Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-02-15
SURVEY OF WOOD.

! SURVEY OF WOOD.
| A few weeks ago, our City Council
adopted an Ordinance, requiring that
every load of wood sold within the city
| limits, should first be measured and
obtain certificate of measurement
form an appointed surveyor. We re-
garded this as one Of the most import
ant and beneficial measures established
by our city authorities, and we have
done our best to encourage and sustain
the ordinance. We still trust that it
will be maintained and we proceed to
name our reasons in favor Of such
regulation,
/. In order to right and uniform
measurement, that all may be served
alike.
9. TO save the time and trouble of
merchants and business men, i'm meas
uIing and deciding as to quantity.
3. To save unpleasant dispute or diff
ference of opinion between buyer and
seller, rs to the amount.
| 4. To prevent fraud aud carelessness
in tho packing, and misrepresentation
as to the amount OF wood.
| 5. To prevent the uncertainty, and
| risk, and loss of mere purchase "by
| the load" especially To women, or to
others who cannot see or judge in every
case.
q. To cultivate honesty and integrity
in the community, by a careful adher-
ance to ''just weights and measures
thing so strongly insisted upon in
Scripture, and so faithfully carried out
by our worthy fore-fathers.
Z. In order to conform to the va!ua-
bic practice of all well-regulatod cities
which uniformly have and maintain
such measurement regulations.
8, In order to regulate and establish
a real and uniform market value for
wood, comparing trsthfully with the
| market reports elsewhere.
0. In order thus to BENEFIT TILE
SELLERS of wood, by raising the price
per cord to its true and uniform value,
and making each one know beforehand
just what he can get for his wood.
The fact is, the surveying OF wood,
especially on the load, and such loads
rs we have hereabouts, is quite diff.
cult art, requiring much practical and
arithmetical skill, in order to it's quick
and correct accomplishment. But few
comparatively are competent for the
business, Or can spend the time to go
into it carefully.
Forinstance, most loads will measure
something like this: enc pile 2 It. in.
at bottom, 2 #. 10 in. at top, it. in.
high; another pile 2 #. 6 in. at bottom,
2 it. in. at top, #. in. high; mid
die cross pile 2 #. at bottom, 2 #. in.
at top, 8 #. 2 in. high; the whole vary
ing from to feet long, and piled in
very oblique and open manner. Plain
ly, an expert accountant of keen Judge
ment is needed, to cipher out at once
the precise soLid contents of such ordi-
nary loads; TO say nothing of the many
careful measurements required. Now
only think OF making every untried
man or woman, every hurried laborer
or merchant, after obtaining the suita-
BILE measuring rod, to linger and calcu-
late such intricate problems as the
above,-or else in sheer desperation
throw up the whole idea Of measure
ment, and take the load /" for better or
worse" little Or much, not knowing at
all how much he is getting, or what he
is paying cord!
The result is, loads are estimated at
all sorts of different rates, some high
and some low, according to the notion
or judgement of each individual. Some
get a very good bargain, and some
miserab'y poor one. Shrewd dealers
ofteA manage to obtain their moneys
worth, while the poorand unskilful are
defrauded. If one more capable and
careful turns surveyor, and figures up
the quantity, hecan seldom find seller
to agree with him i'm the reckoning
The result is dispute, to the loss of
much good feeling as well as time, with
break up at last, or compromise un-
satisfactory all round.
Now, what Is the common sense way
in all such cases of actual or probable
difference Why certainly, to leave
the matter i'm dispute to arbitration.
Let third party, some disinterested
person, come in and settle the measure
ment, to the mutual profit and peace.
That disinterested arbitrator is the
wood-surveyor appointed by the city
authorities, who unders lands the bust
ness, and can do it up with dispatch,
fairly and alike for all. 1t costs but ten
cents load, and it saves both parties
more than fifty cents in banter, ill-feel-
ing, and risk.
| Some Wholesalers are laboring under
very grave mistake. They suppose
this Ordinance is for the good of buyers
alone, and is only an imposition and
cost upon themselves. Whereas, the
chief benefit will come to the seller.
No matter.who pays the ten cents, tit
is not o5 cents, as wrongfuly reported y
.ha+ -..asr be as tie parties can. agree;
we womb ,.,s1selves any time pay
three times that sum, ma" ouS
..;t,out Measurement, - any
!. Lao $3.50. g. 100 >'@tf