The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-01

must be of an almost even thickness, no,
to exceed COTS and not less than .006J
inch. being S5-S inches long by 3 Ia
inches high, with the lower corner cut
eff.
Each card is fed through several de-
vices-the first. a keyboard punch, and Is
perforated by symbols just as the schedule
represents each individual that is taken
by the $1,000 enumerators. giving his dis
trict, Ian suage. color. literacy. sex, months
unemploy ed, age. occupation, conjugal con-
dition, birthplace, etc. This work will be
done by an army of clerks acting in the
capacity of punchers. tabulators, and sort
ers.
The enormity of this undertaking can
hardly be realized. Each card is handled
number of times. These $4,000, 900. il
piled on top of each other, would reach a
distance of over nine miles. 1t became
necessary to invent the best labor and
time-saving device that brain could pro-
duce
THE following is description of the
three principal parts of these almost hui
man machines:
THE keyboard punch is about the size of
a typewriter tray. having in front per-
forated punch-board Of celluloid. Over
this keyboard swings freely sharp index
finger, whose movement, after the manner
OF paragraph. is repeated at the rear
by punch. The movement of the punch
is limited between two guides, upon which
are placed thin manila cards 6 SIS inches
long by Ia inches high. with the lower
corner slightly clipped. The keyboard has
twelve rows of twenty holes. and each tole
has its distinctive lettering or number that
dc tn h. mi a,,1
specting every person. Hence. when the
index finger is pressed down into any one
Of these holes the punch stamps out hole
In the manila card. The keyboard is scien-
tifically grouped, and it is very readily
learned. For such enquiries as are an
swered by one OF a very few possible
for example, which recog-
nizes only two parties in the State-the
answer is simply male" or female" or
M or IF" So, too. in regard to conju-
gal relationships, where the answer would
be either single. married. widowed, or di-
vorced. These holes may easily be found
n ID, "Wd," Mr. or s. Where. how
ever. the answers would cover wider
'ange of classification. as in age. running
rom ! to 100, recourse is had TO a combi-
nation of two holes. the first indicating
group, as from % to 90 years. while the
second hole designates the detail single
'ear in that group.
ITO assist the clerks in memorizng the
keyboard for punching. classification lists
ire used. which show the combinations
lsed to designate each occupation. At first
his looks a little complicated. but after
III, the symbols come easy with each lot
# schedules.
Whnt the Punch Records.
THE birthplace is recorded by punch
ng first the general nativity. either "N''
or native or F. for foreign. The par
ocular country Of birth is recorded by |
one of the holes indicated in |
he lower lines of the symbols for birth
laces on the card. Thus sc" for Scot
and. och" for China. HUI for Hungary.
FRI for France, etc. For example. Err
eing punched in connection with IF" for
eneral nativity, would mean France, but
be same hole punched according to the
PIPER symbol, Sc in connection with
y" for general nativity. would mean
outh Carolina. BY this simple means the
irthplaces are indicated IN half the space
hat would otherwise be required on the
ard.
"a clerk punching the card for an agri-
ultural district has but few symbols to
other about. 1t will thus be seen that
lese innocent combinations are no more
Ills of a typewriter keyboard On the
they are vastly interesting That
lie work of punching becomes as easy as
ny other task requiring ordinary intelli-
ence is shown in the fact that the esti-
ated average of SEQ cards per day per
ERIK is the actual average. 1t Is stated
lat some of the more expert punchers,
orking seven hours. have done 1 100 cards,
18th an aggregate of 1900 holes. each
I'D having seventeen holes in 1t that re-
tie specifically to the individual whose
fe history is thus condensed.
so familiar do the clerks become with
lie position Of the holes in these cards
ey can read them off at glance. AS a :
cans of verifying. however. a reading
ard is provided for that purpose. the (
me size as the card. and having also each |
the 40 authorizations in a quarter-inch |
ace, SO that when perforated card is
II on this templet the abbreviation VIII
ow wherever a hole has been punched
THE electric tabulating machine auto
atically throws out any card that is
rong Suppose. for instance. that the
e or sex has not been punched. Where
ere should be a hole for the plunger pin
go through closing the circuit, the card .
intact. The circuit is open. and the {
onitor bell just to the left of the press ,
" SI't ITO oIShdi tDIIcCtItSS. ,
The mechanism Of these devices is the
,nderful invention of DR.. Herman Hol- t
18th, Of Washington. '
at is stated that the operation of the
lchines will effect a saving of so per c
Mt over the old method of tabulating and 7
uniting, besides great deal of time !
itch is very essential in the taking of +
@ Twelfth Census, which is in part to '
completed in twenty-five months from i
e date Of commencement" !
Harrison Dingman, Supervisor of the +
strict Of Columbia, said yesterday that
anticipated no difficulty as far as the
lmeration in the City of Washington
S concerned. The proportion of illit- 1
ties in the District was very small he
d. and the questions were such as n
son Of ordinary intelligence should be .
c 10 answer.
Zach enumerator will receive a silver
ted badge and portfolio two feet long a
, foot wide. and an inch thick. The Il
'tfolio contains his four principal sched a
s to be filled out, his street book. which o
a new and valuable feature of this Cen n
+; his report cards, proclamations for q
eign residents. and other papers. "
he four chief schedules to be filled a
are: /,
Population. II
Mortality. (;
Agriculture. II
Manufacturing IL
o these have been added two special =
edules:
Statistics of crime 2
Persons defective in sight, hearing or
ech.
here is penatt- for willfuI falsifica-