The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-02-02
Our Washington Letter.
Sham Civil Service Reform
Examination of Applicants
for Positions fn tEae Patent
OMfce--The Questions Pro-

| EDITOR CHIEF:
Civil Service Reform, of which We
have heard so much in the last sil
months, is getting to be considered {
myth or fraud in these parts. The
late compromise between the Presi
dent and Congress will have the effect
of doing away with what remnants
may be remaining. The old rings are
still extant; the old favoritism still
exists, and the same unfair and une.
quail treatment is given and received
as of yore. 1t has been universally
acknowledged that Secretary Schurz
of the Interior Department has been
more earnestly seeking to root out
and tear down the crookedness he
found under his jurisdiction than any
other officer of the Administrator
and l propose giving you little in
sight into the workings of his, the
purest and fairest of all the Depart
ments. 1t will take all the space al
lotted to me in your valuable paper,
but perhaps will interest you more
than aught | could write.
A complete examination took place
the other day for the purpose of filling
five subordinate clerkships in the
Patent Office, the applicants exam
ined numbering about eighty. l sub
nit the questions given, which were
made public by one of the dis
appointed applicants Contrary to
orders from the examining committed
aud go to show simply that it was not
intended that any of those applying
should gain an office save favorites
who may have had an intimation be-
forehand of the questions to be pro-
pounded; for you will readily see two
lHSS"GIIisG IlO0 IDOlo OIi6u OuC man
in a hundred, even were they fresh
from college--could answer all these
questions, and that not one single
question save the last relates in any
way to the business that comes before
the Patent Office.
THE QUESTIONS FOR TEST:
/. Write letter to examining board,
stating age, extent of education, pre-
vious business, legal residence, etc.
3 State the difference between
chemistry and physics, and how do
changes produced in substances by
chemical action differ from those pro-
duced by heat or magnetism.
3. State to what the phenomenon of
light is due when candle, lamp, or
a jet of illuminating gas be burned.
4. What is the best line upon which
to describe the teeth of a gear wheel.
and whyR What, if the exigencies
of the machine permit, should be the
number of intermeshing gears7 Give
reasons.
5. What is the difference between
the use of spur gears and bands and
pulleys in machine7 Supposing
pulieys to be used, should the surface
of the belt be rough OF nearly smooth 7
Give reasons.
8. Describe platform balance,
commonly called platform scales, and
the principle upon which it works.
Give reasons.
Z. Which is most destructive to O
bridge-to have a locomotive pass at
full speed or slow, and why is any
precaution needed when great bodies
of troops are to pass over bridge?
8. What is the effective head to
| which is due the velocity at the exit
end of conduit of water supplied
from a distant reservoir, and why9
9. A cylindrical vessel of tin or
sheet metal filled with water has at a
certain height, on the same circumfer-
entail line, three round perforations.
! One is direct through the thin metal /;
one is prolonged by a pipe of equal
diameter, horizontally outward from
the opering; thc third, which is
slightly larger, is also prolonged the
same distance horizontally by two
comic frustuihs, united at their small
lest ends, the outer one being the
longest and the section through theil
point of junction having the same di-
ameter as the two holes just men
toned, which of these three apertures
will discharge the most water in a
given time, and why
QUESTIONS FOR THE AFTERNOON.
10. Machines are often called labor
saving. How should this be under
stood
IL. Does any reason exist why
under present condition, or under any
supposable condition, in which there
should be total absence of friction, q
machine should not he constructed
capable of originating within itseli
aud imparting to other bodies any
desired amount of force?
IL. What is differential screw !
Its objecte Do you know of any in
stance of its use2