The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-25

Tacoras Bureau Of the Post-Inseiifssncer.
TACOMA May 2t-Tners has been con-
siderable cofauaAT3s. adverse and fayofae}e
mostly adyers1-mads tn this city during
the life OF tse civil serSice commission on
the masrer IN which the examination are
conducted same reports were 10 the si-
feet that the commission conducted the
examinations TO suit the Individual Hen2-
bsrH. applicants Tor places being given
ratings In accordance 70 their polfiIfai
beliefs. T!leae statements be9ssfSae 80 COM
anon that The P.st -fs&e sllasEacer CORES
iorlsnt made al Investigation into the
Tsanner u procedure and secured toe FOL
Owing facts from snsme - 81 the board
sSd attacFges, the eg2msaAtiou OF pa2sEs
OF applicants for places on the fire depart
merit being taken as as example:
y this examination there are nearly 2,51
questions, which in Itself takes consfd-
sra bio time. The chiefs pagers. for in
stance, Of which there are nEe, were
hound up IN separate books and spread
arnund 81 large table, witi each book
opened 81 page I Of practical questions.
The special examiners arc not permitted
20 Inspect aag Of the papers or TO know
The examination number OF each. The
papers or books arw given rctstIeih NUM-
bars. TO : Inclusive. In the case in Gges
ton, and are known and spoken oil i3g
these numbers 4 tails sheet ia prepared
aud kept IL duplicate by two members Of
the commission. one mef1ber and the
clerk. The tally sheets are si,Ied 81 blank
paper and marked Chief Fire Depart
fnent." and the real examination number
placed st the top Of the sheet. Just M
DIR this number IS written IA blus pencil
fEe fictitious number by when the book
u known and by which the experts make
their yaiiuga. Thus. question | having
hceu read hr the clerk and passed upon
k.
.so per cent. the clerk repeats the rating
AZ follows. "0n question l No. ,giving
Fictitious numberl, 100. The COMMITTEES
keeps tally. repeating the above after
the clerk and IL both have an under
standing they proceed 10 mark their re-
spec.!ve tally sheets.
IL should be stated here that In order 10
avoid the possibility of getting ratings In
the wrong place each page Of the book
Itself Ia marked with the same fictitious
number by bitls pencil 80 that the
whole thing can be put together properly
without danger Of getting mixed. As an
additional safeguard. the clerk doing the
reading keeps hls tally with reference To
the true examination number which. with
the fictitious one. If placed on the top Of
each tally sheet. These fictitious num-
beers may be shifted about so that any one
of them may at different times represent
tho safna examination number. For in
aiance. II true axa ntnation number were
a22. IL might he represented on one page
or division Of the tally sheet by the blue
number ]. and ON the next page he repre-
sented hy or In blue. This might be
better illustrated by taking thA various
divisions OF the examination for chief.
which are; Chief. - questions captain. %.
neatenatns. 80. reIlefmen. II. laddermen
Ia Assuming the true number 81 an ap-
plicsnt 10 be a1s. and the ~ questions per-
tanning To chief proper being placed on two
Of three separate pages. each paas may ba
numbered thus. az. fictitious | next page,
u. fictitious ,, NEXT tsage. 5si fictitious s.
and 50 on. With thus system Il would seem
that y would be next 10 Impossible for spe-
ci1! examiners To know on " hen1 they are
passing. These examiners. al stated above.
arr not permitted To Inspect the papers,
bat are seated AT small table In the far
ihcr corner Of the room