Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-01
MAJORITY COL0RED PEOPLE
Positions as Laborer or Charwoman
Are Eagerly Sought.
DISAPPOINTMENT FOR MANY
Physical Examination Will Be
Rigid, and Vacancies Probably
Will Number Only $50.

Washington's, bread line in the coolest
days Of winter never presented signt
| such as that afforded at the offices Of the
civ!i service cfmmission. at Sth and +
streets northwkst this morning. More
than 5000 men and women. at least half
| Of whom had bAen in line since IL o'clock
| last night, stood patiently waiting-not
for a job, but for civil service blank
emitting them to take an examination for
| position as laborer or charvoman az
| $50 a year as minimus, and 5000 as
| the maximum, and that in but the rarest
Of instances
While the line seemed to be formed
| exclusively of colored people. here and
there courageous white woman. garbed
in widows weeds, with an appearance in
| dicating better days in the past, might
be seen slowly inching her way 70 ard
up the steps on the f street side IT tie
building to receive the coveted paper.
few score others stood on the outskirts
Of the crowd. sadly watching the struss
Cling line as it Lrept along.
At the top Of the steps. on the stone
door SILL sat DR.. Jameson. chairman of
the board of labor employment. Officials
and others in the offices said he was the
itatively about what the scene meant.
Beside him stood one colored man with
bunch of the applications for which the
crowd was struggling. distributing them
one by one to the people as they passed
before him. He was under the protec-
ton of a policeman. who kept order. but
save to keep the line steady, had little to
do.
Blanks Number $500.
There were only $500 applications to
be distributed, said DR.. Jameson, and
none, not even a copy for the press, would
be handed out to those who did not pass
before him in the struggling line The
Star reporter was permitted to see one.
1t was the usual wordy document upon
which the birth, age. parentage. resi-
dence, physical condition and what not
of the applicant were to be recorded
When prepared and signed the signatures
of two vouchers who could testify to the
facts stated in 1t were necessary, To-
xether with certain other formalities that
have become prerequisites In the 1uoG-
ment of the civil service commission
The duties of the applicants. II they
ever get a position-and that seems ex-
ceedingly doubtful for more than zoo OF
those who secured blanks-wih be those
of a common l4borer for the men ana OF
charwoman fof the women. Applicants
who attain grade Of SIS or more on the
physical examination. which is to be con-
Quoted by Dr. Jameson, beginning within
six weeks and lending July l, will be en-
tered upon a Register of eligibles.' from
which they Will be selected for positions
as vacancies occur. DR.. Jameson SAID the
vacancies numbered between 3uO and 4tU
during the past year, but were becoming
fewer and fewer as the years go py' oe-
cause the people who secure the Joos gen
orally hold them.
Persons applying, in order TO nave any
chance at all for JOB, must pc IN
sound physical condition. accustomed 10
hard manual labor, and adult males must
he CAPABLE of shouldering and carrying
with ease 125 pounds in weight. Appll-
cants having any defect, deformlty, or
who cannot speak distinctly, will be re-
jected at once.
Ordeal to Be Passed.
After the applicant has passed the or
deal before DR.. Jameson there is still an
other bar in his way. Male eiisibles
will be entered on the register in the
following order: % Persons honorabiy
discharged from the army or navy Of the
United States by reason of wounds or
disability incurred in line Of duty; (2)
honorably discharged veterans of the
civil war: (3) all other adult eligibles,
and 90 boys. should there be a call for
them Female eligibles will be entered
on the register In the order of their rat
ing. When two more persons attain
the same rating, their position on the
register will he determined by the order
In which their applications are fled in
complete form
Applicants will know. it is promised.
just where they stand on July 1, and
those who are found eligible will remain
on the list for one year. Positions will
be filled from the list at Fort Myer, Ar
lington. Bethesda and elsewhere In the
immediate vicinity of Washington. If
any applicant fails to give his or her
| correct post Office address 1t may result
| in the loss of appointment, even II he
or she be entitled to 1t.