The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1862-08-14
LAWS OF IOWA.
lprBLrsHED BY AurHoRIrr.]
-~oD
CHAPTER 50.
STANDARD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

STANDARD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
AN ACT providing uniform standard Of Weights
and Measures, creating the Office of State
Superintendent Of Weights and Measures,
and providing the appointment of Sealers OF
Weights and Measures in the several counties,
cities and incorporated towns of this State
s |. Be ii enacted by the General Assen-
bly, Of Tie State Of Iowa, That the stand.
ard weights and measures now in charge
of the Secretary Of State, being the same
that were furnished to this State by the
Government of the United States, shall be
the standard of weight and measure thro'.
out this State
=. The unit or standard measure of
length and surface, from which all other
measures of extension, whether they be
lineal, superficial or solid, shall be derived
and ascertained, shall be the standard yard,
how in posse sson of the Secretary ry of
! State, and furnished by the Government
Of the United States.
5 ). The yard shall be divided into
three equal parts called feet, and each foot
into twelve ,qual parts called inches. For
the measure of cloths and other commod-
tiles. commonly sold by the yard, it may
he div ided into halves, quarters, eighths
aud sixtcen,hs.
81. The rod, pole or perch shall con-
tain five and half yards, and the mile,
one thousand seven hundred and sixty such
yards; the chain for measuring land shall
be twenty-five yards long, and shall be di-
vided into one hundred equal parts called
links.
$ ). The acre for land measure shall be
measured horizontally, and contain ten
square chains, and shall be equivalent in
area to a rcctangIe sixteen rods in length
and ten in breadth, six hundred and forty
such acres being contained in square
mile
Si. The units or standards Of weight
from which all other weights shall be de
rived and a>certalned, shall be the stand
ard Avoirdupois and Troy weights as fur.
nished this State by the United States.
7. The Avordup"is pound which
bears to the Troy pound the ratio Of seven
Thousand to five thousand seven hundred
and sixty, shall be divided into sixteen
equal parts called ounces; the hundred
weight >hal! consist Of one hundred Avoir-
dupois pounds and twenty hundred weight
shall constitute Il ton. The Troy ounce
shall be equal to the twelfth rart OF Troy
pound.
s 8. The unit or standard Of measure Of
capacity for liquids from which all other
measures ct liquids shall be derived and
ascertained, shall be the standard gallon,
ana its parts, as furnished this State by the
Government Of the United States.
50. The barrel shall be equal to thirty
one and a half gallons, and two barrels
shall constitute il hog~head.
s 10. The unit or standard measure of
capacity for substances not being liquids,
from which all other measures Cf such sub
stances shall be derived aud ascertained,
shall be the standard half bushcl furnished
this State by the United States.
s II. The peck, half peck, quarter, peck,
quart aud pint measures for measuring
commodities which arc not liquids, shall
be derived from the halfbushel by sue
cessivelv dividing that measure by two.
l2. All contracts hereafter made
within this State for work to be done, or
for anything to be sold or delivered BY
weight or measure, shall be taken and con
strurd according 10 the standards of weight
and measure hereby adopted as the stand.
ard Of this State.
s l3. A Superintendent Of weights and
measures for this State, who shall be a
scientific man, Of sufficient learning and
mechanical tact to perform the duties Of
his office, shall be appointed by the Gov
eruor, from the Board Of Professors of the
Iowa State University, and shall hold his
office during the pleasure of the Governor,
and who shall give bond in the penal
sum of five thousand dollars for the faith
ful discharge Of his duties.
sl4 1t shall be the duty Of the Super
intendent to take charge of the standards
adopted by this Act, as the standard ofthe
State, to see that they are deposited in the
building bull, for this purpose now belong
ing to the State, from which they shall in
no case be removed, and take all other
necessary precautions for their safe keep
ing. 1t shall also be his duty to provide
the several counties with such standards,
balances, and other means of adjustment
as may be ordered by them, and as often
as once in ten years I" compare the same
with those in his possession. He SHALL
moreover, have general supervision Of
the weights aud measures of the State.
s l5 The Superintendent shall receive
for his services Il salary of fifty dollars a
year.
s 10. The State Superintendent Of
weights and measures shall procure for the
State complete set of copies of the origi-
nal standards Of weights and measures
adopted by this Act, which shall be used
for adjusting county Standards and in no
case shall the original standards be used
for any other purpose than the adjustment
of this set of copies: Prorided, the cost OF
the same shall not exceed three hundred
and fifty dollars. lie shall also procure
such apparatus and fixtures as are neces-
sary in the comparison and adjustment OF
county and town standards.
s II. The Board of County Supervisors
of any County may, at any regular meet
ing, provide for obtaining from the State
Superintendent of weights and measures,
such standards of weight and measure as
they may deem necessary TOR their county,
and in case they order such standards, they
shall appoint county sea|er Of weights
and measures, who shall hold his office
during the pleasure Of the Board.
SIS. 1t shall be the duty Of the County
SeaIer to take charge Of the county stand
ards and standard balances and provide