TWELVE NUMERATORS WEARY OF THE CENSUS
Brooklyn Daily Eagle 6 June 1900 Supervisor ATTERBURY Is Surprised That the Number of Resignations Is Not Larger. HIS TELEPHONE OVERWORKED. Some Population-Counters Spend More Time Questioning Their Chief Than in Interrogating Other Inhabitants. The twefth census of Uncle Sam's big family, which record of certain of their goods and chattels, proceeds apace. Thus the operation is not known to have resulted in anything more serious than the resignation of about a dozen enumerators. Walter B. ATTERBURY, supervisor for this general district, reported this morning that about that number of the census takers had quit, for one reason or another, and he expressed his surprise that the number of resignations was not larger. "I consider that a remarkable record," he said. "When you consider that 718 enumerators are working from this office and bear in mind the kind of work demanded of them, you must admit it is wonderful that only a dozen have given up." Mr. ATTERBURY could give no very definite idea of the actual progress made yesterday, which was the first day for the enumerators. Most of the men who had been working in the Twenty-third, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-ninth districts reported at the headquarters, 326 Tomkins avenue, last evening, and many of the other districts were heard from either directly or indirectly. The enumerators thus heard from reported the gathering of all the way from 35 to 300 names (how sentence is written). The government allows 2 1/2 cents for each name duly entered, so the man with the only thirty-five names didn't have much to show for his day's work-that is 87 1/2 cents, while the man with 300 names to his credit could count the day profitably spent. Not many men nowadays are paid $7.50 a day. Mr. ATTERBURY says that the difficulties encountered by the enumerators, so far as they have been reported, are mainly due to personal incapacities. Two of the men were discharged for this reason last night. They seemed hopelessly bewildered by the intricacies of the work and had made so little progress that they were relieved. And let no man suppose, says Mr. ATTERBURY that this census taking business is a snap. On the contrary, he -----, it requires more than the average clerical ability to handle intelligently and expeditiously the half a dozen or more blanks of various kinds and to see that all of the information they demand is accurately supplied. The first twenty-four hours of the work, however, served to bring to the surface a great deal of that incapacity which is due to a lack of horse sense, or an absence of self reliance. "Some of these fellows need a nurse more than anything else," exclaimed Mr. ATTERBURY after he answered one telephone call. He was reticent about what this particular person wanted to know. Some enumerators as soon as they encounter the slightest obstacle ---themselves to the nearest telephone and tell their troubles to Mr. ATTERBURY. A good deal of the supervisor's time and that of his secretary, Miss O'BRIEN is thus taken up answering trivial inquiries. The only instance of rebellion that was heard of was furnished by a woman who emphatically refused to answer questions as to the number, age and whereabouts of her children. She answered all of the other questions promptly and seemingly truthfully, but she balked when it came to revealing the statistics of her offspring and fortified herself with the declaration that her husband had told her she needn't answer such questions. The man of the house was not about the place and the enumerator made a note of the case and moved on to the next house. The refractory housewife will hear again from the census officials. Whatever this particular woman's reason may have been for not answering questions it is certain that a full and free answer to all of the questions which the enumerators must ask may entail considerable embarrassment and it is here that the tact of the enumerator must come into play. The reluctance on the woman to tell her age is of course, proverbial, and it is probable that the enumerators will use up more time in getting an answer to this question than any other. Then there is the question whether the woman is single, married, widowed or divorced. These are all purely personal questions which many a woman may refuse to answer. The answering of these questions and many other like ones may involve the uncovering of family skeletons. It seems a little doubtful now whether the force of thirteen interpreters will be large enough to meet the demands which may be made by Mr. ATTERBURY's corps of 718 enumerators. The enumerators are under orders to give a day's notice of the need of an interpreter, and to proceed in their work in the meantime. But this morning none of the men hired for this purpose could be found in the room opened for their convenience at 310 Tomkins avenue, and as far as could be learned all were at work. Manhattan Enumerators Have No Trouble. The Manhattan supervisor of census, Charles F. WILBUR said this morning that the work of taking the census was proceeding without difficulty. "The report cards from the enumerators," he said, "show how many names have been taken in the cards indicating the empty houses found are coming in great numbers. We have not counted them yet, but all the indications are that the work is running smoothly. I anticipate no trouble. So far only one man, a Chairman, has refused to answer the questions put and he answered them when the object of the inquiry was explained to him." There are 1100 enumerators at work under Supervisor WILBUR in Manhattan and the Bronx. Transcriber: Albert Somers Return to CENSUS Main Index Return to BROOKLYN Info Main