Daily Republican., 1882-08-18
FRIDAY. AUGUST IS, 1882.
EnfOrcink Honesty i'm Markets.

EnfOFc1nE Honesty I'm Markets.
Market people, both purchasers and
buyers, would do we'll to study and be-
Ccme familiar with the ordinance
passed by the City Council, now pub
lished in the REPUBLICAN, regulating
weights and measures. The ordinance
when enforced will create radical
change, and buyers will only find when
1t is rigidly enforced how shamefully
they have been imposed upon in the
past. 1t might be that to some dealers
in the market the weights and meas
ures have become 80 notoriously false
that they do not know when they have
honest weights and measures, though it
Is their desire to have them. There are
dealers in market who are fully under
Eheimpression that they are using honest
measures, who would be very much
mortified if test were made of the
measures they use. We came across
one of these day or go ago, whose
quart measure dropped inside of le-
gally tested measure, and yet this deal.
er was fully under the impression that
his measure was of the legal size. AS
the regulator will be around in a few
days testing weights and measures, deal
ers had better see beforehand that they
have weights and measures that will
stand the test, and thereby save them.
selves from the modification of having
them condemned before the public. |
There are honest weights and meas.
ures made and exposed for sale at more
4han one store in the city, and they can
easily be procured where there is q |
Willingness to procure them, but we
are sorry to say that the general inquiry
by dealers was for the smallest meas |
ures, and consequently the shop-keeper
who kept the smallest measures, got |
The most custom,
1t will be perceived by perusal of
the ordinance that it Is the duty of the
clerk of the market at least once every
year, and oftener if necessary, to test
the accuracy of all weights and meas
Tres, scales or other instruments, or
things used by any person for weigh
ing or measuring any article for sale by
weight or measure in the Public Mar
kets and Market Houses in this city
and if they are correct to stamp them |
with suitable stamp and seal provided |
by the city, and that any person refus-
ing 10 exhibit such measure, weight
and scales for inspection, shall forfeit
and pay fine Of not less than five nor
more than ten dollars.
The Clerk of the Market is required |
to put in good order all weights and |
measures if possible to do 30, and any
persen using condemned weights and |
measures shall pay fine of not less
than five nor more than ten dollars.
Another section of the ordinance for-l
bids the selling OF articles of dry meas
ure, such as berries, nuts, beans, &C.,
in liquid measures, under the penalty
of not less than five nor more than ten
dollars.
Some dealers have been in the habit |
of selling peanuts, shell-barks and |
beans in liquid quart measures. This
practice will be broken up.
This needed reform in our markets |
cannot be enforced without some ex.
pense, and upon the theory that those |
who sell must provide themselves with |
weights and measures, they will also |
be required to ray the clerk of the mar
ket trifling sum to test their weights, |
measures and scales. 1t is worth SOME
thing to have the stamp of honesty In.
delibly impressed by official authority
on all weights and measures. 1t must
make the seller feel good and we are
sure the purchasers will fesl none the
worse. 1t will cost the sellers ten cents
each for inspecting, sealing and stamp
ing beams, platforms, Steelyards, coun.
ter and spring scales, fifteen cents for
each bushel and half bushel measure,
and every less denomination five cents
each, and five cents for every weight
used. These fees are the perquisites of
the clerk of the market, and certainly
they are not too high. The Clerk, how.
ever, after weight or measure has
been once stamped, cannot make anoth.
or charge during that year, unless the
measure or weight shall have got out of
repair and Is not conformable to the
Standard of weights and measures.