Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-05
TIE STUMBLING BRASS KETTLE.
It Won't Bear the Test and Must Give Way
to the Half Buslel.

It Won't Bear the Test and Must Give Way
to the Half Bushel.
The joint legislative committee on the
"swindling brass kettle,'' held an interesting
meeting in one of the committee rooms at the
capitol, last evening, at which Senator Rahilly
presided, and Representative Powers acted as
secretary. The comnnittee ges.n Was filed to
repletion with members of the legislature, mil
lers, railroad officials, dealers in wheat, and
others. An invitation was extended to mem
bers of the Millers' association, and all others
possessed Of information upon the subject, to
give the committee the benefit Of their expert
ence. The invitation was accepted by Senators
Williams, Pillsbury. Mealey, Rahilly, Thacher
and McCrea, Representatives Campbell,
Stacey, Re1be, LARSEN, and others, and by R.
Barden, ESQ.,. Mr.. Valentine, Mr.. Boyden E..
F. Drake and Gen. Bishop, and the methods of
testing and grading wheat were fully discussed
from the standpoints of parties representing
the various interests in Minnesotas staple pro-
duct. The railroad men, it was evident, cared
bnt little what device was used, so they, who
are in measure compelled to receive for stor-
age as well as for transportation, were enabled
to work off wheat upon the same terms as they
received it, but they had slight leaning to-
ward the brass kettle. The wheat buyers and
millers were unanimously ia favor of the
swindling little joker, and reiterated the state
ment that the ''swindling brass kettle was an
absolutely accurate instrument in the
hands of honest men, but con-
coded that there was something in
dishonesty, while the farmers were thoroughly
convinced that it was an arrant little thief and
wanted nothing to do with it, The agent of
Fairbanks depot of weights aud measures was
present with several brass testers, sealed
metal half bushel and scales and vouched for
hand with two kinds Of hopper testers Of his
own invention, and hopper to be attached to
| the metal half bushel. which he claimed would
fill the measures exactly alike every time. Ex-
periments were tried with the various divices
| with the following results:
Messrs Barden and Valentine tested With the
brass kettle as usually tested by them and the
wheat weighed 57119 pounds.
Mr.. Stacy made three tests to show the diff
| ferent results that could be reached by the
| brass kettle, as follows: First test, 5615 lbs.
| second test 81 lbs. and little over; third
test, 81 lbs.
| With Stacey's hopper: First test, 5716 lbs
second test, 5711d lbs; third test (by anothe,
man), 571s lbs.
Mr.. Stacey other hopper device: First test
571@ lbs; second test, 5719 lbs.
Mr.. Stacey next filled the sealed half bushel
with his hopper attachment, and three trial.
showed that the wheat weighed 5716 lbs. eaci
|
measure did not appear to be as full as it ough
to be. He next filled the sealed metal half
bushel by pouring wheat from sack, and il
twice gave the same result So pounds to tho
bushel.
Mr.. Lerssen then filed the measure, and i
weighed IS pounds.
Experiments were again tried with the hall
bushel to see how great range of results coule
be obtained. Put in lightly as could be dom
with grocer's SCOOP 81 pounds; packed in, 6
pounds; lightly again, 58 pounds; canted W
at an angle of about thirty degrees from per
pendicuIar and jockeying the thing as much a
possible, 5711a pounds. But the farmers claime'
that there was an untitled space on the uppe
side of tho measure, which would account 70
the loss of half pound. The straight-edg
used to strike tho measure was a carpenter
level.
The farmers were delighted with the result
of the experiments, and expressed their salts
faction enthusiastically. Adjourned.