Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-26
written for The Evening Star.
HUNTING NoRroAsEA
The Varied Experiences OF . Census Aes~s n
the State of Aisbanas

HUNTING NORrGA9EA
The Varied Experiences OF . Census Aes.sS
the State sf Aisbas..
TER prrryRtScs BETWEEN xoxro.ass AVN n
HABrrASrs-How THE WORK n DIVIDED
ESTABLISHING HEADouAhrERs-MuLKs xsp
PkAs ABorSp--AS ABsrRscrER's woRK.
THE SUNNY. SOUTH HAS BECOME An
l. objective point for northern hunters ns
SO extended in geographical scope aud pro-
vided with such q variety Of climatic astras-
tons from the mountain heights 70 the Ever
glsdes that the game Is varied
While some distinguished statesmen seek the
'tarpon," the wild duck and the quail below
the historic line OF Mason and Dixon. and
others gun for delegates 80 national cOnven-
tions. my pilgrimage through the southern
country was occssloned by . thirst for informa-
ton upon the cherries subject OF mortgages
The thirst wasnot slittle. unimportsnt personal
thirst Of my own. but thirst or the part %
the census office, predicated upon an Get Of
Congress calling for information upon the il
debsedness of the country.
rHr KIND OF BIRD rHE NoRroaas t.
The mortgage is q bird that is indigenou. 10
every county in the Uuited States and 10
knows no season. Its plumsge changes not
with every passing wind that blows. but main
tSins permanent somber hue. entirely In
keeping with the habit which the mortgage
has always had OF gnawing away at q farm
through the stiffness OF the night while the
honest farmers tired soul Is lnlled by quiet
slumbsr.
DIFFERENCE frrwEES NoRraAeEa AND rxHAnrr-
ANITA
There 10 one conspicuous difference bstvesa
taking the census Of the Inhabitants of q
county and a census of its mortgages In the
former case the enumerator has 20 INQUIRE into
the health OF the inhahitant: TO discover sorna-
thlng as TO his age color and previous condi-
hon' TO figure little to his defciencie. in
arms. legs, eyes, &c; but mortgage 10 Alwsvs
healthy: has full complement Of limbs in the
shape OF whereases' and 10 have and to
holds, and Is usually so thrifty and long lived
that the census Office assumed that n a mora
gage was recordei its origin. legality and gem
| eraI health needed no investigation
TAKING A MORTGAGE CENSUS.
Astakins the census of mortgages is q new
scheme, few general suggestions as 20 how TO
60 about it may not DO amiss Like making
rabbit stew, there is initial requirement.
In tins instance you need not first catch your
rabbit, but YOU must hrst stake out your
ciaim or, IN other words. pick out your terri
tory TO hunt in. Assuming for illustration,
that the state of Alabama 10 20 be investigated,
you hrst divide the state into districts-the con-
gressional divisions will sufiice-each district 20
De allotted 70 a competent abstracter. Then pick
work.
Another point as to selecting the men-to 10
south-csre should be taken 20 select versatlls
gentlemen, whose habits and political opinions
wall readily as-lmllate with those Of the hospi-
table citizens among whom they are to operate.
THE SPECIAL AGENTS.
There should be for . state like Alabama one
boss special agent 10 charge. ore or two assist
ant boss special agents and eight common barn.
yard special agents. all Of whom should be able
TO read ami write and know q real estate mort
gage from habeas corpus proceeding The
boss special agent should locate in some con-
venient central place IN the state and establish
headquarters This lie can do ct the best hotel
IN the town, as he is allowed subsistence psr
diem of IS. With his assistants he unfurls his
nag, hguratively speaking, at his head
quarters, while the otner eight gentlemen dis
tribute themselves around the state. pre-
viousy arranged. and establish what might be
termed carbohydrates within each of the
congressional districts.
After performing this act Of establishing
headquarters (Which costs in most places only
10 cents. although in some of the larger towns
| 10 cents as charged with or without bitters)
| the post Office should be visited. There will be-
or rather should be. found a complete outfit q
blanks specially printed for that county. IL
NM oS e"Aa ~ tlir poiiit tnat mourning an
| noys special agent 10 60 To the post ofhce
on his arrival in a town and lind that his blanks
have not arrived lie doesn't lose any money
10y these delays in the mails, bat, inasmuch az
'1dleness begets mischief" he NAV be forced
back to establish headquarters" again at his
hotel
AN ABsrRAcrER's WORK.
In few words, the business Of an abstractes
10 to make brief abstract or digest Of each
mortgage recorded on the county records on
| a separate slip or blank, giving the data.
| amount, number OF acres lots incumbered
and few other points 'for which see small
bulls, 80 this article is too brief TO 10 into de-
tails.
MILLIONS OF MoRrGAGEp MUIEs.
The first impression that tho Alabama abb
| strscter will get may be summed in a word
| mule" There are probably 5000 900 mules
in that great commonwealth (more or less) and
they are all morigaged There are more Diff
| ferent kinds of mules in Alabama than are
dreamt Of in the philosophy OF any man who
Is not mule expert. They have mules Of ell
colors The prevailing species in southern
Alabama is the ''hea-bitterI' mule. which, 90 to
color, resembles the guinea hen.
After becoming imbued with the importance
OF the mule the Alabama sbstracter hes
another product OF that state forced upon his
attention, viz, 'black-eyed peas" II he 10
conscientious in the discharge Of his daty he
will soon become familiar with the expression,
MY nea oitten mule Toby and my growing
crop OF peas. inasmuch rs the census IN
vestigation covered only real estate mortgages
IL Was important that the sbstracter should
know the difference between forty acres" and
"a mule" But in Alabama they have such sn
indiscriminate way of admixing realty and
chattels and combining land, oxen. mules and
peas in a single mortgage that il will be
discovered that Il Is impossible 10 apportion
the amount OF The mortgage among the several
subjects thereof, and II 10 necessary TO treat all
mortgages on both land and chi.ttels rs real es-
tate mortgages instead of attempting TO divide
the amount of the mortgage much land
| and 50 much mule, &c. The effect Of this de-
cision, will be clearly seen. IL to ignore the
mule-'the animal without pride Of ancestry
or hope Of posterIty."
At the close OF each days work the abb
| stracter mails his slips 20 Washington and hs
also mails two report cards, one TO WASH
ington and the other TO the boss special agent
in charge. These cards show the number d
abstracts made for the day and the expenses e
tbs abetracter.
AT THE END or A MONTH
the abstracter sends in his bill to the census
Office and is paid after the same manner -
other government agents upon sworn vouchers.
These vouchers must be carefully prepared,
and il the abstracter calls transfer OF baggage
50 cents" 'portersge 90 cents" the item vail
be cut out probably as an inferred reflection
upon the superin tendent Of census- After the