The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-08
BIG JOB BEFORE
CENSUS WORKERS
Final Figures Will Be Given
in October
PROGRESS BEING MADE
Census OHce Now Has 1900 Clerks EN-
pIoyed in the Compilation of Facts
Gathered-sO, ,OOO, 900 Popula-
tion Is Indicated
PROGRESS BEING MADE

Washington, August by the middle
of October. but scarcely before, the peo-
pie of the United States will know their
own number. as revealed by the thir-
teenth census. The figures will not be
given out until the count is entirely
completed and minutely verified, and by
that time every man who keeps tab"
will know the total for himself, for the
details for all such subdivisions as
states, cities and counties will have be-
come known previously through the CEN
sus offices announcements.
Some people think that Director Durand
practically knows now the exact number
of the population, but he declares, really
and truly that he does not If so dis
posed. however, he could ascertain ap-
proximately the number of persons some
what in advance of his announcement to
the public. This could be done by means
of the preliminary count of the schedules
which is made necessary for the payment
of the enumerators for their services.
The enumerating districts for each super
visor's area are numbered. and it is in
tended that each of them should contain
100 names. AS soon as these are received
they are turned over to counters and
virtually accurate statement is thus made
possible. Up to date the names in more
than $1,000 of the 10000 districts have been
counted.
Process Moving Forward
The process is moving forward rapidly,
and when 1t is completed the population
of the United States could be easily as
certained by footing up the totals arrived
at. Mr.. Durand, however, is not hav-
ing the figures totaled. and he says that
1t Is his purpose not to do so. He is
not curious as to the outcome of his
work. Nor will he make any predictions
as to what the resalt will show. 1t Is
known. however, that the census officials
generally fall in with the popular idea
that there are about 100000 people in
the United States. Between the census
of 1890 and that of 1900. there was an in
crease of about 100000 and only
slightly larger increase would now be
necessary to bring the figure up to the 9O-
100000 mark. This result is arrived at by
purely arithmetical calcuiation, and not
by any compilation OF the figures recent
ly taken.
About 800 nimble-fngered young men
and women are engaged night and day in
determining the figures which, when the
final computation is made will show the
total population. All told, there are some
1900 clerks employed in the census office
In the compilation of all the facts gath
cred by the field agents In connection
with the recent census; but, while the
greatest activity is directed toward the
ascertainment of the population, there is
still much doing in other directions. In
deed, a large number of those at work
in the population division are engaged in
classifying the facts relative to the sex,
age race, and other conditions In connec-
tion with the people numbered. Also,
there are many employed in the manufac-
turing. agricultural and mining branches.
The first announcements. however, will
cover only enumeration figures. and these
will continue for the next two months and
half The sociological and industrial
figures will come later. and will be an
nounced as a rule In special bulletins
prepared by the bureau itself.
Only Two States Complete
Up to date, population figures have
been given on two states only. Rhode
Island and Oklahoma, but many
nouncements have been made for cities.
towns and counties In various parts of
the country. All the returns so far given
to the public have been prepared to meet
the especial demands of the localities af-
fected. In Rhode Island, for instance,
there is to be a reapportionment for leg
islative purposes, and in Oklahoma the
franchise is involved. Texas has state
laws affecting county administration. and
has made a special demand upon the bu-
reau There also have been some ex-
actions of a legal nature from various
cities in Illinois, as from some other
states. From this time forward, however,
these, requests will receive comparatively
little attention, and as a consequence the
v-.y. - r.,tII
more rapidly.
The directors intention Is first to tabu-
late the population of the large cities,
and after the announcement for these
centers of population shall have been
made, the figures for the states will be
given out as they are ascertained. The
returns for all the counties of each state
will be announced at the same time that
the state figures are made public.
Many of the announcements are liable
to be delayed beyond the time when they
may be expected by the public. This de-
Law II 1t occurs, will be due to the
necessity for careful scrutiny of all the
schedules. All of the enumeration sheets
are counted from three to four times,
and If there is any error, or even IL
there is any circumstance indicating a
possibility of an error, an investigation
is ordered, and If necessary a correction
is made In two cities, evidence of fraud
has been discovered, and in one, Great
Falls, Mon. a prosecution has been un-
dertaken for fraudulent enumeration. In
Massachusetts all of the figures have
been withheld to accommodate that state
in some of its own statistical work.
Contrary to the general opinion, all the
counting of the people Is done by hand.
The tabulating machines, of which sew
eral hundred are employed In the office,
are used only in classifcations as to race,
sex and other conditionr
The census office is a busy place. The
present force of clerks will be increased
eventually to about 2O0o There are two
shifts of them, one working from 9
o. clock In the morning until 430; the
other taking up the work at the latter
hour and going forward until II o'clock
at night
Counting enumerators special agents,
and supervisors. no fewer than $4,000
people will have been employed in the
work of the thirteenth census by the
time 1t is completed. So far. about s6,C00.-
900 have been expended upon it. and 1t
is probable that the total cost will be
about $15, 900. OF this sum. 1900 900
already has been appropriated by Con-
gress.