The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-04
CENSUS FIGURES
OF SCOTTSv|LLE.
Absurd Report of Curious Enurn-
erators-An Injustice That
Has Been Done.

Census taking is sometimes a curi,4
ouo BUSINESS. The curiousness often
consist OF the curious kind OF people
VINO take the census and sometimes its
is due to other causes. Whatever may
be the cause In the present Instance,
the good town OF Scottsvilie, on tho
upper James River, affords an evidence
OF the curiousness OF census taking. O.
Kind we'll calculated to irjure a wide
awake place,
In the year 1900 the census taker
sent to Scottsville by the United states
government gave the town 1.24s popu
tation, which Indicated an increase OF
Ss6 over the census returns of 1890.
Everybody In Scottsvills and eyory-
body who had ever visited the town
knew very we'll that these figures were
away out of joint, and that the town
ala not half half as many people as
the ccnsus takor said. Scpttsville peo-
pie did not cut up much about these
palpably erroneous figures. They just
laughed at them and let It go at that.
In 1910 along came n census taker
| 70 make figures for tho eleventh census
OF the United States. and after labor
, Ing tho necessary time ne reported
only 2sa people, big and little. maIe
and female, and here was indicated a
loss in ten years Of go.
! Hsii, even tho traveller who merely
passes through the town on q fast
flying G. G o. train. knows those fig
ures are absurd. The people Of SCOTS
Vile got right up In arms and tried
tod have the gross and most ridiculous
error corrected, but they did not get
up IN arms IN time. or 1t may be thar
the governn snt was indifferent. Any
how IL ha been published by the
Censuh Bur,au that Scottsvillc has
| only asa people within it's limits.
The fact OF the business Is: SCOTS
vile had In 1900 about $50. or maybe
QUO people. The town grew during the
decade to 1910, grew In all respects
New industries were established, it's
streets were improved, its school
houses enlarged and made new, cleo
trio lights put In and not few new
people went there to d. business ard
to take advantage of the industrial
advancement. l really have no idea
OF the population of the town, except
SUCH an idea as may be gathered from
casual observation during several short
visits. My opinion, however, is that
there are 700 people, living and moving
and having their being within the cor
porate limits of ScottsvIlla. and tho i'm.
mediate outlying land on both sides
or the river would Erobo bly, add 100
more to this figure. Possibly there are
not more than 600 within the corporate
limits, but believe my guess of zoo
is nearer correct
The town is In good financial cond,-
| ton, thanks to a we'll regulated dis
penary, and I think 1t Is the duty OF
the movers that be to appropriate the
necessary money to have an accurate
census taken and published. The fis-
ures the United States Census Bureau
is sending out are simply absurd as
any one who chances at them and
knows anything about the town of
| Scottsville can readily see. In 1890
they were a6:. In 1900. t,24S aud iii
| 1910, asa. They are absolutely ridicul
| Gus and calculated 20 do harm Let
| the town employ competent men to
take correct census. This Is my nd
| vice. L. S. w.