Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-07-26
INDUSTRIAL CENSUS OF CITY
Wilmington VIII Make a Good
Showing, Says Supervisor.
BETTER THAN HE HAD EXPECTED
The Growth of Industries Here
Is Surprising.


Willis when asked by reporter OF
The Gazette what progress was
being made with the manufacturing
census OF the city, which was begun
the first of the month. Supervisor
Willis is now permanently installed in
the Federal Building until the work
In hand has been completed, which
will probably be several weeks. lie
hes been assigned one of the large
rooms on the Ninth street side of the
second-foor corridor, with ample desk
room and sufficient number of chairs
and other furniture to meet the re-
qnirements. As a matter of tact, the
clerical force might, it is believed, be
increased to advantage, and If 1T was
larger additional equipment might be
necessary. A long table extending
nearly the full length of the room is
almost filled with census blanks, in
structions, &c. systematically arranged,
so as to facilitate the work. Mr.. Willis
has made study OF the matter and is
prepared, with the literature at his
command to answer any questions
bearing on the subject and takes
pleasure in giving any information de-
sired; that is, so far as he is permitted
to do 30 by the government 1t should
be stated, however, that he cannot,
under heavy penalty, which also ap-
plies to the men under him, divulge
any information obtained while 10 the
performance OF his duty. He or his
men are not permitted to make public
single thing concerning any manu-
featuring or business establishment.
Even the government guarantees that
no such information will ever be pub
llshed or made public in any shape.
The object of the census is to sum
Marie the result in the several locali-
ties and no individual statistics will
ever be given out.
Consequently no person need call
upon Mr.. Willis with the expectation
OF learning anything concerning the re-
suit OF his Investigations. But he is
ready to enlighten anyone who may be
interested concerning the method in
which the work is done, as some who
receive blanks may desire information
as to how to fiji them out. He is fully
equipped for the work and expects the
very best results.
The Industrial census now being
taken applies only TO the city of Will
mington and the work of Special
Agents Cook, Robertson, Cole and
Rogers, who are subject to his orders,
will be confined to the city. The in
dustrial census of the remainder of the
State was taken by the regular enumera.
tors appointed to gather the gene,al
information concerning the population,
mortality, agricultural Industry, &c.
All OF the epumerators in the State
have turned in their portfolios exoept
nine, and Mr.. Willis expects that the
general census of the entire State will
be complete before the end of the
month. 1t was necessary to give
additional time outside of Wilmington
owing to the fact that some of the rura
enumerators had unusually large dis.
tricts and had extra work in securing
the manufacturing statistics.
Wilmington is going to make .
better showing than / had expected, .
said MI. Willis. 81 am not at libert,
to give out any figures. but can SAY
that the city shows a healthy growth
in population, and the number Of in
dustries here is surprising to me anc
convinces me that there has been grea
development in that direction. While
only four men were appointed specia
agents to do the industrial work in thu
city, lind there is work enough her,
for six men. | do not know just how
many manufacturing establishments
there are here, but the lumber rum
up into the hundreds. have LOCO o
the regular blanks and several hundred
of the special blanks and believe ;
large proportion of them will he re
quired. One blank goes to each estab
lishment. Some fill out the regula
blanks, while others must fill out tn,
special blanks as the regular schedule
will not apply to them
Mr.. Willis explained the Difference
between the regular and specia
schedules. The regular schedules appl,
10 all manufacturing establishments
except the following, for which specia
schedules must be filed out: Bricl
yards, pottery products, coke, ne
trolenm refining, salt works, glass
cotton manufacturers, dyeing an,
finishing of textiles, fax, hemp an,
jute manufacturers wool manufac
turers, hosiery aud knit goods, sill
manufacturers, chemical manufac
turers, leather, tanned and curried
boots and shoes, not including custom
work and repairing: lumber and sa,
mills, including their remanufactures
iron and steel blast furnaces, iron an
steel rolling mills. steel works, forge
and blooms, iron and steel tin plat
works, copper smelling and refining
lead smelling and refining, zinc smell
ing and refining; shipbuilding, iro
and steel; shipbuilding, wooden; ayr
cultural implements, wagons, -four an
grist mills, butter, cheese and cor
densed milk factories; Iaper mill:
printing, publishing and the period
cal press; railroad repair shops. Til
regular schedules are known as No.
aud the specials run from No. 5 to NJ
36, inclusive. The object of the specia
is to obtain special information whic
cannot be placed on the reguli
schedules and is not only for IL
governments information, but also fl
the convenience Of its clerical force, i
having the special data SO classifie
that it can be easily compiled an
tabulated.
Nearly all Of the older establishment
have been sent blanks from Washing
ton, and the Manufacturers are 9,
pected to FL them out and return the
To the bureau at Washington. The loo
agents are required, however, to call
all of the places and where the 1,
formation has been sent to Washingte
the local agents are to be handed ca
stating this fact, which Will be 70
warded by Chief Agent Willis, as h
evidence that all places have BET
visited, as required.
Supervisor Willis reports that be
experiencing very little trouble. Mo
of the manufacturers understand VIII
is expected of them and they willing
comply with the governments reuues
At two or three places a slight bac
wardness has been shown, but in eat
instance politeness and patience b