped house.
he is fined. but when he afterwards goes
there and gets the names he is paid two
cents piece for them. If he
has dozen or so such houses
10 20 10, aud spends the whole DAY at it (ten
hours), he draws a salary Of three dollars
day. This ruling is result Of the law
which reads that a man cannot make less
than three dollars day.
The above was not given as the actual
state Of affairs, for, as the clerk confessed,
he did not understand the law, but he had
industrously worked on each point, and
gave his opinion for what it is worth.
THE NEW BABIES.
lie also stated that many Of the COM
plaints proved TO be of the little humanity
that nave been ushered into this life after
the I'd of June. These infants are not ele-
gible in this census, no one having right
in the census but those who were living IN
Richmond on June ID. This is also sec
ton of the law. and whether it is right or
not some one higher in authority must say.
SPECIAL AGENT EXPECTED.
MIR. j. II. Witty, chairman Of the Cham
Der Of Commerce committee on information
and statistics, who is entitled to the credit
for such energetic efforts to secure iull
count Of Richmond's population, sent yes
terday the following telegram 10 Congress
man Edmund Waddill:
"Chamber Of Commerce requests that a
special census examiner be sent here at
once. Fifteen hundred omissions reported,
and the total likely to reach 1000. If nee
essary will go to Washington and bring
facts. Wire reply
In reply to this, the following was re-
ceiyed last night from Congressman Wad-
dill:
especial agent census Office will be in
Richmond to confer with YOU"
THE CANVAssERs' RETURNS.
The force of clerks in Mr.. Chataigne's
office were busy yesterday until after mid
night. The cOlored canyassers during the
day completed Jackson ward, and their re-
ports show 1888 omissions OF persons I'M
enumerated. The police of the Second dis
trict have finished their labors, except as 10
Browns and Belle Islands. Reports from
the police for the city AT large show so far
> 1893 omissions, making a grand total OF
1851 for the whole city. 1t was found tDat
Egg Row and Grant Row, in Rockets, had
not apparently been visited by enumerators
at all At the Penitentiary, 500 inmates
were first reported by Superintendent
Moses. Later he sent another report, say
ing that eight names had been omitted.
One curious blank return read:
Child born-bOy, white.
Name. White.
Mr.. Alfred r. Harris and family, who
left Richmond on the 9th Of May. were not
included in the census. DIR. Harbaugh SAID
i'm the blank ne filled out that he was sick
when the enumeratOr called, and his servant
answered the questions without consulting
him. Some Of the people who have sent IN
their names say they were absent from the
city when the enumera tors visited their
houses.
PRESERVING THE BLANKS.
ooh. no, we don't turn these in," said
Mr.. Chataigne with some twenty thousand
returned forms i'm front Of him last night.
'sYou know some of these say the enumera-
tor has visited them: others say he has not.
We retain all these for our own census
when we take it. But from these we make
out lists of those who have not been listed
and turn them into Mr.. Ragland's Office"