Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-24
Ottumwa Census Enumerators Pre-
pared to Go to Work.
THEY WILL WEAR BADGES, TOO
Have Right. That Must DO Respected
List ofQueations ! hat VIII be Asked
-Enumerators Not TO Divulge
my Information

books, books of instruction, badges,
and other paraphernalia connected
with the work of getting the tweIftt,
census of the city OF Ottumwa and the
United States: they will begin work
Friday morning, June J., and at the
end of two weeks will have down in
black and white the age. sex and pre-
vious condition of servitude of every
man. woman and child in the country.
Fifteen enumerators have been APP
pointed by y. III. Fortune, OF Bloom
fed. as supervisor of the census for
the sixth district to take the census in
this city, thus making the territory
which one man will have to cover not
very large, yet will give him all he
can do working ten hours per day to
complete his district within the TWO
weeks time limit.
Each enumerator is armed with Il
commission, signed by William r. Mer-
riam. director OF the census, and coun-
tersigned by -. H. Fortune, supervis-
or for this district. This. together with
an imposing badge. the design of which
is shield sur.nounted by an eagle,
and containing the words. United
States Census, 1900" will give him au-
thority to go anywhere in search of
the information which he is commits
stoned to get.
The enumeration is paid by the
amount OF work he does. For getting
the data concerning each living inhab-
liant. he gets 2 cents; for each farm
(this applies to country enumerators),
Is cents; for each manufacturing es-
Enlistment, 90 cents; for data con-
corning each dead persons, cents,
and for each prisoner reported, 5
cents.
When the enumerator comes to the
house he will ask lot of pointed
questions, but let no good woman take
umbrage at what may seem to her TO
be i:npertinence on the part OF the
government agent. When he looks
calmly into her face and asks il she
sweetiy if she is, or if she is not she
may tell him mo" with equal suavity.
Nor should she exhibit any reluctance
how old she is. Let her remember
that the enumeration is not acting as a
spy for anybody in the next block,
but as the representative OF our. giori-
Gus country, and that he is putting the
Questions not for the purpose OF sat
lisfying his own curiosity, but because
he is endeavoring to gather statistics
for the government, Then, besides.
there is heavy penalty should the
enumerator divuige any of his informa-
ition. The law says he may be fined in
a sum not exceeding $500 or sent up
for term of imprisonment. Let ner
tell him all he wants to know. He will
have become so tired by the time he
reaches her that he will ask no more
questions than are absolutely neces-
sary, she may be sure of that.
In the book of instructions issued
by the director of the census il is
rointed out that the census act pro-
yides that they shall have the right OF
admission to every dwelling and to
every manufacturing or mechanical!
establishment for the purpose of
obtaining information for the census
office.
| Enumerators have the right to put
every question contained in the censu:.
| schedules and obtain answers to each
and all OF them. Enumerators are 'au-
toned not to intrude needlessly upon
any person, and it is of the utmost M
portance. the director states. that the
manner of the enume.ator should, un-
der all circumstances be courteous and
conciliatory. Should objection be made
to answering any of the questions, u
note of the same should be made and
the fact reported to the supervisor
| Enumerators must not accept any
statement which they believe to be
false, and they recharged not to coa-
munlcate to any person any informa-
ton obtained in the discharge OF their
duties. Enumerators are cautioned not
to show their schedules or in any way
give information bearing upon the
same. In canvassing a district enun-
orators have not the right to omit any
| dwelling, establishment or residence
nor to enter upon schedule of popu-
lation the names of any fictitious per-
son or persons, and for wilful falsi-
| tication of the returns a fine not eX-
ceeding $500, and imprisonment, not
exceeding two years, may result.
| Questions to BE Answered.
| When the enumerator makes his APP
pearance he will be armed with a big
book, and this is the information ne
will seek:
The name ofteach person whose place
| OF abode on June l, 1900, was in the
family visited. This includes every
person, whether boarder, wife, mother,
child Except those born since June y
or what not
The relationship of each person IN
the house to the head of the family.
| Color or race; sex; date Of birth;
age at last birthday; whether single,
married, widowed or divorced; number
of years married; mother of how many
children (f a woman) and number of
those children living. The answers 10
| these questions come under the head
of personal description of the person
sought to be enumerated.
Under the head of nativity comes
the following questions:
Place OF birth of the person sought
to be enumerated. and place Of birth of
father and mother. 5i5i9f
If person was not born in the
| United States, he will be asked what
year he came here, number of Years
he has resided here and whether or
not he is naturalized. a note will be
made if he is an alien, il he has taken
out his first naturalization papers, OF
| if he is a full-fedged citizen.
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