New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-02
CENSUS TAKING BEGINS.
MACHINERY MOVES SMOOTHLY FROM
THE START.

THE START.
GSLY ONE CASE REPORTED IN MANHAT-
TAN WHERE INFORMATION
WAS REFUSED.
The work Of taking the Twelfth Census in this
city begun at O'Clock yesterday morning. and
O'Clock last night Charles s. Wilbur, who Is
the supervisor for Manhattan and The Bronx Dor
oughs reported that not single supervisor had
been killed, and in only had a policeman
be called compel the answering of ques-
tions. This occurred a Chinese laundry on the
East Side where half dozen Mongoians thought
the enumerator gathering information when
would used 10 tax them in some way. The
enumerator Mr. Wilbur for an Interpreter
and the interpreter dispatched post haste with
proclamation, all printed in Chinese and signed
by the Chinese Consul in this CITY, assuring MS
countrymen that the questions were harmless, that
their answers would not be used against them IN
any wav and that fine and Imprisonment would be
the penalty for refusing 10 give the desired IN
formation.
But neither TO the enumerator the interpreter
nor the beautifully printed proclamation of their
Consul did the Cinnamon pay any respect They
only grunted and kept on ironing or declared that
they could not understand the questions. Even
threats Of legal proceedings in the did not
move them. These seemed far away and uncertain
at the best. The interpreter was in despair but
the enumeration had slipped out and called ponce
man. The big in blue seemed TO I'LL up the
entire end of the little shop entered. Answer
the questions We slanteyed divvels, he roared "or
III bate the life out of yez." And he brought his
club down on the ironing board with a bang that
made every Chinaman jump. In an instant every
tongue was loosed. and the enumerator had no
trouble. The majesty of the law had been
indicated.
PEOPLE SHOWING INTEREST
Mr.. Wilbur said that the people were showing
a genuine interest in the census and were aiding
the enumerators willingly in getting the data
quickly and accurately. OF the LOO enumerators
employed for Manhattan and The Bronx only three
resigned when they found how hard the work was,
and their places were quickly filled. About % per
cent of them have been assigned 10 the district IN
which they live, and the smooth way in which the!
got along on first day OF the count speaks vol
umes for the with which they had been trained
by Mr.. Wilbur and his aids. The special agents
who are watching the enumerators send in two TO
ports a day 10 the supervisor, and they reported
practically trouble at all yesterday THESE
special agents, OF whom there twenty-four'
have been drilled constantly for the last TWO
months and the enumerators for the last ten Gays
The questions which the public will be called upon
TO answer are by means Objectionable, IN the
minds of most people No effort is made TO pry
into the extent any ones fortune or income The
only question which approaches that sort OF thiis
is query as whether the home is mortgaged or
not. Ever the amount of the mortgage is not IN
quired into Here a list Of the questions on the
ordinary schedule in use in cities:
! Surname. Christian name, initial.
BeSdence street a nbDer 6f 90 Ie head of
the : f coId4 or race.
6 Age at last birthday.
Z. Day, month and year when born.
s. Are you single. married, widow. widower or
9, humber of years married.
T. Sex Of these Children.
l3. Where you born? If in the United States
give State or Territory: if of foreign birth give
"a Where was YOUR father born? Your mother?
Same conditions as the foregong)
10. If of foreign birth, when did you come to the
IS How many years have you resided in the
:a Haze Sgou been Tflss1ed? How many years
Is What is your occupation, trade or profession?
The five questions following next apply to per-
sons ten years of age or over
IS How many months during the year you
20 How many months have you attended school?
81 Can you read?
% Can you write?
q. Can You speak English?
- 10 you Jept the house in Which vor liveq
&c If you own the house is it free or mortgased?
The age question bothers the women most They
often have be assured that the information they
give Is published they give 1t, but is
punched with millions OF others make gen.
eral result. They also told that the enuInerator
Gvues 10 sny one i bu9 his u ocia superiors the
information he gathers. Only those alive June
stu unborn for census purposes Persons dying
since June l are still single and divorced couples
still united Babies born before June ! but not
yet named present problem. The idea is 10 have
the total represent the country as 1T existed on
' b as g1eSey as PPosspif Boon e,batica,v an
structed to be polite Some are women and some
mission signed BY MY M WibnT s9 Househoders are
cautioned against sneak thieves VINO may try to
gain admission under the guse of enumerators. A
heavy penalty attaches TO impersonating an
Already the usefulness Of Mr.. wilbur's original
idea for counting New Yorkers out of town at this
OF the year has been demonstrated. At
yesterday a postal card was received from
one enumerator who found closed up private
the number and found that the head OF the family
there had answered one Of the specially prepared
postal cards last month showing that he
would be living with his family in New-Jersey this
month. and telling where he could be found down
town daily in his business office He will be called
on there to-day. and the number Of members in
his family will go swell the census OF New-York,
their real home, instead OF some small New-Jersey
home where they live only temporarily. Mr.. Will
bur has received such cards from about thirty-hve
population will be given out here this year. That
must from Washington, in order to avoid con-
MIR. WILBUR PLEASED.
MI. Wilbur said last night:
Everything is in fine order. My eleven hundred
enuTnerators under the direction of twenty
four inspectors who will report daily
any infractions violations of the rules
These inspectors in the harness all day long
Keeping a close scrutiny the individual men.
The very first work in this census Will be the
fact that the number OF people in the police "a
lions, jails and the like is subject to frequent
paratively stable the work will be left for time,
and in many cases special enumerators VIII be APP
work very strict and will be rigidly enforced.
1t is against the rules for an enunerater TO allow