The New York herald., 1870-04-23
LIGHT WEIGHTS AND FALSE MEASURES.
TO THE EDITOR OF rHs HraALp:-

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
1t has been our custom for some time past TO
the contents OF every barrel Of alcohol that
we purchased, IN order to ascertain whether they
really hold what the inspectors certificate or stamp
mark indicates. Since adopting this course we
have purchased about 800 barrels and OF this guam
tity not more than twenty per cent were found to
contain the amount charged IN the invoice. When.
ever the contents OF more barrelsis found by
actual measurement TO be less than the stamp
mark indicates we return the empty barrels
to the party from whom we purchased
them aud allow him to 1ll the barrels to
the bung with known quantity Of water, and after
deducting half gallon ulage pay him Tor Just
what the barrel holds In some instances tneS VIII
not hold by three gallons what the guage rod indi'
Gates This discrepancy between the real and indi-
Gated capacity OF barrel s due TO It's irregular ana
fraudulent form. The manufacture OF fraudulent
barrels has been reduced OF late 10 science ana
not long since one OF the firm was ln10rmed ny
gentleman whom he met In the ONCE OF tue CITY
sealer OF measures that had heard coopers Doast
that they could make barrels 80 skifully tnat tner
fraudulent character could be detected BY 0rd-
About the middle Of last month we purchased o
found that on four barrels there were about 1our
gallons short. we returned the empty barrels, ra
according to our usual custom, ana on nlllng them
with water using his five gallon sealed measure ne
proved to his own satisfaction that the barrels hed
Being positive that he in error we sent to our
factory Tor 2 five gallon measure. and on c9mPar, M
ua Or water ns %ore HAVING required
foreman 10 determine accurately the capacity OF
o oar measures we we were SUI positive that We We're were
visited tne office OF Mr.. John Boole, City Seaer 0i
Weights and Measures and accurately compared
the capacity OF his standard gallon measure with
that OF the dealer OF whom ne nad purchased. Tney
both neid precisely the same amolnt. Mr.. Boole's
standard measure was then filled with wafer, at
sixty degrees Fahrenheit accurately weighed
on his standard balances and with his STANDARD
weights After weighing the contents OF his gallon
measure under the above conditions the Following
paper was signed by Mr.. Boole;-
ns sss u 1 sS weigh II the presence enc OF yoSn
Of h gallon s.a wSea @ %s
;smgs,ssTs q sky degrees FsArsahsis: When SaI ss
eight pounds three and onehaif svoirdupos The
pounds ave ounces avoraspos and hundred and
one twenty-five one huadredhs grains 10 ponnds and
at sixty degrees Fahrenheit. ,o,,vr roo,
Sealer Of Weights and Measures
The above result shows that Mr.. Booles gallon
measure weighs 19l ounce less than 1t should when
filed wita water On being asked by what standa ara
his measures were sealed and who appointed him TO
office lie stated that he was the only person author
ized in the city to correct errors IN the capacity OF
measures that ne received his ap pOintment rom
the Mayor and that other standard measures and
weights were ~ the CITY Hall.
Alter visiting almost every ONCE IN both the OLD
and new buildings, including that OF the Mayor, IL
at last ascertained that The only man who knew
Hail. ard upon inquiry he stated that all the weights
and measures he knew of were up in the Governors
hOgm, or bich he kindly unlocncd the doors, stat
ing that the scales were out OF order, as they
mad not been repaired since the fire. which occurred
over ten years ago. After looking under the hand
sOmely covered chairs and behind the 1uil-length
pictures We succeeded IN nndinx some OF tne mea-
sures. They were stamped with the eagle. but
looked as If they had seen hard times. AS We could
get no more information from whence they came or
how they got there our researches were DrOught TO
a close. The document which we hold is an acknOw-
ledgment on the part Of Mr. BOOe that all the mea-
sures he has sealed for the past i've years were IN
correctly done. Every person In business having
weights and measures Is required by law TO
have them tested whenever tue sealer sees mt,
but he ttbe sealer) is only allowed to
receive o fee once year. we nave decided In TIE
future not to allow tue City sealer to seal our mea-
sureS until his so called standard has been cor.
rectcd, and we think we can successfully defend
ourselves at law. When at Mr.. BODIES Office we
compared half gallon measure which had been
seaed in Brooklyn and found tnat 1t differed from
his In capacity two and half ounces or i've ounces
The gallon. 1he shape Of almost all measu eS for
liquids is such that 1t ls Impossible to determine
accurately what amount they will hOd for the sur
face OF the liquid when they are full is 30 great IN
tiuid MAKES hardly perceptlble difference IN the
height Of the nuid. Wien filing Mr.. Boole's mea
sure he asked II 1t had been satisfactorily done
showing that DOUBT could exist as to when II was
really full. He was requested to I'LL his measure 4
the point which he had been accustomed to.
Measures for liquids should be the shape OF cone
with its apex truncated at point where the diane
ter OF the cross section is about an inch. II they
have this form, and also have narrow slit cut a
the point which indicates any given capacity, th'
measure VIII never hold more than the prOpe
quantity, as any excess will run out at the slit
which should naturally be opposite the lip OF tn
OF the measures. Z. j. MALLETT, JR. Il CO.,
No. u William street.