Evening star., 1902-01-31
CENTRAL EXAMINING BOARD
APPOINTED FOR RURAL FREE DE-
LIVERY MAIL CARRIERS.
Hfcmbers Are All Employed In the
Post once Department and Are
Merely Transferred.

Central board of examiners for the
fural free delivery mail carrier service has
been announced by the civil service conf
mission and the Post Master General, As
follows: Clarence E. Dawson OF the Dis
trict of Columbia, chairman; E. H. Hath
away of Massachusetts,. Miss Laura r.
Tracy of New York. H. c. Coles of Vir-
Kinia 8. NJ Pritchard of the District Of
Columbia The board will convene prob
ably February /. All the members of the
new board are now employees of the Post
Office Department, and merely trans
ferred from other desks to serve as exam
iners.
Mr.. Dawson. who Is named as chairman
of the board, Is the retiring private secre-
tary to the Postmaster General. He has
served the executive departments for many
years and Is one of the most widely known
of all the private secretaries who have held
office In Washington during the past ten
years Miss Tracy, who Is to be the secre-
tary of the board. has been clerk in .he
free delivery division for several years, and
one OF the most active assistants to the
chief of the delivery service, Mr.. A. W.
Machen, Mr.. Hathaway has been In the
rural free delivery service since its esta5-
lishment
The appointment of this commission is
in pursuance of section of the civil serv
ice act. By the terms of that law the
commission Is to include as auxiliary men,
bers all the special agents and route in
sreetors of the rural service. These lat
ter officials will be the practical examiners
of the board. The central board will serve
in capacity which corresponds generally
to that of the civil service commission.
As in the case of the general civil sery-
ice, applications for positions in the rural
free delivery service will not be considered
when filled by persons under seventeen
years or over fifty-five years of age eX-
cept in the cases of honoraby discharged
soldiers or sailors of the civil war or OF
the Spanish-American war. The other con-
ditionS of the examination are set forth
in the following terms:
THE examination conducted by the
special agent or the route inspector shall
require only such scholastic ability as may
be necessary to enable the applicant to,
read and write. and shall consist of an
swering a series of personal questions In
the applicants own handwriting. relating.
among other things. to his physical cond-
ton, his previous experience, training and
occupation, the length of his residence in
the community and his ability to furnish
the necessary equipment and to provide a
suitable substitute in cases OF emergency;
the reading of twenty-five addressed en-
VeIopes cards, and such other practical
tests will demonstrate the competitors
ability to actually perform the work re-
quired.
The examination shall further consist
Cial agent or the route inspector as to each
competitors acquaintance with the patrons
of the route and the extent to which he
has their confidence, his general character
tstiCs. suitability and fitness for the posi-
tiOn and his character and reputatio and
in any case where the examiner has doubt
as to the competitors character or reputa-
tion. he shall not only make inquiry of the
persons given references in the applca-
tion. but also consult two more promf-
nent citizens not mentioned by the appli-
can't
AN applicant will be required to show
that he possesses the necessary equipment
for the service. namely, suitable horse and
wagon or cart, to satisfy the special
agent or the route inspector that he will
be able to supply such equipment In case
he receives appointment.
An application shall not be received
from person who is badly crippled or de-
formed Application shall not be received
from person who does not live directly
on or within the territory to be supplied
by the route where the vacancy exists.
Application. shall not be received from
Il member of the pOstmaster's family, es-
pecially il other members of his family
are already in the government service un-.
less there is lack of sufficient number
OF other applicants
q, The salary now paid carriers in the rural
free delivery Service is 3 per year BY
recent enactment this is to be increased
next year to s600