Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-22
AT WORK ON THE CENSUS
EMPLOYEES IN THE BUREAU NUMBER
NEARLY TWO THOUSAND.
Exam nations for Positions Will BE
Manipulating Punching Machines.

The total number of employees in the cen
sus Office today lacks but five of being 2"D
This immense force of clerks is busily en-
gagged from o o'clock in the morning until
late in the afternoon. 1t is expected that
the appointments will cease for time. at
least, until the census officials have an OPP
portunity to find out exactly how many
more will be needed.
The examinations for positions in the CEN
sus Will cease next Monday and it is ex-
pected by that time Director Merriam will
have an eligible list waiting for appoint
ment ample to meet all the requirements of
the service 1t may be necessary after
Monday to hold d few additional exam:na
tions. but the official close of the examina-
tions will he June p. On that day the
room. which has been occupied by the eX
amining force, Will be given up. and the
examiners who have labored so indus. rious
ly for nearly year. will be transferred to
other departments. An average of seventy
five is being examined each day now. ana
nearly one-half attain the percentage re-
uGired to pass.
The census officials have lately learned
that many of the questions and forms en-
ployed are being taught by some of the
preparatory schools in the city. Notw.th-
standinS this fact more than 10 per cent
fail. Efforts Were made to change the
form Of examination, and lately this has
been done.
The Punching Machines.
Already schedules are coming in and mil
lions % names are in the vaults of the cen
sus Office waiting to be counted. They
come from all parts of the United States.
and soon will he handled by the large force
of ''punchers." whose work will give the
country valuable statistics. All returns
must be made by the 1st of July, although
it is not expected that everything will be
in hand until the 18th of that month y
large majority of the 1,610 punching ma
chimes have arrived, and several hundred
clerks are busy practicing, so as to be
ready when the time comes to be able to
manage the intricacieS of the machines.
Already many of the operators have shown
marked proficiency III the man pulaton Of
the keys.
Every supervisor in the United States has
been notified that if he gives out any in
formation regarding the population of his
particular district or city he Will be sum
marilY dismissed. In several of the west
ern cities. particularly Chicago. stories have
emanated, apparently from the census OIL
cials, concerning the population of the
windy city. Director Merriam in every
case has instituted investigation. He
is thoroughly in earnest in his eadeavor to
prevent the premature publication OF any
census facts or hgureS
Woes OF the EnumcratOrs.
There have been no bitches thus far in
the taking of the census. Already the
turns have been received from the plague
infected district in the Chinese quarter of
San Francisco. and have been thoroughly
fumigdted. None of the enumeratorS con-
tracted the dread disease, although from
all over the country reports have heep
ceived OF ailments to the name collectors.
Whenever an enumerator reports himself
i'll the office in Washington is Immediately
notified by telegraph. and authority is dele
gated to the supervisor to fill the position.
Statistics show that the cnumerator is a
man of many diseases, and, according to
the reports received at the census office. he
has suffered everything from measles to
death. One enumerator reported unfit for
work account of the hives. and gave as
his excuse for staying away from work
that he compelled to spend all of his
time in scratching. and had time for
anything else One enumerator was poi
soned with poison ivy in the south, and he
queried the department to find out whether
or not he is entitled to pension The
trials and trbulations of the enumeratnr
often find their way to the census office,
and some of them are quite amusing. 1t
would require a page of The Star to tell of
all of the funny and unusual incidents
which befall enumeratorS all over the
country. Some of the letters received show
rare wit and humor. while others describe
scenes of squalor and wretchedness which
are very pathetic.
Appointment Clerk Langley returned this
morning from the convention, where he was
brought into prominence by presenting to
the chairman a gavel from Kentucky. He
made an eloquent address, and when he re-
turned this morning he was warmly con-
graduated by his friends.