The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1909-10-23
Examinations Held Today For
Selection of Clerks For
Decennial Census
THREE THOUSAND ARE NEEDED
Appointees Will Start at $50 Per
Month and if They Give Satisfactory
Service Will be Raised to $500 Per
Annum-AII Appointments Will Not
be Made Until Next August.

Washington, ID. c., oct. 29,-The first
important step in the gigantic task Of
taking the thirteenth decenniel United
States census was taken today. when
civil service examinations were held in
New York. Boston, Philadelphia, Allan
Ia, New Orleans, Cincinnati, st. Paul.
San Francisco. Denver lind several
other large cities for the selection OF
the first batch of the three thousand
temporary clerks who are 10 be ap-
pointed i'm the census bureau. Very
few appointments from today's exam
ination will be made before the first OF
the year, and not many will be made
until next April. The maximum force
will be drawn about next August.
These 1000 appointees will be given
salaries of about $500 per annum at
the beginning but promotions To 5000
per annum, at least, viii be reasonably
rapid for those who render satisfactory
service. All appointments will be on
probation. subject TO termination at
one month or any later period if the
appointee does not come up to the re-
quirements.
During the period Of greatest activ-
ity about $500 clerks will be employed
in Office and $4,000 in the field. This
force represents a larger body than the
combined population of New York and
Boston 12O years ago. when the first
census was taken.
The enumeration of 1890 cost $4,000
and at that the money ran out and the
names were never printed. Next years
census has behind ii an appropriation
of $l0,000,00O and an emergency fund
OF 100000 900 additional. In other words
the design is TO proceed regardless of
cost, efficiency being of more import
ance than economy. The aim is 10
make the census of 1910 the most eff
cient ever taken in the United States.
The first census numbered the in
habitants Of the 13 original states.
ON the whole II was vastly more diff
cult TO take the first census than II
will be to take the forthcoming emu
meration of 1910. Conditions were
much more difficult. All work west
of the Alleghenies was practically
abandoned. i'm spite Of the fact that
there was an important interest i'm the
northwest. but Detroit was not report
ed, neither was Vincenncs
Philadelphia was then the capital of
the nation, and Washington was still
"A paper plan without a name but pop
ularly called the Federal City" only
one wall of the White House had been
built. and the site for the national
capital building had been scarcely sur
veyed
The enumerators employed to take
the first census We're not even provid-
ed with blanks. and they used such
odds and ends as they chanced to have
or could beg or borrow, such as butch
er's brown paper. bits of parchment.
the back OF wallpaper or slips pasted
i'm long ribbons one of the greatest
difficulties i'm taking the enumeration
was a religious superstition. Many Of
the preachers were violently opposed
to a census. because i'm biblical times
curse fell over the land when the
children of Israel were numbered.
The first census showed population
OF 100000 whites and 100000 slaves.
or every fifth person in the country
was a slave.