The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-12
THE CIVIL
ns Under the New Law in the
City of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.
Common Council Chamber would not
hold half the applicants, and the forty-four
men who went to serve the government in
the custom-house were sent INTO the Select
Council Chamber, and the fifty-two who may
some time in the years to come fill clerk
ships in the postofice or in the departments
at Washington we're turned adrift until 1
o'clock. The batteries were then turned on
the men who want to carry letters. J. NJ.
Gregory, of the Civil-service Commission, had
charge of the examinations in this class. OF
the 100 men who were examined in this class
all were young men, and three were colored.
The work of examination began by each
candidate filling out a blank, giving his
name, residence, place and date OF birth,
education, experience in business and in the
public service. Having finished this bio
graphical and historical sketch without q
serious mishap, the class was ready for a lit
tie exercise in literature. DR.. Gregory read
slowly fifteen lines from the civil-serYice
act, the candidates copying it upon blanks as
he read. They were then directed to write
from memory the names of fifteen States
and cities of this country. The States and
cities were named without much difficulty,
but one of the examiners who moved
about among pupils, said the spelling of
nearly all the applicants was bad.
Then more of the civil-service act was
copied, this time from the printed copies be-
fore them. This exhaustive and arduous lit
erary feat accomplished, they were mmedi-
ately plunged deeply into the mysteries of
arithmetic. Several simple problems in add
ton and subtraction were given out, and the
unfortunates frightened up under the I'M
preston that the arithmetic ordeal would
not be as trying as they expected. This de-
fusion was destroyed when the examiners
propounded the f%ollowing conundrums:
when board cost 1915 per week, what
will it cost from March Is to July?"
How many times is seventeen cents con-
tanned in $40, 900, 10?'
There are SOB to be divided between nine
men and three boys. The boys are to have
$3.50 each; the residue is TO be equally di-
vided among the men. What is each mans
share?n
They wrestled with these problems an
hour before all the answers were in. The
sufferings OF the embryotic carrier were,
however, slight when compared with the
sufferings of those who aspire to c~lerkships in
the postoffice.
In this class were seven young and pretty
women, whom the examiners said were the
most proficient scholars of the lot. One ex-
aminer predicted that all the girls would
pass. The fractions, however, played havoc
counted the cost of twelve ounces
of salt pork at $13.87H per barrel,
and computed the interest on fabulous
sums OF money deposited in banks by office
holders, who only retained IN per cent. of
the princi pal. These and many other won
derful things they did, not to speak of the
towns and rivers and railroads and States
hthey named, and did or did not locate. One
| young man said: "If it is as hard work as
this at Washington | dom want an Office
The examination of candidates for places
in the custom-house was carried on the
select chamber. l.. d. Thoman, of the civil
service commission, conducted the examina-
ton, assisted by the committee from the ems
tom-house. The geographical knowledge is
| required to be of different character from
that OF a letter-carrier. The latter need only
know the names of fifteen
States and cities, but a future
employ of the custon-house must
know and be able to write the names of
an equal number of seaports and navigable
rivers in the United States. More than this
they were expected to tell how the water of
Lake Michigan gets into the ocean, besides
stating the term of office of ten presidents.
The essential characteristics of a republican
government and the functions OF its depart
ments and the definitions of the various parts
of speech came next in regular order. Not
least among the tests of craftsmanship APP
piled is in that provision which says:
Write a letter, addressing it to the Presi-
dent, and giving your views, as far as you are
willing TO express them, in regard to the
duties and responsibilities of an officer in the
public service which you seek to enter"
All were willing to express their views ex-
cept one, and he informed Dear Mr.. Arthur
that the writer was trying to come up to the
requirements of the civil-service law, and
said ii ever he got an office he would thank
the President personally. Some of the letters
were addressed to plain 'Mr. President" and
some to His Excellency Honorable Chester
Allen Arthur, President of the United
States" while one started off with charming
familiarity, dear Chester" All these APP
plicants, whose average is sixty-five out of a
possible 100, will have their names placed on
the register of available material with which
to fill up chinks and c~rannies in the public
service.