Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-22
GAIN OF 1000.
Augustus Estimated Population Be-
tween 1900 and $4,000.
The larg'st Gains Made Among the Frcnc h
Residents

1t is certain that Augusta will show
decided gain in population in the last dc
cade. The census enumerators have com
pleted their work. Even the last aues-
ton has been asked about cows. horses
and sheep. That was q part Of the work
that was left to the last. When they be-
gan their work they took i'll the most
thckly populated places first. The farms
and outlying districts We're left as the
last thing to be done. Now that Is com
plctcd.
The euumeraorS are sworn to secrecy So
that it is not possible to gain exact
knowledge of the amount of gain in pop
ulation. 1t is estimated, however. that
the city will show a population of over
l2ooo. If these figures are correct, as
there is every reason to believe that they
are the city will show Il gain OF about
1000 in the last ten years. When the cen
sus cnumcrators had completed their
work in 1880 the population was given as
TO- 81. Now it is estimated at over l2OUa
The greatest gain is in the French pop
ulation. The census enumcrators in the
districts in which the French people live
have had all that they could do to com
plcte their work in time. While the emu
meratorS have not found so many more
houses i'm that section yet they have
found Il great many more people. Just
what there has been to bring in the pco-
pie 50 as to cause such an increase is
something Of a question. The mills nave
not made material addition to their
property during the past ten years 50 as
to bring in that additional number. Bur
for all that there is not the slightest
doubt that there is an increase.
The cnumcra tors are not at all sorry
that their work is completed. One of the
cnumcrators said recently that he had
not found it such a money making
scheme as he had thought. While tn"
compensation allowed them by the gov
crnmeat is fairly good. Yet it is not suf-
fcicnt to induce a man to leave his reg
ular business with the hopes tnat he is
to strike a local Cape Nome.
In addition to the compensation there
are certain pcrquisitcs. For instance 4
man is allowed 50 much for a name and
50 much for 4 stable If he could find
a place where the people were nested like
bees he would make a good thing but
where the families are small there is no
=
might hc imagined.
Those who have had Ward 1 and other
similar thickly populated wards have
found a good thing. All that the cnumcr-
ator had to do was to sit down call in
one member of the family and before he
had left the house he had Is or % names
inside short space Of time. As the
cuumerator gets two cents Il name it
took but short time to make good
thing.
Those who have had the farming dis
tricts nave not Jared as well. After 4
trip Of a half mile the cnumCrator found
a barn for which he received % cents.
For the family he might find the farmer
ana his wife only. 50 that the trip ncttod
him but q cents. Then another half mil"
would have to hc travcrSrd, with the cN-
pcnsc for the team taken ont Of his own
pocket only to get another - cents. As
i'm nine cases out Of 10 it was necessary
for the woman Of the house to hunt up
the family Bible and then finally refer To
her husband. much valuable time was
lost.
In the city it was much the same. Some
Of the people did not care to give out
facts until the family was ut home III the
evening. In this manner the 'numcrators
were obliged to make a double and some
times d triple trip 70 earn perhaps 70 Or
Il cents.
some Of the cnumcrators made 81 q LAY
ana others made 81 ur s.. The latter is
the case Of the man who has worked
only in the thickly settled places While
the pay may seem large. yet it must ="
taken into consideration that the man
who has done he work has given M
some other place and it may tax" a lonS
time to find another equally rs good.
Ten years will pass before the Cnum"r-
ators will again com" around, and in that
time the, enumerators who have stood "V-
crythug in the past two weeks may for
get what they have undergone and b"
willing to enlist once more. but il IS very
doubtful.