The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-29
CIVIL SERVICE.
Fifty Thousand People Apply
For 5000 Jobs.

Chicago, Aug. 29.-Civl service is to
be extended in Chicago. Fifty thous-
and applications have been received by
the civil service commission for posi-
lions in the various branches Of the
public service, Of which q, 900 are for
labor alone. Official notices have just
been issued to II, 900 applicants, and yet
there are only 5000 positions in the city
service.
These figures are unprecedented in
the brief history of civil service in this
state and foreshadow a legion of trou-
bles for the merit board during the COM
ing winter. This condition of affairs,
coupled with the fact that there has
been a great deal of controversy over
emergency appointments, has led the
civil service commissioners to draft a
new set of rules respecting such ap-
pointment. These rules are in course
of preparation and will be ready for
publication in a few days. President
LindblOm is in Europe, but it is said he
will concur in the conclusions of his as
sociates, who in any event constitute a
quorum of the commission.
Section of rule 20 of the Chicago
civil service provides as follows:
To prevent the stoppage of pub
lie business or to meet extraordinary
exigencies, the appointing officer may
with the approval of the commission
make temporary appointment without
reQu1Slt1On upon the commission: DrOVld-
ed, however, that in no case shall such
temporary employment continue for
more than so days and only until reg
ular employment can be made under
these rules. No employment of the
same person or of another to the same
position at the end of such period shall
be allowed under this rule.
The sixty day clause is to be amend
ed so as to curtail the power of the
heads Of departments. Heretofore the
sixty day rule has not been strictly en-
forced. in some instances Iaborers
having been retained three months
without reQutsition upon the civil ser
vice commission.
More than 1900 Iaborers were en-
ployed last year under the emergency
rule, and as a matter of course it was
made the means of paying political
debts. It is generally expected an at
tack will be made upon the civil service
system of Chicago next year and
friends of the civil service Commission
ers say they are determined to restrict
heads of departments to the spirit of the
merit law An additional reason for the
proposed restrictions is that the army
of elgtbles on the civil service list is
increasing at an alarming rate, and ev-
cry eligible may be counted as a close
critic of the workings of the merit
board.
Last winter an agreement was enter
ed into between the merit board and the
bureau of streets and alleys by which
Cne IaIIeF department agreed to fur
nish the postage for notices sent by the
commission to labor eligl bles. This plan
however, did not prove satisfactory
and the burden was shifted back on the
merit board. The result was it is
practically impossible to get notices to
labor eligibleS during the exigencies in
which the city is in need of street and
other common labor however strenuous
may be the effort of the commission to
comply with the civil service law No
1ntimatiOn could be obtained yesterday
as to the scope of the new rules of the
commission. but it was learned on high
authority that important changes were
to be made, and that the labor depart
ment would be most affective.
Chief Clerk Bersick of the merit
board admitted the rules were in course
of preparation, but declined to discuss
probably establish a uniform method
of employing labor in all departments
recurring it