The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-01-23

| Suuployeu DedOFe ana
OiHf0loH DohAND will, it is believed,
increase not only the rapidity of the
work, but tend TO reduce the number
of errors on the part of the clerks do
| ing the punching. With the new semi
automatic tabulating machines the re-
| suits of the count for each unit of area
are automatically printed, whereas for
meriy they were registered ON diaIs
| from which readings had to be taken
and recorded by hand. The reading of
| these dials took a large amount of
| time, during which the machine was
idle, and inaccurate readings were not
| uncommon.
The new method of punching and
tabulation employs a small manila
card about 6 by 3 inches in size to rep
resent each individual composing the
population April 10, 1910 For this
purpose alone 100000 cards have
been purchased-a gigantic card index
system indeed.
In collecting the data schedule is
carried by the enumerators, and ques-
tons in it concerning each individual
will call for the name, relationship to
head of family, color, sex, age, eoniu-
gal condition, place of birth, place of
birth of parents, number of years in
the United States, citizenship. occupa-
tion whether or not employer or EN-
ployee and, if employee, whether or
not employed at the date of enumera-
ton and the number of months unem-
ployed during the preceding calendar
year, whether or not engaged in agri-
culture school attendance, literacy and
tenure of home and whether or not q
survivor of the Union or Confederate
army or navy.
The surface of the population card
is divided by printed lines into what
is called fields" or divisions, contain
ing certain figures, authorizations of.
words and combinations of letters.
which are used as symbols to CORE
spond with or represent the details or
items of data as reported on the origi-
nal schedule by the enumerator.
Taking the card as the representa-
tive of an Individual, 1t then becomes
necessary to transfer to the card all
the data on the schedule referring to-
that Individual This is done by punch
ing out the corresponding symbols,
leaving open holes at those points.
The seniautomatic electrical punch
ing machine which will be used is
built on the plan of a typewriter, with
a keyboard very similar In appearance,
but having 240 different keys. The
machine in its operation differs from
a typewriter in most important re-
spect. As is well known, in operating
the typewriter every time a key is de-
pressed letter is printed, and If
mistake is made the letter must be
crossed out or corrected, with consid-
cradle loss of time and disfguring Of
copy. The new card punching machine
obyiates this, as the operator instead
of punching one hole at a time can de
press into position for subsequent
punching as many keys as are neces.
sary to record the required facts.
Before pressing button which turns
on the electric current for operating !
the punching mechanism the operator
can look over the depressed keys,
comparing them with the schedule,
and if a key has been enormously
placed it can be released and the error
rectified. This work of correction is
assisted by having different colors for
the keys for each field or division of
the card It enables quicker discovery
of the key in error In the old style
punching machine hole was punched
in card every time the plunger was
depressed. If an error in punching a
symbol was made the card had to be
taken out and thrown away. As the
puncher's efficiency was based largely
upon the number of cards punched in
a dag, it will be seen that the old
method laid the operator open to the
temptation to let the error stand.
With the old machine a skillful clerk
could average about 900 cards day.
The new rlachine will enable an av-
erage of 1900 cards to be punched in
a day by one operator.
Another time aud money saving fea-
ture of the new machine is that the
feeding Of cards to the punching keys
is entirely automatic As the blank
cards are fed in from the rear of the
machine the punched cards are drop
ped into a magazine in front
While the operator is punching a
card the machine also by means of q
gang punch" is automatically apply
ing mark or designation to tie
card which shows it is one of the to-
tai number representing all of the pop
ulation in particular census area.
whether city. county or state. Auto
matte counters are attached to the
keys, and in this way preliminary an
nouncements OF certain important pop /
ulation totals may be made as soon as
all of the cards have been punched,
Under the old system. when al the
punching was dene by hand. these fig
ures we're not available until the tabs
lating work WAS started.
The census bureau has ordered $50
Of these new punching machines. ala3
IL IS calculated that tl4a facts Ga t.