The New York herald., 1920-01-03
CANVASS Of CITY
BEGUN IN TAKING
NATION S CENSUS
Army of Enumerators Start
Work of Enrolling Populace
of Five BoroughS.

| All over the country Uncle Sam yester-
day began the decennial task of counting
his many millions Of nephews and nieces
for the recording OF the nations fourteenth
census. lie had hardly deInobilized his
armies and laid aside the implements of
war when ne was called upon TO muster
and train his new army Of enumerators. TO
furbsh up his mathematics. and to polish
and lubricate his adding machines But he
went at the big job in his customary con-
fident and bus!nesslike way.
Here in New York city active operations
ere begun promptly at nine o'clock in the
morning in the four grand divisions into
which the metropolis has been divided for
census taking purposes. In Manhattan
Borough at that hour between 100 and
1,60o enumerators sailed forth upon their
allotted routes. armed with the official
blanks. and began rounding UP the popu-
lace. These enumerators, who make the
actual domicil.ary visits, are divided into
squads under the immediate supervision of
forty-five inspectors. The inspectors. in
turn, In so far as concerns Manhattan,
take their orders from and make their re-
ports to Samuel L. Foley. for many years
State Senator. who Is the district super
visor and who has his offices I'm the Army
Building. at Eighth avenue and Thirty
fourth street.
office Beehive OF Activity.
IN the citys busiest borough there were
not many offices yesterday that hummed
with greater activity. Senator Foleys
| lieutenants we're coming and going con-
| tinuously, typewriters were clicking in
lstaccato concert and telephone bells were
ringing up momentarily with appeals from
this or that inspector or enumerator seek
ling enlightenment upon some mooted
pint.
Senator Foley anticipates his greatest
difficulties in those sections Of the bor-
| oalgh wherein most Of the residents are OF
| foreign birth. Experience In the past has
shown the difficulty of impressing upon
the minds OF ncn-Englisfl speaking aliens
the true purpose Of the census enumera-
Itor's interrogatories. In the hope or pre-
venting misapprehensions. Mr.. Foley yes
terday sent to Police Headquarters for dis
tribution IN foreign sections of tie bor-
| ough, educational leaflets printed in vari-
Gus languages. which the police will dis
tribute from door to door.
"For the first time" said Senator Foley.
census women. as we'll men. Each re-
ceives four cents for every name turned
| In with the accompanying data, and we
have tried to cut up tho territory so as TO
equalze the districts as we'll as possible:
The enuruerator has the opportunity OF
taking. say. $500 names and thus earning
about 800 for about ten days work.
| 'If IL be found that some enumerator,
after having surveyed his territory. has
drawn a blank-that is. lot OF ground
to cover with only few persons living in
tive will assign him another district, so
that he may have the chance to earn =
reasonable sum out OF the job. We have
had one case like that already today. a
certain enumerator had for his sphere the
Equitable Building. He was delighted, for
he knew that big hive of industry housed
| as many persons daily as does good sized
town. But when he actually gottto work
he discovered that the only person whom
ne could record legitimately was the 5ani-
| tor for the janitor was the only one liv-
ing In the building. You see, the enroll
ment is made at the homes and not at
the places of business of the population.
Four cents profit for taking the census
of the Equitable Building did not appeal
to him as enumerator. and he came back
crestfallen. Of course, We gave him an
other district.
Residence Where One Sleeps.
| 'tOT purposes OI lHC CCHooS thC iCSI-
dence is wherever one habitually sleeps,
whether that be in a private house. a flat.
I hotel, apartment house or rooming house.
Business men and women, OF course. can
not wait in their homes for the coming
of the census enumerator. nor can the
enumerator afford 70 wait at their places
Of residence until he can catch them at
home In such cases enumerators have
been instructed to leave blanks to be filled
out by each person living In the house
these will be called for by him later. Such
blanks may be left with the housckeeper
| or some person in charge OF the establish
ment. -,
| Senator Foley made II clear that every
enumerator is to carry with him not only
| his Identification card but also his writ
ten commission, and must be prepared to
display his credentials IL called upon to
do so by any citizen before answering
questions.
William Francis Fischer, OF No. e53
Southern Bouvelard, is the district super
visor for the Bronx, where 482 enumerators
most of them women-began their task
yesterday. Eight clerks and eighteen in
spectors are cooperating with Mr. Fischer.
He said he expected each member of his
force to take about 300 names n day. At
/ that average rate the 4S2 enumerators
should collect in twelve working days
about 1000. 90 names. figure well in ex-
cess OF the estimated population OF Bronx
Borough, which is believed to be about
900 600.
! The other district supervisors for New
York city are Arthur G. Dore, Fulton and
Duffield streets, Brooklyn, for Brook
lyn and Richmond boroughs and Rodman
Richardson. with headquarters in the
town hall Flushing, for Queens Borough.
Jas was stated in the HERALD yesterday,
| IL is believed the census will show for the
first time larger number of persons re-
siding in Brooklyn than in Manhattan.
| Mr.. Richardson expressed the opinion
that the census of Queens would show a
population for that borough between 6co,oCo
and 100000.