New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-08
GENERAL +. n. WALEER 1ESIIfIES,
ruE CENSUS OF NETWORK EXCEEDINGLY DIE
FTcTrIT TO TAKE ACCURATELY.

THE CENSUS OF NEW 1Olth E-NNi-A'D4-''NA DAN'
FIctrLT TO TAKE ACCURATELY.
A. tnn session Of the Assembly Committee on
Enumeration and ReappOrtionment in Part w. SUI
- cunt Yesterday another batch Of police
gcre testified 10 the accuracy Of the police enlcicFa-
lin, If the populaton Of the city. All Of these wit
nases declared that The best men OF the foNe were
assigned TO duty as enumcratorS' ana that ITO H.
,trtctions had been given to make the enumeration
political in any sense.
General Francis A. Walker, who took the Ninth ana
Tonth consuses was then called to the stand. ana
y-os subjected 10 an exhaustive examination by Mr.
RortIctt lie told about the taking Of the census OF
ls-O when there was the sort Of a trouble IN
New York over the final results there Is now over
tbe census of 1890. The United States Marshal in
Xev.-York in 1870 acted superintendent of The
census There was great cry that the Federal
authorities had designedy suppressed the names OF
large proDorton Of the population for the purpose OF
making the total smaller than it ouGht TO have been.
The Mayor wrote to the secretary OF the Interior
charging fraud and demanding a recount. The Wit
ness was for TO visit the White Housc by the
President who thought recount should be granted
II # was desired General Walker told the President
that in his opinion the count had been accurate and
that q recount was not necessary.
The President replied that recount all the
more f. be desired means of proving the correct
ness Of the first enumeration. recount was orderc'
and il resulted in finding $1,000 more names than
showed a population of about $4,000, while the re.
count showed 943 900. The increase was found
chiefly in sailors boarding houses, and the asylums,
hospitals charitable and penal institutions OF the
city, The first census was taken on June l
and the second in December. 1t was proba-
bic. TOO, that part OF the increase
wa, due to more people being town in December than
in June General Walker said that all census enumera-
ton, were approximations.
Mr. bartlett asked If difference Of 10000 in the
count Of a city like Ncwlork was an approximation.
The witness thought it not that it was serious
variance To vary . per cent over would be bad
ceu,u, The census Of city Ike Philadelphia should
10 within a fraction OF per cent of correct But ID
WAS different with NewYori with its vast populations
Ucr, there were thousands Of tenementhouseS whers
copc are hudlei together who shift about from mouse
10 house. and the difficulties very great The dih'
cutie, Of taking 4 census In New-Norh were tehiod
greater than of taking the count of any other city.
The man selected supervisor of the census III new"
Yor, shouldbe strong in character one OF hrin
purpo,e and OF keen penetration. In 1850, Generai
walker then superintendent of Census, came on 70
New Yorl, and persuaded Charles d. ADAMS !awHer'
o act as supervisor merely an act OF puohc du'y'
No fault wa found with the census OF lloco as lar a'
he knew. some people may have been surprised thas
the p0pulation not larger but he had moi Deen i'
aware of any serious complaints.
General Walker was asked il he thought June was
hc best date for taking the Federal census lie re-
piled that IL wa, the worst date that cOuh be selec'e'
At mat time of the year there great many people
out Of Inc towns and in agricultural sections ing
pcoplc were exceedingly busy ana liShI 10, uo A. IN
A. i.iv \pril WA, "A good month for census III tNa
oi,i4s Int if would be a bad one in the country Wlel
Lor va much snow ON the ground and the streams
,rnr, swollen and the roads impossible. After ne
harve, the best ime in the country ana nc ca" ~
nrnr before people GO out of town. was the pest los
,En ,7fy The witness said that The enumerators IN
$50 were not appointed for political rea'o.s nc
had not been compelled 10 arrest any ehue'a'oFS io'
certifying falsely. .,,. .e,,,,,. .bs con.
n,itf - adjourned until Friday.