The evening times., 1899-03-17
PLANS FOR TAKING
THE ALASKAN CENSUS
Work to Commence Some Time
in April.
Country to Be Divided Into Two
Districts.
Energetic and Intelligent Natives to
Act as Chiefs of Divis-
ions.

Plans for taking the Alaskan census are
now being perfected and the work will
commence as soon as the spring season
opens in that climate.
Mr., Dunham, Chief of the Labor Bureau
of Alaska, and Mr.. Ivey. collector of Gus
toms for that country, spent the greater
part of yesterday in conference with Fred
erick NJ. Wines, Assistant Director of the
Twelfth Census, discussing the means of
performing the work of enumeration. Both
of these gentlemen have spent several
years in Alaska and are thoroughly famil-
lar with the most desirable method of tax
ing the census there.
Mr. Wines stated today that the sugges-
tions offered by these two gentlemen would
be followed out as far as was practicable.
IL is thought that twenty-five men will be
a sufficient force for carrying on the work
These men will be selected from persons
! who are now residents of Alaska and know
! the country and the habits of its people
Taking the Alaskan census will, according
! to the statement of Messrs. Iyey and Dun
ham, be attended with great difficulty. The
country is very sparsely settled and its in
habtants especially in the interior are a
| rowing class.
On account of the severe climate the
work Will necessarily be confined 10 sum
mer months The enumeration will COM
mence about the latter part of April, and,
! il is hoped, will be completed by the mid
die of September. Alaska will be divided
! into two census districts, and twelve emu
merators, under the direction of a chief,
| viii be assigned 10 each section. The first
! division will be known as the Yukon dis
| trict, and will embrace all the territory
! adjacent to that river and its tributaries.
In this district will also be included the
! American side OF the Klondike gold fields.
The second district will be known as
the Kuskokimim division, and will include
that section of Alaska through which this
river flows and all parts lying south of it.
! The Aleutian Islands will also be en-
! braced IN this division.
The reason for thus dividing the Coun-
try is purely a geographical one. The
Americans and other civilized races who
reside in Alaska can be easily reached and
no trouble is anticipated in correctly emu
merating and accounting for them. The
( natives, however, are scattered over wide
section of the interior. which in some in
stances is inaccessible to any but the most
experienced guide or one thoroughly IA
miliar with the country. 1t is a habit OF
the natives TO migrate as soon as spring
opens to the nearest river and there spend
the season in fishing and hunting II is
thought that by following the river the
census enumerators can in this manlSI
reach the greater part of the native popu-
latiOn. OF course the interior of the cOun-
Try will be visited also and all efforts made
10 reach each and every inhabitant.
Mr.. Wines, in speaking OF the matter to-
day. said that the Census Bureau would
select two Intelligent and energetic mel
who are natives of Alaska or are at leas
familiar with the geographical and do
mestic conditions of the country as chief!
of the two census divisions in which Alas
ka has been divided. These two men, saiC
MIR. Wines, Will be relied upon to selec
their assistants. 4 plan will be suggested
10 the two chiefs of the divisions, how.
ever, that in the selection of their CO
workers they endeavor TO choose men re
siding in the different sections of tn,
country. For instance, said Mr.. Wines, il
the enumeration of the inhabitants of th'
klondike gold fields, man who has spen
some time in that immediate part of tn,
country and knows its people, should b.
taken for the work. So. with the assist
ants being confined to their respective 10
calities. it is proposed to wage quick an,
/ aggressive summer campaign and by til,
\ opening Of the winter season il is hope,
| that each and every inhabitant of tha
country viii be properly registered on th-
census rolls.
The reason for commencing the worI
this summer is that il is possible the worl
may not be completed and will have to q
. over until next spring. If the work shoulc
be delayed until next year however, tn,
Bureau, will then have abundant time u
properly prepare the Alaskan statistics b.
the time that the Twelfth American Cen
sus is completed.
complete census of Alaska has neye,
been taken. and since the discovery of golC
in that far-away land the population ha
/ been greatly increased. No such system
as the present one for taking the census
has ever been followed, and il is though
that when the enumeration is completed
the number of Uncle Sans subjects livin,
in his Alaskan possessions will be matte
of surprise TO the public. Heretofore n,
systematic effort has been made TO secur
the exact number of native population, tn
figures being based mainly on the numbe
nf residents of the villages and towns, bu
in this instance special attention will b.
paid 10 securing a correct enumeration o
the natives of the country The proposes
census will not only show the number O
inhabitants, but their nationality, Language
spoken, and the number of years the,
hayG resided in the country.
Mr.. Wines also desires, if possible, il
the enumeration 10 secure the occupation
and trades engaged in by the residents o
Alaska. When completed the Alaska cen
sus report will be most interesting ant
/ instructive, as it will afford most com
prehensive insight into the conditions O
the inhabitants of that northernmost O
Uncle Sans possessions.
| Death Blocks the Wedding Altar