The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-06-06
MARRIAGE NOT A FAILURE
Mother Of Thirteen Tells
Census Enumerators It's
Advantages.

While the duties of census enumerator
may be laborious, there is a certain
amount of fun and interesting experiences
to be had in the course of his daily per-
ambulations through the district allotted
| to him by his Uncle Samuel If the man
had but the time to listen to the numerous
tales of woe and lamentations poured out
to him his work would drag on indeff-
nitely.
One woman when questioned as to
whether she was married divorced or
single said that her husband was not
living with her. She related a tale of woe
He had sold all of her furniture for money
to buy beer and the census man had to
put his book on the floor to take the in
formation because of the lack of furni-
ture
.sWhat can I do to him?' asked the
sufferer.
Uncle Sans agents duties do not
include the giving of legal advice and he
pleaded to be excluded from any marital
difficulties.
| An old German woman opened her door
sufficiently to allow the enumerator 10 put
his foot between the door and the wood
work, in response to knock. When the
woman saw the enumerator she decided
that he was an insurance agent. She at
| tempted to slam the door in his face, but
| his foot prevented such action. When he
made himself known she was profuse in
apologies and patted the agent on the
back in motherly way. With his knowl-
edge of German he was able to secure the
desired data.
Another woman, the mother of thirteen
ob; NV for
| marriage was a failure.
'sNeyer!" she exclaimed proudly Il
would not care to live different Life, and
with my nine children now living I am
perfectly happy" This same woman was
obliging enough to secure information re-
garding foreigners that lived in the same
| house.
Still another who had heard of the com
ing of the census man had a nice luncheon
prepared for him yesterday. This kind
offer had to be declined because of lack
of time.
The wife of butcher asked if she was
to receive money for giving information.
| The daughter of a boarding house mis-
| tress had lot of fun in giving some in
| formation about her brothers and sisters.
They hesitated a long time before speak
| ing on the age question, but the girl gave
| their ages without restraint. One daughter
when asked if she was married or single
| said that she would be single for eight
| hours more.
| In the Italian district the interpreter
| had his hands full. Even he at times fails
| to convince. his fellow countrynen of the
necessity of giving details. Some are in
| clned to think that the enurnerators are
securing information which may be used
| to deport them or else cause them other
| serious Inconvenience.
The Supervisor has drawn heavily on
his auxiliary list. Numerous resig Altions
have been handed in almost daily by men
| who found the task far too tiresome or
complicated for them to handle easily. The
| majority of enumerators, it seems. were
of the opinion that the work was to be d
sinecure. 1t is far from that. People are
met in the course of a days travels in
search of information, who declare posi-
lively that they do not know when they
were born nof< the months. OF course
the agent is forced to enter and leave
each house or apartment in a rather
abrupt fashion, and has no time to be put
through a course of Interrogation by any
inmate.
do you want to give your name?"
asked a woman of her sister, this morn
| ing, when the enumerator called at a
house on Wayne street. The agent did not
give the woman time to answer her sis
ter's inquiry.
you have to give your name, madam"
said he.
"Have to! Indeed you could not make
me do it," said the lady in return.
| 'sWeu, madam" chimed in Uncle Sam
my's agent you will put yourself to in
| finite trouble if you pursue such a
course, for it is at variance with what
the government demands. You see we
must have the desired information, and If
you refuse, then I shall be forced to call
an officer to have you arrested. But be-
fore putting you to so much inconven-
| ience 1 will quote some law to you. The
enumerator then read paragraph from
| the book of instructions, wherein it stat
ed that to refuse information one is amen
able to the low and liable to a fine of si00
| or imprisonment The name was given.