New-York tribune., 1879-06-07
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS.
APPLICANTS FOR POSITIONS IN THE CUSTOMS SER
VICE AND AT THE POST oFFIcE-NEw APPOINT

APPLICANTS FOR POSITIONS IN THE CUSTOMS sER-
VICE AND AT THE POST oFFICE-NEw APPOINT
MENTs.
A competitive examination. under Civil Service
rules, of applicants for vacant clerkshlp In the
Appraisers Office was held yesterday. The position
draws a salary of 81, 900 year, and clerks only OF
the next lower grade are eligible TO appointment
Five applicants examined. The three who at
tanned the highest rank were Alfred C. butcher, a
nephew Of the Appraiser, Cyrus 1. Frost and James
X. Hlllyer. The latter is sou of the late General
Hilyer, and was appointed clerk by President
Grant. No selection was made yesterday. AT the
examination one of the candidates completed his
papers in little more than two hours. The ques-
tons that were submitted We're generally simple
but were designed to show not only the general IN
teigence of the candidates, but also their fitness for
the vacant position.
Some of the answers were amusing. One OF the
applicants thought that the principal duty Of the
Surveyor of the Port was the examination OF bag
cage of steamship passengers. The amount OF du-
ties annually collected here estimated at from
S25 900 600 10 $500 600 900. There great DIFF
ference of opinion in regard to the six largest states
in the Union, and 10 the names OF tne ffesidehts'
An examination will he held June II for the ap-
pointment of an assistant chemist. This is new
office. 10 which is attached salary OF %lsOo
The first public competitive examination Tor ap-
poiptments in the general Post Once, held under
the rules governing appointments ana pron9to4s
adopted by Postmaster James and approved Oy the
President and POstmaster-Ueneral, took place yes
terday The regulations provide that all appoint
ments TO clerical positions shaH De Hlaae
to the lowest grade and that the appn-
cants must be between sixteen ana twenty
five years of age. When vacancies occur
not less than seventy Of the applicants hrst on the
list are directed 70 attend for examination. They
are first required TO pass a medical examination as
10 physical condition. Twenty-one were directed
to be present yesterday. OF this number the
Doctor rejected three, and four failed . TO
respond. Fourteen met in one OF the
largo rooms on the fourth floor, ana were
provided with desks and writing material one ot
the applicants was an intelligent-looklng col9Ied
boy and another was college graduate. Inc
others were clerks. The examination was con-
Quoted by board consisting OF the Assistant
Postmaster the Auait9r, the ushtIL iSi
ent of the FOnrth, FIfth and Skin dlVlslohsl
and the Assistant General superintendent or
the Third Division. The PostmasteTs private
secretary acted as secretary OF the BOARD Inc ISU
subject taken up was arithmetic, and IN u tour
questions In the simple rules were propoun9ed Al
the questions written on black board ana NJ
teen minutes time was allowed Tor the Writlhs Oh
the answers. Next geography was take up
The questions appertalned principally 10 the
United States. The questions In history
were those that anV schOoi-OOy might an
swer The English grammar paper was based on
the rudments. The result OF the examination VIII
not be known for a few days, but a glance at the
papers showed that simple as the questions were,
they caused the applicants much trouble.
Several appointments TO subordinate POSITIONS IN
the Customs service We're made yesterday by Col-
lector Merritt. The nominations were IN accordance
with the recommendations OF the examining board.
T. W. Brooks and John ; Denton were made IN
spectors Charles Flngar, Daniel j. Downey, James
H. Cochnower Albert ID. Bennett and Thomas
Frve night inspectors; John II. Van Buren,
assisan and Arthur II. Allen, assist;
ant-welgher Collector Merritt Yesterday received
from the Treasury Department at washington
official notice that the President OF Liberia had
issued proclamation requiring that all invoices of
merchandise TO be landed in the republic should be
l.. IL Il. Ian, anh parfI
the Liberian Consul at the port from which the
| goods are shipped