New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-02
CENTURY OF CENSUS WORK
VAST INCREASE OF THE STATISTICS
GATHERED AND THE PUB
LISHED RESULTS

Washington July (SpeciaD.-One small volums
of ffty-two pages comprised the entire first census
OF the United States. II consisted only OF a return
OF the whole number OF persons within the several
districts OF the United States, and prepared
total cost OF s44.377 Is. The population OF the
young Republic according TO this census was
3,929.24. The enumeration taken in i7so. and
the volume issued In 1872.
The Eleventh Census taken just one hundred
years later. consisted Of thirty large volumes. In
Guiding elaborate atlas. and covering every sub
ject OF possible public interest The population
shown to be g. GO. go and the cost OF gathering
and publishing the Information secured was 1il,-
27l5 800 II nine years after the work began
that the last volumes were put I'm circulation.
The average increase in population during the
last decades has been about twelve millions.
but Director Merriam estimates that the Twelfth
Census will show increase not greater than ten
millions He places the population for 1900 at around
seventy-two million persons.
The growth OF the population and various indus
.res OF the country is strikingy shown In tho
evolution OF the census from the beginning. From
a small start the taking OF the census has grown
to its present gigantic proportions as follows. In
1900 volume Of IS pages; cost. $50 so %; popu-
lation 5SOs 1873 In 1910 two volumes 260 pages:
cost. SIN. ~ 81: population. 7.23ssSl In 1870
volumes c6i pages; cost SOS. 525 %; population.
9 633 $50 1880. volume 1853 pages. cost. S's-
543 10; population. r. s66.O2D The printing ~ this
census wretchedly done that Congress re-
quired a republication. which greatly enhanced
the cost In 1910 four volumes !. 49, pages. cost
ss33 80 90 population. 1903. iS3 In 1850. four vol
umes 1853 pages: cost $3.50 OF. population. g. 49,
s7e In 1850 four volumes 2.Sl6 pages: cost. N.921
Z72 population. 3i.4332l. In 1870. four volumes.
39ss pages cost. s3s3s5i; population. 3s.55sa7l In
1880 p volumes 1893 pages; cost ts62 80 "a popu-
aton. 5O.l55.73. In 1890. 30 volumes. over 1900
pages; cost. 81. 27l.soo; population. s2s2225
AS the has increased in cost and the coun-
try in population. have the number Of topics
dealt with grown. especially since 1870. The Tenth
and Eleventh censuses the only that
really sought bring out general Information con-
corning the development OF country. The h-si
effort gather statistics relative 10 manufacturing
and agricultural products I'm 1870 but the
method crude and unsatisfactory These re-
suits were compiled from the reports Of marshals
and secretaries Of the Territories and down 10 100
all reports concerning manufactures and agricutu-
raj products consisted Of brief digest. which gave
little information that was accurate or Of value
The Sixth Census that Of 1870. contained census
OF pensioners for Revolutionary and military ser
vice with their names ages and places OF residence
The crudeness OF the methods In vogue as late az
1870 is noticed from the fact that everything de-
voted wealth and industry. manufactures and
more than eight hundred pages.
II was 1850 that the census began % assume its
present proportions jumping, a. II ulu tlo'n TT
10 twenty-five volumes. the Government hrst under
took exhaustive inquiry mo such huuJ'etS ~
transportation. cotton production. taxation ara
public Indebtedness, newspapers and shiphuildingf
forest trees OF North America. petroleum coke ana
building stones. statistics and technology OF the
precious metals mining laws and mining indus
tries water power social statistics OF cities. wages,
prices OF necessaries OF life. trades societies suhes
and lockOuts. power and machinery employed In
manufactures and the ice Industry
Experience proved that many OF these topics N'Io
not practicable IN the work Of taking cen
sus and their subsequent investigation was turned
over 10 the Labor Bureau. which was created tor
that purpose The Eleventh Census was divorced
from many OF these subjects. and the inquiry con
ducted along more legitimate lines OF census ""rh'
with results that were OF practical ben'ht. . .
Congress has provided FOR a sOmeWh similar IN
vesfigatton in connection with the T"efih 'ehsuh'
and Director Merriam has declared his deternlnA-
ZION OF pushing the work 10 as speedy con-
as possible and getting the published VOLUMES u
fore the public at a much earlier period than M
been the custom in the past IL was nm 80, ,do
after the census Of 1850 that the data n cphnt.oh
With manufactures issued by the prpai
t,i0h, ~ the volumes OF the Tenth 'ensn, Niu ~.
linear until after 1885 and two or these WIT 's
Years in being Issued from the press 81 - ~ 49, -
;bs, ali the volumes OF the Twelfth census saw ~
few dealing with special lines OF lnVesusAs,o'' 49,.
he ready FOR distribution within ihrse A,a's ~,
the beginning OF the work in the HELD Inc 80 -.
The next census Il is estimated WI run UP i'O WV
neiRhborhood OF 100000.