We really do need the 1890 Census, however, this was burned in 1921. At the time, the census schedules were located in the basement of the Commerce Building in Washington, D. C. Even though the fire was contained, it flooded the area. The damage was not assessed until the following day, and it was noted that the census records soaked in the water overnight outside the protected vault area. The schedules were dried out, re-copied. But it was impossible to restore them. So? They should still be intact, yes? In 1932 Congress authorized certain documents to be destroyed, which included the original 1890 schedules. Then, in 1934, the remaining schedules were destroyed by the Department of Commerce. Some of the mid-western census records are still available. For example, the 1890 Illinois schedules were later found, and again in 1953, when some fragmented schedules were discovered. Family History Centers have microfilmed these fragmented schedules which consist mostly of mid-western states, and then, not all counties, or enumeration districts are in tact. Jeannette H. Austin GENEALOGY BOOKS <jha@atl.mindspring.com>