Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-12-06
NOTES ON THE 1920 CENSUS by
DEPARTMENT OF CONiMEKSE.

The Fourteenth Decennial Census
is to be taken during the month OF
January 1920.
The first census of the United
States was taken in 1890 during the
administration of George Washington
1t related solely to population.
Tho Constitution Of the United
States requires that a census Of the.
United States be taken every ten
years. 1t is by this means that the
House of Representatives. is made as
to states.
The Bureau OF the Census Is
part OF the Department OF Commerce.
II was established as permanent
Bureau in 1902. Prior to that time
the census work was done by TEN
porary organization known as the
Census Office.
A census Of tho country's manufac-
lures was made for the first time in
1910. Under the present law q man.
ufactures census Is to be taken IN
connection with the Fourteenth De-
cenn,al Census and every two years
thereafter,
An enumeration Of the mines and
Quarries Of the United States was
made for the first time in 1910
The Sixth Dccennial Census, talk
en- in 1910 was the first one to cover
agriculture statistics, now one Of
the most important parts Of the en-
tire census.
Tie Department Of agriculture as
sist ed the Census Bureau in preparing
the Isl of QestionS to he asked Of
Gerry farmer at the coming census.
United States marshals acted as
enrmorators ut the first nine decen
Mai Censuses. Each marshal had rs
many assistants as were necessary
to properly cover his allotted terri
tory.
The statistics Of the first census
OF tho United States were published
in one small volume consisting of
56 pages. The statistics OF the 1910
census required IL volumes having
an aggregate of more than 10000
. pages,
There we're 6,361,502 farms report
cd at the last decennial census val
ued mt more than 40 billions Of dol
. lars. The 1920 census Is expected to
show more than 100000 farms.
The Census Bureau prints n spec
= ial supplement for each State in the
Union containing all tho census fig
ures relating to tho State in ques,
, tlon.
Congress extended the scope of the
approaching 1920 census by providing
that census Of forestry and forest
products should be taken. These sui
jccts were never specifically cover
ed by any past census act.
1t required 10 months to complete
the enumeration work for the first
decennial census in 1880. In 1920 the
. Census Bureau plans to complete the
enumeration work for tho entire
country in from two to four weeks
and announce the population figur
es in less than three months from,
the date the enumeration work Is
completed.
! a heavy concentration on ages enc
ing in five and zero are always II
ported at census. The Census Blu
reau has made many efforts to over
come this inaccurate tendency on thu
part OF the people when stating ages
Every census has disclosed The
fact there are more men in the Uni
cd States than women.
The ingcniuS machines used by
the Census Bureau to count, sor
and tabulatc the information gather
. cd by the census cnumerators arr
the product of the Bureaus own la1
oratory. The sorting machines vii
= take care of 800 cards per minute
. tho counting machine can do sol
cards minute and The tahu'atins
machine is capable Of handling 40(
:. cards each minute.
=,
pI1T"ryNE IN SEWER SYSTEMS