The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-16
Chamber of Commerce Appoints a
COMMITTEES to Investigate.
WILL HOLD a MEETING TODAY.
Abundance of Evidence ut Hand to
AbsoIve Seattle From the Tacoma
Charge-Records TO show That
City Adopted Illegal Methods in
Enumerafion-victo HoImstead
VIII Conduct the Investigation.

The Chamber Of Commerce, at it's meet
.}ng yesterday afternoon, took up the mat
ter Of Tho attack made upon Seattle's cen
eus by the Tacoma Chamber OF Commerce.
and the probabilities give fair Indication
that the City OF Destiny may have reason
In the near future to regret a reptition
Of It's conduct OF ten years ago.
The whole matter has been placed In
the hands OF committee composed OF
Josiah Collins. J. s. Goldsmith, J. q.
Pyle. Col. A. ]. Blethen and Judge Burke.
The FIRST meeting OF this committee will be
held today. when records Will be forth
coming that will not only absoive Seattle
from the odium that an effort Is being
made to cast upon her census. but will
also prove. conclusively that the practice
Tacoma has charged Seattle with adopting
was resorted to TO add numbers to official
count Just completed In that city.
Tho concansus OF opinion prevailing at
the meeting was that were 1t not for the
fact that Tacoma has sought to cast a re-
Election OF dishonesty on the citizens of
Seattle. no EFFORT would be made to do
other than present the facts as they ex-
list in this city to Director General OF the
Census Merriam's representative, who
viii arrive here In few days That no
good can result from an exhibition OF
rivalry on tina part Of Seattle is generally
conceded. but since the matter has come
Y
Pierce county must give evidence.
Census Matter Taken Up.
The meeting, which was well attended.
was called 70 order at $40 o'clock, BY
President elise After the reading of the
minutes and the disposition of several
COMMUNICATIONS. President elise brought
up the census matter by stating that IN
formation had been received IN the city
several days ago from unofficial sources
TO the effect that protest had been filed
against the Seattle census by the Tacoma
Chamber OF Commerce. and for that rea-
son Gen. Merriam had refused to give out
the total OF Scattle's enumeration. A
telegram. he said. had been sent to SUI
charge OF the work in Western washing
ton. asking II he know anything regard
ing the matter ana reply had been re-
ceived to the effect that so far as he
was aware. there was no Intention to In
vrstigate the enumeration In this city.
nor had he heard anything regarding Ia
a message. no stated. was then ad-
dressed to the director general and signed
by number Of leading business men.
asking for Information regarding the re-
port. In reply to this the following tele-
washington. Aug. H. 1900.
~. w. elise, President Chamber Of Com
Mere Mere g PYLE and Others rso, Seattle ~:
been flied IN this ONCE concerning cor
rectness OF census Of your city. viii send
experienced man to investigate whole sub
tect. He will communicate with you be-
fore taking any action.
"MERRIAM Director"
victor Holmssead To Investigate.
J. 3. Goldsmith asked for Information,
that inasmuch as Director Merriam had
not made public the Seattle census. how
Vt was possible for any city to ascertain
any facts ON which 20 base a protest. No
member OF tho chamber was able to give
Mr. pyle for the information OF the
chamber stated that he had received a
dispatch saving that Tacoma had filed
the protest on July ~ He had also been
had designated Victor HOMESTEAD. who
took tho Cuban census for the war de-
partment. ana man OF broad expert
once and strong personality. to proceed
TO Seattle and investigate the charges
rnade Mr.. Helmstead. Mr. Pyle stated.
had been given fun power to act In the
matter. and was. expected 10 arrive here
In about ton days.
chamber and told some interesting his
tortc facts regarding the City OF Destiny.
Mr.. fforch was connected with the taxi
Ing OF the eleventh census IN 1890 and said
that when the work was completed then
Il IL now doing Its cltissns nled a pro-
tesf with Director General Porter and In
the investigation some extraordinary tac-
tics were brought to light Tacoma adj
mitted that at that time special agents
paid BY its citizens had been sent 10 Sc
alta and had taken an enumeration In
several boarding houses which showed
the Inhabitants less than the number
returned by the official enumcrators
played the part OF spies during our
keio<enth census, and adopted other dis
krcputabe methods"
. On motion 81 Mr Goldsmith the matter
4