The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-01
FA|RNE|GHT ANDAEAS(JRE
City and Town SealerS Have a Re-
union Today.
Mr.. CRAWFORD TELLS OF WORK.
Explains Condition In Which He Found
Standards I'm some Towns-some We're
In Barns, Others I'm Cellars and In One
Case I'm roorhouse.

| ties of his Office. Through his efforts
mainly was the passage of the new law
| relating to weights and measures Sc
| cured. and he is still at work on amend
ments which he thinks will make 1t still
more Elective.
1t is his custom 10 invite all city and
| town sealers in the sta'e to meet at his
| Office for "A Symposium, where by an inter-
| change OF views and the discussion OF
matters relating TO the discharge of their
| duties "a higher standard OF service may
| he secured.
This mcraiDg, in response to his in-
| vlfation, there was "a gathering az his
| Office in the Wnyland building on North
Main street. 1t WAS not as large as had
doubt due 10 tie threaten
| ing weather conditions. Among those
| present were State Treasurer Clark Of
| Lincoln, State Auditor Sanders OF New
| port. General Chirts II. Dsnuis, Capt ain
| george III. Pettis and Charles NJ. Clou IA
| of tn S city. Herbert Will aker Of Woou-
~ cker ID. II Remington of Sou, b Scit-
| utae, V. &. S illmar Of Westerly. Henry
| G. Carpenter Of Johnston, Alfred Rob
,ris OF Central Falls, aud several Others.
Governor Brown who was expected
| sent a letter regretting his inability TO he
| present on account OF a previous engage
| ment. Lieut.. Governor Bull wrote TO
| the effect that he would be on hand IL
| possible.
How the Standards Were Kept.
After an hour passsd in max
| ing new and renewing old acquain-
| tarces Mr.. Crawford called The company
| to order and proceeded TO read report
| showing the pndition in whicn lie had
| found tue standards in the various cites
| and towns he had visited durlDg the
| pasJ year. The majority of them were in
nxfi Il lint A A Gfant tnr oh
This WAS the case in Warwick where
| Thomas w. Carroll is the sealer. The
| standards were in poor order while many
| of the weights were light. cause by their
use as working set. North Providence
was found TO be in about the same con-
| dition. In East Provide Ice the standards
| we're stored in basement, which Mr.
| Crawford didn't consider u very fit place.
| Wesl erly had lost most of her standards
| by fire and the state sealer furnished
| enough TO make up, with those saved,
| complete set
Never Had Set.
The district of Narragansett never had
q set, and Mr.. Crawford promptly sup
| piled the deficiency. In Woonsocket the
| staudaids were found broken, some
| weights and yard gauge missing.
| North Kingston also stored the
| standards in basement. In Middle
| coalition. Hopkinton besides having
| her weights aud measures in very bal
order had stored them i'll bnrn.
Cumberl nd kept the cabinet contain
| ing the test measures in bedroom In the
poor house. Some of the measures were
| found III barn i'll Valley rails aud
| others in "A cellar.
Down in harrington n fire had destroy
| ed the standards years ago aud the town
| had never replaced them. Newport
kept her. standards in good
order. while IN Bristol the
| seaIers bad made practice OF using the
state standards in their work which is
| against the law. Scituate wos found TO
have taken good care of its standards
| and the same was true of Johnston.
East Greenwich, however. WAS in rretty
poor shape to issue corr ct weight while
| in South Kingston 15 stores were visited
ia one day In IA OF them the scales were
found to overweigh from ~ TO
| ~ ouncss To tie pound. In
Cumberland, Lincoln, CraDston, Bristol,
Westerly, harrington, Tiverton aud Lit
tie Cronpton the same conditions pre-
vailed, due to the fact that the sealers
| did not take sufficient interest in their
work to sc ure n duplicate set.
The Head of the List.
Providence, Johnston and Pawtuckeo
had their standards in first-class condi.
ton. Mr.. Cra wford then called 1T
| tention 10 the fact that milk
| cans. oil cans ana jar, al OF short meas
ure are in general use because they are
| sold cheaper than those of the standard
| size.
Then came n season OF instruction.
| The state dealer exhibited dry measures
| which had been tampered with so as to
favor the owner aud swindle the pur-
| chaser of his wares Oae was a
| neck measure. 1t had been reduced in
| circumference nearly an inch and b. the
| Insertion OF "A false bottom was about "a
| of an inch thick. This change was made
| after tie Lircoln sealer had tested the
measure ami sealed IL as correct.
| Another measure which had Teen cut
| down VAS also shown.
| Mr.. Stillman Of Westerly wanted t.
| know what he should do in case he found
a man selling from short measure.
| Seize aud destroy it," said Mr.. Crav-
| ford. THAT is the way do ana it is the
only way to prevent its use
| again. At present that Is about all the
| sealer can do. Now take IL in the case
| OF tile peck measure which has been re-
! duced la cir, umierencc aud IN depth. L
bought a peck OF potatoes from the man
| who owned and was using it and thou ght
| L had good case against him,
| but when went to get n warrant for his
| arrest | vas asked IL / was prepared TO
| swear that he made the changes I'm the
measure. l cCuldn't do that OF course
| so mad TO drop the case. What
we ought To have here is u
| law similar to that in Massachusetts
where tue possession OF short measures
| is prima faca evidence against the
! accused"
This and many other things Mr.. Craw,
| ford explained while the company enjoyed
| cigars. lie express Il the hope that all
seaIers would be very careful in their
| work and In towns where there were no
| duplicate sets secure them rs soon AS
| possible. After general interchange Of
| opinion the party male preparations to
| 20 down the bay. At | o'clock they TO ok
| a boat on the Continental line and went
| 10 Fields Point, where Colonel Atwell
set one of his most tempting dinners for
| them.