The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-10
Mayor Davie Trying to Devise
a Plan to Insure Honest
Weight.
AN INSPECTOR NECESSARY.
Every Housekeeper Interested in the
Result of a Recent Com.
plant.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,
9OS Broadway july g.


908 Broadway, July 8. !
The little spring scales that are used so
commonly by nearly every storekeeper
will soon come under the official eye OF
the city government The matter, at
first sight, seems but a small one, but it
is one which has long been under consid.
Grafton by hundreds of housekeepers.
The trouble with the little spring scales
is that they Systematically cheat the GUS
toners, and there is at present no redress.
A glimpse at the construction of the
spring scale will show how easy it is for
it to defraud customers. The hook on
which the scale is hung is connected with
the top of the spring, and every time a
parcel of goods is weighed the upper part
of the spring is the only part that works.
Probably goods weighing one or two
pounds are on the scales a hundred times
to every parcel weighing five pounds.
This, of course, lessons the power of the
spring at the upper end, and, In the course
of time, weakens the wire. The result OF
this is that little less than pound will
bring the indicator down to the ne-pound
mark.
AS the machine is kept in service the
resistance of the spring continues TO de-
crease until in some instances twelve
ounces will apparently weigh pound.
Some days ago a curious housekeeper, who
could not make her kitchen scales tell the
same story as was on her bills. made some
experiments. She went 10 half dozen
stores in the center of town and made
purchases, carefully marking each one.
When weighed on the home scales every
package was short one to three ounces on
the pound. Some of the storekeepers were
informed of their faulty scales and could
not be convinced until they had made
several tests.
The matter has been laid before the
Mayor and in his next message to the
Council he will recommend that an ordi-
| nance be drawn up providing against such
methods in doing business.
''The affair has been called to my atten-
| tion," said Mayor Davie to-day, land
after giving it little thought l at once
saw what a really important matter 1T
was. It affects every small consumer in
| the city, and the smaller the consumer
the more ne is affected. l do not quite
see how the evil can be remedied, but
have no doubt that the point has been GOV.
! cred in many other cities, and | shall
make inquiries. / have the charters OF
many important cities in my Office, and
shall look through them. The possibility
| of fraud is so great that it would almost
| justify the appointment OF an inspector Of
| weights and measures. The duties might
De Attended 10 DIV Ine HcenSe Inspector
| Many matters of much less Importance
are regulated by law.
at would be mistake to suppose thai
| the merchants are knowingly using weak
scales, because such is not the case. Tue
majority of the merchants, l feel sure
will willingly cooperate in any move
ment to insure accurate weight and scales
| At the same time 1 have no doubt there
are many storekeepers who are knowingly
using false scales, and they should be
prosecuted.
''In Europe, am told, this thing is care
fully regulated. An official inspector Of
weights and measures visits every locality
annually, and heavy penalty is imposed
on all storekeepers who do not present the
weights and scales for adjustment. Any
one found with weights that have not the
latest official stamp upon them is also
heavily fined. 1t would be a good plan to
have some such officer here"