The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-04-08

interests Oh the persons furnishing
information every employee of the
census bureau is rxohipited, under
heavy penalty, from disclosing any
information which may thus come to
his knowledge.
Il, therefore, earnestly urge upon
all persons to answer promptly, COM
pleted and accurately all inquiries adj
or other employees of the census bur-
eau, and thereby to contribute their
share toward making this great and
necessary public undertaking a sue
cess"
70, 900 enumerators, inspectors and SUI
pervisors, the whole work being done
under the general direction of r. Dana
Durand, director of the census bureau
at Washington.
Mr.. Durand states that it will take
from 10 to 20 days for all the returns
from the whole country to come into
the bureau at Washington. The actu-
al count will then begin, and will last
several months. The final figures for
the census will probably be ready in
the early fall WaTa Walla and 9TH
er cities may have their populations
declared before then, and it may be
known by midsummer whether Walla
mark or not.
Mr. Durand explains that the data on
the population schedules, as soon as
all are received at the bureau, will be
transferred to manila cards by the
punching of holes in the cards to cor
respond with the items in the sched-
es An electrical machine controlled
by clerk can punch holes in 5000
cards a day. There will be 500 of
these machines.
After the punching another electri-
cal machine is called into service,
this machine being one of excessive
ingenuity. 1t was used for the first
time at the census of 1890.
Machine a Wonder.
The position of each hole on the
punched cards, of course, Indicates
their significance, so no writing what
ever is required. The machine which
tabulates the punched cards is pro-
vided with a pin box which contains
needle set on a fine spiral spring,
for each possible hole in the card. The
pin box is brought down over each
card in turn. Those needles which
meet an unpunched surface are re-
pressed, while those which pass
through the hole make an electric
contact below, and by an arrange
ment of re avs, permitting any desir-
ed combination, cause one or more
counters or dials to register. At the
conclusion of each run the counters
are read and the result entered upon
a result slip.
With the aid of one of these ma
chimes an experienced clerk can tabu-
late an average of from 5000 to TO-
900 cards in a working day of six and
a half hours.
Census experts declare it is almost
impossible to realize the amazing saw
Lob ,in1, hi oil
most human machine accomplishes.
If, at the taking of the twelfth census
in 1900. the three TALES of age and
sex, nativity and occupation, had been
made by hand, the tabulation of the
statistics for these three subjects
a'one would have required the time of
100 clerks for seven years II months
and five days.
In discussing the history of the GEN.
sus in the United States William r.
Merriam, director of the twelfth CEN
sus, has pointed out that at the be-
ginning of the nineteenth century the
United States was the only nation
which had made provision for a peri
odic census of it's population. this de-
cennial census being required by the
constitution. Collection of statistics
relating OF agriculture, manufacture
and mortality had not been attempt
ed.
Before the close of the century all
civi lied countries were making more
or less extended investigation into
population and into the most import
ant facts of the national life and pro-
gress. The purpose of the constitu-
tional requirement of a decennial GEN.
sus is that a basis may be furnished
for the apportionment of representa-
tives to congress. The modern Am
erican census, with it's vast mass of
resultant information, is the Outgrowth
of that requirement In 1902, 112