The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-14
HISTORIES PUNCHED ON CARD.
ELECTRIC MACHINE WHICH WILL
NJ EMPLOYED FOR THE CEN
SIS OF 1900.

10000 Men TO DO the WOrk-Threc
Methods of Gathering Information
The Pay of the. Enumerators and
How They VIII Be Examined-Ex-
pect IN Punch a Card for Every
Person in the United states, with
His Record, in One Hundred Days
Cards VIII he Counted and Facts
Compiled by Electric Tnbulating
aIachincs-How the Records of the
Cards Arc Enumerated on DiaIs by
Electric Current.
Washington. May EFF anybody thinks
that It is an easy matter to count seventy
five million Of anything let him try count
ing up to one million as an experiment.
lie will find that by the persistent and
regular expenditure of breath and energy
for twelve hours a day he can reach The /
result in a week The entire task there
fore, would keep him steadily engaged for
more than q year,
This simple test will give an approx
mate idea of the enormous proper ions
OF the task involved when the seventy
six million square miles of the earth's
surface and when it is necessary not mere
~ to enumerate them, but to find out a
dozen different facts about each one. Yet
this is precisely the task that the direc-
tors of the next United States census
must accomplish. Practically all the
work Of collecting the material will be
done in the course of three months next
summer To carry II out in that time
the census authorities are now engaged In
collecting a force of nearly $4,000 men
d number greater than our standing army
OF this number the masority-the enum-
eratOrs-wiH be employed only for a few
weeks, or at most for one month, but the
clerical staff, comprising several thous-
and men, will be kept busy for two years
or more in compiling the results and pub
fishing them.
In the last two eensuses, those of 1880
and 1890, the publication of the results
occupied from five to seven years. In
that of 1890 the last of the volumes on
population was not off the press until
eeven years after the date of beginning
the work In that of 1880 the last of the
volumes was published in 1889. This rep
resented a fair rate of speed. considering
the dozens OF bulky volumes required to
contain the data collected by the enum-
orators. 1t seriously impaired the value
of some of the most important statistics,
however, since they were out of date by
the time they came into the possession
of the public.
In the act providing for the census of
1880. Congress has stipulated that the four
principal reports-those on population
must be published by July l. 1862 This
demands a rate of progress four times as
great as that of the last census. To meet
the requirements of the act, preparations
are being made on a much larger scale
than ever before. The plans of the census
officials contemplate the erection Of a
great building in Washington to be occu-
pied exclusively by the census bureau and
the employment of a larger number Of
clerks than were ever before enrolled for
the purpose
I'VE regard ourselves" began Mr.
Wines, ''as being for all practical purposes
simply i manufacturing concern. A great
publishing enterprise has been turned over
TO our charge. The work, however is one
of vast proportion, and If the requirements
OF Congress are to be complied with, we
must so at Il on a large scale and with all
necessary facilities. That is what we are
now planning for to the best of our abili-
ties. and We believe that we shall succeed
The first requirement is a sufficient
force to carry on the work That means
that we must have more than were en-
ployed in 1890 We have estimated the
necessary clerical staff here in Washing
ton at 5000, and there will be plenty of &C.
cupation for fully that number.
1T Is equally necessary that these en-
ployesAshould be competent for the spe-
cial line of work which they are to under
take. For our purpose an incompetent
man is worse than none for it is a costly
and difficult matter to remedy mistakes.
Absolute accuracy is required in the work
or IL loses all its value. The general re-
quirements are much the same as those
demanded of an efficient bank clerk. Rap
idity is in high degree desirable
THE other requirements for efficiently
carrying on the work are, place suited
10 its demands in which TO carry ii on,
and absolute control and authority over
the employees, without outside interfer-
ence.
''The law provides for the examination
OF all applicants for places above the grade
of unslSilled laborer. These examina tions
viii probably begin next week In Wash
ington. The. results of the examinations
VIII be supplemented by means Of recon-
IAEhdatiOnS DdSSu on lne previous eXpeH-
fence and records of candidates
The third test of efficiency will be act
ual experience. All employees will be taken
on trial. If they prove to be untitled for
the work they viii be dropped. They will
be paid according 10 their pecuniary value
as shown by their work, and promotion
wiz be on the sole ground OF merit.
"The actual work of the census divides
Itself into Two parts-collecting the infor-
NATION and compiling it for publication
For the former purpose 10000 enumerat tors
viii be employed. They will gather all the
data relating TO population, except in insti-
tutions where, special enumerators viii be
appointed from among the officials of the
establishments. The data relating to manu-,
features and mechanical industries will be
gathered by special agents. who will bt
of a higher grade and more liberal com
pensation than the enumerators. The thirc
method of gathering information will b,
by correspondence, and the examination
Of printed documents of all kinds. This vii
be carried on in the central office.
,f'rhe enumerators viii be local appoin,
tees Ia all parts of the country. Thert
Will be one for each township, or in til,
case of cities, for each ward or district
b.ts. l.xrr