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

| willfully, to deceive the enumerators. 1t
should be remembered that all the infor-
nation gathered by the enumerators is
confidential Mrs. johnson need not hest
tate to tell her age for fear that the
enumeration will reveal the long-cherished
secret to Mrs. Robinson. Any enumerator
who should betray the confidence of either
Mrs. johnson or Mrs. Robinson would be
dismissed from the service.
Bachelors who have celebrated the for
tieth anniversary of their birth each year
for a decade or more can keep up their
fond illusion just as safely as can the
spinster who has had an equal number of
thirtieth birthday anniversaries.
1t is supposed that The enumerators are,
as rule. intelligent. and it is an abso-
lutte requisite that they Should be polite.
Although there are four schedules to be
filled. the principle one is that which re-
fers to the population. In filling this one
1t is necessary for the enumeratorS to
make house house canvass. The &C.
cupants of a house will be asked the name
of the street and the number of the house
in which they live. They will be asked
to give the name of each person whose
place of abode on June 1 was in their
respective families, and the relationship
Ol "
1t will be necessary to give the color, sex
and date OF birth of each person, but the
enumerators are supposed to have tact
enough to know when to take some things
for granted. 1t would be stupid gatherer
of statistics who should ask as to the
color Of the children at some Of the houses
at which he must call.
Both men and women will be asked to
tell whether they are single. married.
widowed. or divorced: if married, how
long they have enjoyed that bliss. Mothers
must give the number of their children
and state how many are now living. Menu
bers of both sexes must give the place Of
their nativity and the place of nativity
of their parents. Those who are foreign
born must tell when they immigrated to
the United States, how long they have been
here, and when they became naturalized.
Those who work must give their occupa-
ton, trade, or profession. 1t is necessary
for both adults and children to tell
whether they can read or write, or speak
English. Occupants OF houses will be asked
whether they rent or own the premises,
and, In the latter case, whether the prop
erty is mortgaged.
These questions are not difficult and, as
has been said, almost anybody can guess
things about himself more accurately than
can an enumerator.
The Magnitude of II.
The Director of the Census. the Hon.
W. r. Merriam, was too busy yesterday
in completing the details of the work to
talk to newspaper men, but Frederick II.
Wines, the Assistant Director found time
to give The Times some information as to
the magnitude of the work Mr.. Wines
said:
I.
work of counting the people OF the
United States tomorrow morning. The
count must be returned to Washington
within thirty days. 1t will be the great
est, most honest, and most complete Cen
sus ever taken. 1t will require the ser
vices of $4,000 persons and Will cost over |
SIC. 600, 900.
The scheme Of the Twelfth Census is |
The entire country has |
been divided into supervisors districts. |
Last Census, there were lis districts; our !
scheme comprises 3C0. The supervisors of /
1880 received $500 each for their entire |
WORK; our supervisors will not receive |
less than $3.50 eac- and the remunera- |
tion IN exceptionally populous districts /
might run above $1,000.
Each supervisors district is divided |
into ehumerator's districts averaging 500
persons. One enumerator is assigned to
each OF these districts. There are about
'Z,OcO districts in the United States.
There have also been appointed about
900 special agents, who have been
especially instructed as to the manner in
which the work of the enumeraters must
De carried on. These special agents will
exercise close scrutiny over the enumera-
ion districts until the count is completed.
mere are 5000 clerks in the Census Bu-
al CHI
ate the returns which will begin to come
n before the end of two weeks.
Each enamerator must complete one
'lock before he can begin with another.
very block in the United States is duly
numbered and recorded on maps filed in
fash!ngton. AS the reports come in from
hese blocks their numbers are checked
IF the records. The enumerator's report
o Washington goes through the super
isors. The report from each district will
e made when the count is declared com
lete by the supervisors.
There is a card ready in Washington for
very man. woman. and child in the United
tates The S0.000.000 there now, If piled
n top of each other would rise to a
eight OF nine or ten miles
As the reports come in the 1900 clerks |
an not write the data on these cards
hey nave been properly printed So the de-
lred records may be made with a nunch |
ne cards are then thrown into an cleo
real tabrlating machine. This machine
oes It's work with q mass Of little needles
he needles fall on the card. Those thar
trike the holes go through. completing an
lectric contact. which registers the da,,
IT each particular hole in its proper place
he labor TO be entrusted to this machine ,
lay be understood when it is said that
.ch card has $40 spots for punching holes 7
Though the complete returns are to be In ;
June so. it will be at least six months :
sfore any definite announcement of re-
Hts can be made, and probably two year,
fore the Census will be complete
The Work in Washington.
Much interest is attached to the work a
hich will be done, by the 5000 clerks In
e Census Bureau in Washington. George =
Boos, Superintendent of Printing, de- :,
ribbed the major part Of that work, which u
insists largely in the handling of the /.
umeration cards. He said: c
Special machinery is constructed for {,
e production of this stupendous work.
lie paper is made in one large roll, then O
Is roll is cut into four smaller rolls and
,ccd on two Kidder printing presses.
Itch print. number. cut and clip four
IN cards in one impression at an average
-e of Coz, coo cards per day, requiring 1874
VS. to complete the job. provided there 6,
, no delays from accidents. The making
these cards requires the most careful
ention. and q constant inspection is had s,
ring the progress Of their production.
ey are made Of rope manila stock, and til