Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-18
HIS SALARY AND DUTIES
Senate Bill in Regard to Sealer of Weights
and Measures.
Penalties for False Misunderstanding
Vegetables and Fruit.

Senator Mcmillan today introduced in the
Senate the much discussed bill reorganizing
the office of the sealer of weights and
measures for the District of Columbia. The
bill presented by the Senator varies con-
siderably from that originally introduced
in the Senate and also from that recently
passed by the House. 1t fixes the salary of
the sealer at 1000 and the assistant sealer
at 81. 200. 1t directs the Commissioners to
furnish the sealer with an Office, a wagon
and a laborer when necessary, and sets
forth the methods by which the weights
and measures of the District shall be tested
at intervals and approved or condemned by
means of a stamp. No fees are to be ex-
acted for these examinations. A record is
to be kept by the sealer of the names of the
men whose scales or measures he has in
spected, together with the number and size
of them and the result of the inspection.
This book shall always be open to the &C
commodation of the public.
Selling fn Measures.
Section of the bill provides that no per-
son shall sell or offer for sale in any mar
ket or in the public street or alleys of the
District any fruits, vegetables or berries in
crates. baskets or other measures or any
butter in prints or ice or coal at or for a
greater measure or weight than the true
weight or measure thereof. and all such
materials, excepting vegetables. sold by
the head or boxes all weighed or measured
by scales weights or measures, bearing the
official stamp of the sealer. Poultry may
be offered for sale in other manner than by
weight.
The bill fixes the penalty for failure or re-
fusal to exhibit weights and measures to
the sealer at the fine of 500 and the cost of
prosecution. and the court may make a
further sentence imprisoning the offender
in the District jail until the fine shall be
paid, for not to exceed six months. This
penalty also applies to the case of people
selling goods by other measures than those
that have been inspected by the sealer.
Regarding Coal.
Section of the bill provides that no per-
son shall sell or deliver any coal within the
limits Of the District unless there shall be
delivered to the driver of the wagon a GER
tificate, signed by the person selling this
COAL showing it's weight. the weight of the
wagon and the total weight of the coal and
wagon and the name of the purchaser. Nc
person in charge of a wagon used in de-
livering coal shall neglect or refuse to ex
nibit such a certificate to the sealer or as.
sistant sealer or to any person designated
by them or to the purchaser of the coal
When these officers or the purchaser shall
demand that the weight shown by the GER
tificate be verified, the driver is command
ed by the bill to take the wagon to some
public scale CT to any private scale, the
owner of which may consent to such use
and shall there verify the weight and re-
turn after delivery of the coal to the same
scale and verify the weight of the wagon.
Section requires 1T shall be the duty
of The sealer of weights and measures tC
inspect or cause to be inspected and tested
the weight of coal sold or delivered as
aforesaid, within the District of Columbia
and to take the proceedings necessary t
enforce the provisions of this act
Section provides that any violation o.
sections g. Z and 3. or attempts to deliver
coal of less weight than set down in tn,
certificate. shall be punished not to exceet
500 and costs. or with Imprisonment in tn,
District jail not to exceed six months, un
til the fine is paid.
These provisions relating to coal are al
new with this bill. They are the result o.
much careful study on the part of Senator
Mcmillan of the coal trade of the city.