The evening times., 1897-04-06
PLACES In THE LIBRARY.
Several Thousand Applicants for
Appointments.

4
Thousands of wistful, longing, hungry
eyes are turned toward the new Congress
sional Library, and IN each ardent ant
eXpectant eye there is an office-hunting
gaze. The new Library presents a most
flattering proposition to the political prom
| User and promisee OF office, because when
the appropriation for the increase of force
goes into effect, July / q large crop oi
juicy plums will be ripe
One OF results OF this condition of af-
fairs is that the present librarian, Mr..
Spofford, has been haunted by night and
10y day by people whose patriotism in
duces IN their breasts a burning passion
to serve the Government This haunting
process has been especially painful To
Librarian Spofford, in that he does not
feel secure that his house stands strong
He is filling a Presidential office, out
side of the protecting influence of the
civil service law, and it is just possible
that some other man might be appointed
to the office.
1t is probable that Librarian Spofford
would be intensely pleased were President
Mckinley 10 issue an order extending the
classified service so that it might be made
TO include the Congressional Library. Most
OF the pressure, though, which is being
brought TO bear on the President in this
matter is adverse to the extension of the
civil service, and it is likely that the
Library will be allowed to bring forth
its promised yield of political fruit. The
positions which are to be filled without
civil service examination, are as follows:
Librarian, salary, $4,000, Presidential
appointment; superintendent of building,
salary, $1,000, Presidential appointment;
chief assistant librarian, 81, 600; assistant
librarian, So, 900; four assistants, 81 200
to 1,S00; nineteen attendants, S720 to
5000: two watchmen, S72o; chief OF
catalogue department, 81, 600; sixteen as
sistaats, $500 10 ST. 500; superintendent
of art gallery, 5000; three assistants.
$500: superintendent of the hall of maps
aud charts, $4,000; two assistants, $500:
supcrintcn dent of periodical department,
81, 500:three attendants aud Collators S720;
superintendent Of music department, ST.
500; two assistants, S72d; superintendent
of Congressional references, 81, 500; two
attendants, S720; superintendent of law
library, $4,000; two assistants, 81 400:
register Of copyrights, So, 600; twent y-nine
cler ks, S720 to 81 500: custodian OF
building, $1,000; seventy-eight engineers,
electricians, firemen, etc.
The Librarian of Congress will appoint
to positions concerning the Library proper.
while the superintendent of the building
will appoint those whose duty it shall
be to look after the building. With all this
patronage. the librarian becomes a very
important man in the eye of politicians
who have aspiring constituents TO appea Sc,
a nd it / S probable that the woods are full
of men who would like to be librarian,
md it s probable that many Senators and
Representatives have favorites, who, be-
cause of their "controllability,s they would
like to have appointed to the office of IL
brarian
Whether Librarian Spofford has made
any promises to Senators and Represen-
tatives is not known, of course: but he has
applications from six thousand people,
mainly residents of Washington, for the
hundred OF so offices which the librarian,
1t is distasteful to the civil service re-
formers to see the Library converted into
a political grab-bag, but the politicians will
not see the classified service extended to
it without a strong fight
The total number of employees of the
after July / will be 1S7 and the
annual wage S179 900