New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-04-04
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS.

CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS.
ruF NEW Plan il FULL OPEGATIoN-TH1ETEEN
OUT OF A CLASS OF TWENTY-FIVE ANSWER ALL
THE QUESTIONS
The first competitive examination under the new
Civil Service rules begun yesterday at the
Custom House 20 select two clerks for grade NO.
in the Naval OAice. with q salary of $1,000 year.
Notices were sent ont TO twenty-Six applicants Tor
clerkships. and twenty-five were present at a. m,
the hour set for the examination At precisely that
hour Civil Service Commissioners Graham, Will
Jams and Mccker. with II. w. Gourley secretary
rro tenn. were present The candidates were pre-
scented with copy OF the rules Of examination, ana
they were informed that the questions TO be pro-
pounded must be answered in writing and be COM
pleted by y. m. They were warned that any at
tempt TO use books manuscripts during ex'snina-
tion hours would he regarded as affecting moral
character and a certificate would be refused, ana
that the same penalty would be imposed Tor copying
the papers of another. permitting IT TO be done
The class YESTERDAY was composed OF an eNCepllon-
allv good grade Of mon. One was doctor ot OWN
itV another was q graduate of well known medl-
cal university, and third was JournalIst. me ne
average age about thirty-SiX years All resided
in this city aud Brooklyn. Zach candidate was as
signed 10 desk, and printed slips OF questions were
furnished 20 each of which was to he appended a
written answer. with the name IN full at the not
tom. The subjects of examination were peninau.
shin writing and brietug letters, elements of
English grammar-cheiy photography and syntN;
arithmetic. such as fundamental rules, 1ractlohS,
percentage, interest, discount and conversion OF
currency; elements OF accounts ana 2ookheep'9G
history and geography with spcca reference 10 t1ls
country. To avoid the possibility Of copies OF the
Questi ms being surreptitousy obtained. hereafter
they will be written with an electric pen the iEhI
before examinations are to take place.
Early in the examination one of the candidates
declined to write any more answers and retired.
He was followed by three others when arithmetic
was reached. Tie examination closed with an
original piece Of composition 10 be embOHied lh lue
L. lYff. o. =
Were not al filed out andhtteen minutes auu'ioa
time was given. 1t was then i0und lhdt
thirteen out of The twenty-five had tulDted an tno
requirements of the examination. ..
The papers were filed and today they vii! be IN
vestIgated TO ascertain the rating on scale ot 100
The average Of the marks gwen Go each answer VIII
next be asccrtained Each average VIII then De
multiplied bV the number indicating the icIduHc
weight Of the subject or class, ana the sum oil the
products will De divided by the sum OF The relative
weights; the quotlont VIII determine tGc
candidates standing. The names OF inc
thIee c%iUtu~''9 ''it. ~ - LII ia sanf
provided 20 and over IS attained, VIII De sem
10 Naval Officer Burt for selection, ana one must
be appointed to q Clerkshlp. should he not oI(C't
to the remaining names an addltl3hdI one VIII "
sent i'm for the selection Of the other vacancy. H.
after selecting one clerk, the Naval Officer shdli
object 10 presentation OF either OF the remaining
names the three next highest names must be Sent
in. The examinations Yesterday were Witnessed by
George William Curtis. 4. 4. Low aud John Jay;
Of 1872 said Colonel Burt, Yesterday " IN many
respects. There is now only one Board OF Exam
lOprs for the Collectors surveyors anu Nav al ut
partments instead of separate boards as IN 1877 lhe
examinations are conducted nv officials already
i'm the service without expense. In 1872 1t cost at
the rate Of $4,000 a year. The requirements OF
applicant, remain the same as then, but the Inlnl-
mum standard is raised from 80 to 40 per cent.
Under the former system, vacancies were opened 70
all in Office. Now they are confined to the grade
immediately hClOw-WbCh is a saving OF time, ana
t1ves a chance for promotion on actual merit and
by grades. Before, the public was not admitted;
now number of citizens are invited The press,
as such is not admitted il would be an act OF ln-
Justice 10 H. C applicants and might work 10 the IN
iurv of those whose nervousness might mar an
0tberwisr intelligent response. The present board
A. coppu-rd of men who and Will attend 10 the
duties imposed; they are from different depart
ments and are not under the dlctation OF the ap-
pointing power
II is admitted that the Civil Service examinations
in 1S7273 were farce, and that they were too fire.
aucntlv conducted for specific object. One Oft
records recently found shows that the Board was
composed of l. l.. James, Deputy-SuryeyOr Bene-
diet aud Deputy Collector Lydecker. Mr.. James,
shortly after hls selection, became Postmaster, Mr..
Benedict was unable 20 attend and the entire
duties of the commission devolved upon MI. Ly-
decker 1t is also shown that on one occasion when
there were eleven vacancies, eleven men who were
wanted were sent for. went through the form OF an
examination before Mr.. Lydeckcr and his cOIOred
bow Alexander Powell, recently dropped from the
service received their ratings, and all OF them were
~ once sworn in The present officers declare II to
be their determination 10 faithfully carry out thc
Civil Service rules and to base future appointments
IpCy merit alone.