Calculating Machines ◾ 95
the cards. Each time an electrical impulse was sent, the appropriate dial
advanced incrementally.
e card reader was electrically attached to a card sorter that contained
several covered bins for sorting. Depending on the kind of statistics being
compiled, the sorter would automatically open the correct bin once the
card had been read, and the operator would drop the card into the bin,
going on to read the next card. Skilled operators could process thousands of
cards a day, making the Hollerith system an immediate success. e Census
Bureau was able to accurately complete the 1890 census data processing in
record time, and furthermore, for the rst time ever, statisticians were able
to use the data to compile new ...