The evening times., 1899-05-10
CENSUS BUREAU BUSY
ANSWERING IT'S MAIL
The Army of Applicants Con-
tinueS TO Increase.
Preliminary Work for the Coming
Enumeration.
Enormous Correspondence 5.onOpo.
lixcs Many OF the CIerl1s-Pr0E-
ress of Examinations.

Applications for positions in the Censu!
Bureau continue to be received in undi'
minished quantities and each morning
mail brings hundreds OF letters contain
ing formal applications and requests ioi
blanks upon which application can Dc
made. Many OF the letters ask for infor-
nation concerning the time when the
examinations of applicants will be held In
the different parts of the country.
Nearly the entire force of clerks. stenog-
raphers and typewriters under the super
vision of Chief Clerk Childs are employed
in filing applications, forwarding appiica-
tion blanks, and answering the many let
ters received each day. The prospect OF a
diminution of the correspondence OF the
Bureau does not seem very encouraging
and il is probable that not until the great
er part of the clerical force has been ap-
pointed, will the applications cease 10 De
received.
Nearly 10000 formal requests for po-
sitions have been placed on file at the
office and. from the present outlook. the
Census officials believe that there Will De
fully $1,000 applicants to be examined be-
fore letters cease TO come in.
When the entire working force oil the
present census has been appointed there
will be 5000 persons in the various de-
partments. Estimating that C1ly % per
cent of those who try the examinations at
tain the % per cent. the passing point.
there will be fully 1000 available candi-
dates for these positions.
Political influence will play some part in
the selection Of members of the working
force but great care will be taken that all
clerks and other employees thoroughly un-
derstand the work which they are to do.
Already there has been at least one in
stance wherein a clerk was found ineff-
cient and discharged. notwithstanding the
fact that the political influence in this par
ticular case was good. Only persons OF
mature judgment and of sufficient physical
strength to do the work required of them
will be employed. Men and women who
have attained an age which incapacitates
them for hard work will not Oe appointed
1t is the intention of Director Merriam to
employ a force which will be as efficient as
possible. The work will be difficult and
the time must be employed to the best ad-
vantage.
The foundation work for the enumera
tion is being prosecuted each day and the
present force. from Director Merriam dOwr
To the junior copyist, is putting in full
time. Director Merriam. Assistant Direc.
tor Wines. and Chief Clerk Childs have
been for the past month and are still work
ing very hard. The thousand and one de-
tails incident to preparations for the ac-
tual work of enumeration keep the direc-
tor and assistant director very busy from
9 o'clock in the morning until long after
Office hours in the afternoon. The worl
of examining applicants for positions i!
occupying large portion of the time o
Assistant Director Wines just ROW.
On account of the extreme care which
must be taken in conducting the tests ii
order to insure a fair examination, ther'
are many details to be attended to. TIL.
list of names for each examination mus
be sent to each applicant. and cards o.
admission to the examination must be IS
sued 10 each applicant in person.
The papers of those who have already
been examined must be looked ever and
marked. This work is now being done by
the members of the examining board
While no detailed report of the results o
the examination already held have ye
been made out, Director Merriam stated
today that he thought that a large ma
jority of those already examined woulC
attain the IS per cent mark.
An examination is being held at the
Maltby building today. and the usua
twentyfour applicants, all that the room
secured for the purpose will hold. are try
ing the test. 1t is probable that the ex-
aminations will continue TO be held il
this city for more than two weeks yet
After the work of the examining board is
completed in Washington. its members
will go to some other city. probably in
the East, to continue the examinations
The places which the board will visit
have not vet been decided upon.