The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-03-07

bered 924 and their population was Al
per cent of the national total. Add to
these the little towns and villages of
less than 5000 people and we find that
in 1920 the urban population was lit
tie more than half the total for the
Union"
In accomplishing the huge task
which faces Uncle Sans army of GEN.
sus enumerators, they will visit not
only 100000 homes but also more
than 100000 stores, almost 100000
manufacturing plants, and in addition
they will compile data concerning
100000 farms, $4,000 mines and
quarries, 100000 irrigation and drain
age projects. The reason for this is
that the 18th decennial census will
be not only a count of population but
also a comprehensive study of the
commerce and industry of the ma
ton, including, for the first time,
a census of distribution. In the
last named it is hoped that there will
be found at least some of the reasons
for an estimated annual loss of $10,-
000,000,000 in the process of placing
commodities in the hands of the ulti-
mate consumer.
''The 1880 census" says Doctor
Steuart, sis going to be, we hope and
believe, the most nearly perfect tabu-
lation of population, business and 9TH
er basic facts even taken in history.
/ say this with the fact in mind that
nearly 5000 years have passed since
the first census was made-when King
David set out to number the people
of Israel and Judah. 1t took him nine
months and twenty days to do the,
job, and among the things he found
out was that there were in Israel and
in Judah about 100000 valiant men
that drew the sword
''The first census of the United
States was taken 139 years ago. The
United States was first among the
countries to make regular periodical
enumeration of it's inhabitants part
of the fundamental law.
"The first American census, taken in
1870, was very limited in, scope and
was directed by the United States
marshals. They were allowed thir-
teen months on the job, and when the
totals were added up our population
was about 100000. That census re-
lated solely to population. The name
of the head of the family was taken,
together with the number Of persons
in each family, classified as free or
slave. The whites, who were free,
were classified as free whites" as
male or female, and the free whites
males as over or under sixteen years
of age That was about all there was
to It. The marshals who supervised
the 1890 count numbered only II, the
enumerators $50, and you will appre-
ciate what the latter figure means
when you are told that the enumer-
ators who will take the 1880 census
will be an army of more than 100000.
the 1890 census the nations
Of the world have been gradually de-
veloping methods and machinery that
speed up the counting of heads and
the accumulation of vast amount
of data regarding economic, social, ed
cational and other conditions Here
in the United States the development
has probably been more far reaching
than In any other country. Conse-
quently the director of the census is
now by law required to enumerate in
the space of one month more than
120,000,O00 people and at the same
time obtain very extensive informa-
tion about 100000 farms, 1900
mines, 100000 irrigation and drainage
projects. the facts of employment and
unemployment affecting millions of
people, and also the trade. profession
or particular kind of work done by
every person of working age in the
nation. Quite job for four weeks,
is it not? YET 1t can and will be com
pleted in the allotted thirty days.
With the exception of a compara-
lively few. when the vast total is con-
sidered. the original records of every