New-York tribune., 1903-01-28
LADDER RUNGS NO BAR.
Scores Of Women Seek TO Become
IMMIGRANT Inspectors.

Glad It's over succnctly sums UP the feeling in
the ofhce OF the Commissioner OF immigration,
anent the recent interviewing Of women applicants
for Immigrant inspectorship- Commissioner Will
Jams will shortly send in his selection to the Com
missioner General at Washington, and IL is expect
ed that announcement Of the winning candidates
viii be made about February l The selection viii
he based on the Commissioners judgment Of the
fitness Of the applicants reviewed by him and his
subordinates as the Office is not regarded as one
requiring & Civil Service examination. Pull also
IS errphatcally slated among the absent factors
in the matter Of decisions to be made. We've
really more than enough available applicants now
10 select from said assistant in stating that
no more would he received. ''Oh. yes, 1t has its
humorous side, but it's sort Of fun OF which a
little goes long way with me- Just then two
hundred pound individual bore down upon the
speaker, and wanted to know the qualifications for
the much coveted position I'm sure could fill
tt she continued. in foghorn cadences for
know what I'm up to. and you couldn't get past
II ycu shouldn't ought to. no matter who you
was I can tell you that The assistant addressed
seemed willing enough TO accept her statement on
irs face value. He not z particularly athletic
looking man. and his voice very mild when he
begged her 70 resume her and await her turn
benches full of applicants ornamented the Com
nissioners offices yesterday-fnal bevies of the fair
would be inspectors. squads Of whom have been
pouring into the Ellis Island headquarters for the
LIST ten days. from in the morning till in the
DUTIES REQUIRED.
VIII i last this inspector business
The official smiled We'll. I wouldn't like be
quoted giving a decided opinion that subject,
YOU know; but III just tell you little Of what the
duties include The inspectors headquarters will be
in the Barge Office with the boarding officers, and
they viii have report for duty at 7:30 The
average number OF incoming vessels is two to four
? day. During foggy weather there'll be a lull of
course. but the inspectors will have to do double
duty afterward- They must be duty Sundays
v.eu as weekdays and when vessels get night per-
nits to land they'll have to stay down here, # it's
2 O'Clock al night. No: it doesn't TO be much
of a sinecure, though would think TO see the
way they're working get the positions
Among the applicants trained athletes, swim
rners and even wresters, because they 'can climb.
and aren't afraid Of anything, and wouldn't get
killed if they fell into the water Besides giving
name. address and occupation, each applicant is
questioned as the number Of languages she
speaks and what she considers her chief Quaihca-
tons for the position. An East Side restaurant
keeper thought she knew more about folks than
most people and a housekeeper had had TO do
with more of them raw Irish than you could snake
stick at" and she was convinced 1t was nut a
waste Of good TO question her eligibility any
further Then there a Tapeze walker VINO
ba6 scented rope ladders and dizzy heights and
concluded she must be all right for the Snug
berth"
So great has been the nur7ber TO be interviewed
and such buttonholing con ersational powers do
S-idIaI cIafr3s that almost every in the Com
llrSsouer's Office has had to take his turn at the
,..reaaisrn business One Of these however, seemed
to nave a delicate reluctance about asking ages,
M. II Was noticed that his record sheet showed no
.rofseione on fbis account We'll yes,' ne con-
,assed when questioned. Il don't like to ask a
woman her age. and then to tel you the m tru'n n
I'm pretty sure ] can guess good deal nearer 10
II than she'll ever tell me. and he Jotted oown
'fortg-nine if she's day; opposite the dep9s
ticn OF The last applicant. Comparatively few
yor5 women have applied, II thirty be reSaroed as
The BOUNDARY line between the two states OF being
a large ma iority we're quite evidently over forty
would have hft the mark better II shed reversed
,te SgT-as 10 quote official, who asked not 10
~ so+e5 PM nv good woman. do you really
fhink you could climb ladder from one moving
f19+ - anofher2" she asked. indeed
couldfS came the reply in no uncertain tones
NO CONCESSIONS ON ACCOUNT OF SEX
What we really want" said the assistant COM
missioner in one OF the rare breathing spaces ac
corded him is gentlewomen, intelligent dignihed
..t,,,l- ,,,s, who can combine the ability OF
Se-ec+i,-s JTith the sympathy and good sense OF a
-tH,l-a- Nsrv even Of the intelligent ap-