Evening journal., 1900-05-29

lion of these cards. This transference
is done first by preparing a card for
each person enumerated, showing the
characteristics of such person The
cards used for this purpose are printed
with letters and symbols SO arranged
that by punching holes in the proper
spaces we get the following informa
ton regarding the individual: Race,
sex, color, age, conjugal condition,
birthplace OF person, of father, mother,
years in the United states, occupation,
school attendance, etc. These cards,
though only seven one-thousandths Of
an inch in thickness, would form a
stack nine miles high and would weigh
two hundred tons.
This transcript from the original re-
turns of the enumerator to the punched
card win be done with small machines
something like typewriters, called key
board punchers. About one thousand
Of these will be used, and the antire
work OF tTanScribng the seventy-iive
million or more individual records will
be done in about one hundred working
days, or nearly four months These
punched record cards are then counted
or tabulated, In the electrical tabulat-
ing machines. These machines are rrO-
vided with a circuit-closing device, into
which the cards are rapidly fed one by
one. The holes in the card control the
electric circuits through a number of
counters, which will, as desired, count
the simple facts as 10 the number Of
males, females, etc. or the most COM
plicated combination which the statis-
tician may ask for After the cards
for a given district are thus passed
through the tabulating machine, we
know the number of native-bOrn white
males of voting age, the number of
white children under five years of age
born In this country with both parents
native born, or the number of such
children with one OF both parents for
eign-born, or any ether information
contained In the enumerator's sheet
which the statistiean desires tabulated.
in short, It As only necessary for the
statistician to decide upon the informa-
ton wanted. and for the electrician 20
make the proper connection from the
counters and relays to the circuit-con-
/ trolling uevice into which the cards
are fed. The methods employed for
checking the proper workings Of the
machines are ingenious and interest
ing. If the card is not completely
punched or not properly fed to the
machine. or Is placed upside down, on
il some item has been overlooked, or,
in fact, If everything is not all right
the machine refuses to work and the
card Is rejected. Neither will the
machine work If the circuit-controlling
device is operated without a card in
place. Such a machine has also the
advantage that IL will not make mis-.
takes because II is tired or does MOI
feel WELL or because the weather is
warm. or by reason of the Thousand
and one causes which will upset tn,
human machine.
AT least eight hundred clerks anC
messengers will beemployed to tabulat'
properly the results derived from thi
punching machines. There will be In
addition. about seven hundred and fit!
clerks employed in the agricultural de
partment. four hundred in the Office o
the chief statistician for manufactures
{ sixty In the Office of the statisticiai
for vital statistics, and about two hun
!, dred and fifty In miscellaneou
; branches OF the work In order to pro
! vide for housing this aggregation
contract was entered into last yea
I with one OF the wealthy citizens O
J Washington, who has provided
4 building capable OF holding the entir
s force and admirably adapted for tn
q census work. 1t Is almost entirely o.
( the one floor, with two large room
S holding nine hundred people each. GOV
!. ering In all about two acres of grouns
d 1t is the first time in the history {
K census work that proper headquarters
s have been provided. and x is believe
I that great economy will ensue by res
r son Of having a proper administ0tio
4 building