Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-15
Examinations in This City Will End
Next Week.
ON THE new BUILDING
Thousand Clerks to Be Selected in
the Spring
DEMAND FOR POSITIONS

The new census building is rapidly as
suming FORM and, with the walls rising
above the level of the street, some idea can
be formed of the magnitude of the building
1t will be something new to have such a
large force all housed under one roof 1t
is estimated there will be a working force
OF upward of 5000, and the large majority
will be women.
Examinations for positions in the census
bureau are still going on in this city. al
though next week will mark the end, as
tar as Washington is concerned AT least,
there Will be no more examinations in this
city until next year after the examining
board returns from its western trip
Examinations are held every other day
now Next week they will be held every
day.
Trip of the Examiners.
The examiners after closing next week s
work will go to Lansing. Mich where the
last four days OF September will be spent
in examining applicants from that section.
From Michigan the board goes to Cincin-
natl, where examinations will be held from
October 3 to the 14ih; from there to Chica-
go Tor nearly Two weeks, closing November
1; then following 81. Paul, November 3 to
IL; Omaha. November IA to -; ST. Louis
November =, to December :: New Orleans
December to 1G, and Atlanta from Decem-
Der IL to %.
Ii may become necessary to change some
of these dates or add several cities, but the
foregoing is the itinerary as mapped out
by Director Merriam.
y peculiar feature of the examination is
the almost constant percentage OF those
who pass. /. changes from day to day. but
the totals show about one-haif successful.
The record TO date gives the total number
examined as lao, of which 100 have pass
ed and III failed. Tie standard of the ex-
animation has been consistently maint aim
ed. Four months have been expended in
getting an eligible list of 700. 1t is ex-
pected the west will furnish a larger list in
proportion to the east. However this may
be, the great mass of Clerks will not be
Leeded until after the enumerators begin
work, and this will not occur until July
1900.
Must Pass to BE Appointed.
Notwithstanding the fact that some in
fuential politicians have protested against
the entrance examination as a condition
precedent to eligibility for appointment. Di-
rector Merriam has not waived the exami-
nation in a single case.
He is determined to have an efficient
force, and is insisting in all cases that ap-
pilcantS pass the examination before their
appointment is considered. His greatest
trouble these days is in convincing the
politicians that he has no need for any
additional force. Many think when they
pass the ordeal of an examination they will
be Immediately appointed Their senator
or representative is Immediately impor-
tuned, and he in turn urges the director to
make the appointment. Tales of woe are
recounted and each particular case is dwet
upon as the most unusual. the saddest and
the most deserving. The director finds it
hard to turn d deaf ear to these appeals
but there Is no work of any kind to be
done. and even now he is considering a
reduction in the small preliminary force
made necessary by reason Of the organiZa-
ton of the bureau. 1t is a difficult thing
to understand, it seems, that the census is
not being taken, and that no clerks will
be needed until the actual work begins
Appointments in the Spring.
In the spring, it is understood a thou
sand clerks Will be selected, and from that
time on there will be additions to this
number as the work increases. All of the
divisions are now organized, and when the
new building Is ready no time will be lost
in getting down to work.