The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-02
TAKING THE CENSUS.
Enumcrators Begin Their Grca,
Task in the District.

EpumcratOrs Begin Their Great
Task in the District.
The work of taking the Twelfth Census
was begun yesterday morning in every
State and Territory in the United States.
In Washington. under the direction of Su-
pervisor Harrison Dingman, 1i5 enumera
tors started out early in the morning to
commence the count of the population of
the District of Columbia and worked stead
lily all day.
After few days the enumerators will
become accustomed to filling in the blanks
and the work will progress much faster
According to the plans as mapped out by
Director Merriam, the returns for the
population must be in within thirty days.
so that the work of tabulating and classifi-
cation may be begun.
Little trouble was experienced by the
Washington enumerators yesterday. The
people, as a rule. appeared to be pretty
well posted about the questions they were
expected to answer OF course there were
many amusing incidents caused by the
enumeration being mistaken for a collector
! and being requested to leave his bill.
Each enumerator must complete one
block before he can begin another. Every
block in the city is duly numbered and
ieSVIueu on Hleu In the MAIN
| As the reports come in from these blocks
| their numbers are checked off the records.
The enumerators report goes through the
| supervisors. The report from each district
| will be made when the count is declared
| complete by the supervisors.
The first place visited by Enumcrator
Henry Ross yesterday morning was the
| White House. He was received by Mr..
Cortelyou, the Presidents private secre-
De- tn
formation about the employees living at
the White House, but will call later for
data concerning Mr.. and Mrs. Mckinley.
This will be made out and furnished the
enumerator.
Supervisor Dingman was well pleased
with the work of his enumerators yester-
day.
1T is gratifying to be able to say said
Mr.. Dingman yesterday afternoon, that
the enumerators have been received with
the greatest courtesy wherever they have
called, and the information sought has been
given with the frankness and apparent
truthfulness that is desired. Should this
be found to be the case as each day goes
by, it can be safely said that this will be
the most complete. most thorough. and
most honest census ever taken in the Dis
trict of Columbia. My enumerators are
an exceptionally intelligent body of men,
and / have found little difficulty in ex-
planning to them SO they could thoroughly
understand just exactly what is expected
of them. 1 ask for the men a continuance
of the courtesy already extended.
by the way, there appears to be a mis-
taken idea said Mr.. Dingman, lin re-
gard to counting those residents of the
District who are employed Il the various
departments of the Government. Every
man, woman, and child in the Govern
ment service will be counted among the
residents of the District unless it can be
clearly shown that they have a sleeping
place outside the District lines. This.
/ think, is the proper way to do it, and
as / am directly responsible for the
proper taking of the census in the District
this is the manner in which 1t will be
done"