The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-12
PUBLIC SCALES NEEDED.
Council May Revise Old Ordinances
for weighing Coal.

A well-known business man furnishes
the Morning News a statement Of an ex-
pertinent made by him recently in the
purchase Of coal from local dealers He
ordered a half ton Of hard coal from each
Of three different dealers.
When the coal was delivered at his place
of business he weighed each load. He
found that one load contained 800 pounds.
one SD pounds and another 1902 pounds.
He kept the last load and sent the other
two back TO the dealers from whom they
had been ordered. The merchant did not
give the names Of the dealers who fur
nished the short loads He called the
attention of the Morning News to the
matter. because he thought it to be an
imposition on the consumers of coal
which is generally practiced by the deal
ers.
While it may be doing the coal dealers
an injustice, it is only repeating a matter
of common report that there is a very
general belief that short weight is
matter of practice with the coal dealers
and not of accident Ane Their business
man, who happened 70 hear Of the mat
ter, said that he weighed a ton Of coal
which he purchased some time ago, as
a matter OF experiment. The ton"
weighed only LOO pounds. The coal deal
ers buy from the mines by the long ton,
or 2,240 pounds, and sell by the short
ton of 1900 pounds. This would appear
to be a sufficient margin, without adopt
ing any other means of increasing the
profits.
THIS discussion is not of as much in
terest now, but, nevertheless, 1t may
result in bringing about some
reform before another season sets in,
which will be Of great benefit TO the
consumers.
Mayor Myers was spoken to about the
matter. and said that he did not think
there were any city ordinances by which
the matter complained Of could be RENE
however, showed that there were some
old ordinances adopted in 1856, which
would effect material change IN the
coal business, If enforced. Section 4S1
of the code says that From and after the
first day Of May, 1886, all coal shall be
sold by weight and that 2,24O pounds
shall be demanded for ton, and any
seller of coal falling to have the same
sold in accordance with this article shall
be fined the sum of $50 for each offense, :"
Section ass says that the mayor shall
cause to be selected a suitable site on
which to erect a platform and put up
scales and other necessary appurtenances
except such as is sold from ships or vessels
arriving from foreign ports, and sold by
sold by the cargo to retailers. The plat
form and scales are to be put up at the
expense of the city.
Section 4S9 provides for weigber of coal
to be elected by council. who snail weigh
all coal sold by retailers to consumers in
the city, for which service he rs to be
allowed 16 cents for every ton so weighed,
half to be paid by the seller, and the other
half by the purchaser The wagons en-
ployed in carrying coal are also required
to be stamped with their true weight.
These ordinances would effect quite a
revolution in the coal business if enforced
now The dealers would regard it as quite
hardship to be compelled TO sell 2, 24O pounds
for a ton. This could be regulated, OF
course, by increasing the price per ION.
Mayor Myers said THAI he doubted If tpe
ordinance of 1856 as to public coal scales
and weigher had ever been put in OPERA
ton. 1t certainly had not been in his
time
TT might be good idea for council to
overhaul those old ordinances" said the
mayor, land bring them up ITO date. Pub
lie scales is not a bad idea. The scales
could be located on the green on the north
side of Bay street, either east or west of
the exchange, wherever would be most
convenient to the dealers and the public.
1t would certainly operate to put a stop
10 the practice of giving short weight, If
there is such practice"