The Winslow mail., 1898-10-15
SEASIDE SCALES IN DEMAND.
Why Persons Get Weighed Oftener
on the Ccast Than Inland
Slot Machines.

It has often been remarked 5 a sub
iect of mystery that scales at seasid,
resorts are constantly in demand, and
that whether personally conducted
like European tour, or regulated au-
tomatically. they have very much morc
patronage than Ike machines inland
No explanation of this phenomenon
the success of the seaside scales. has
ever, probably, been given in print, bu,
some light has been thrown upon it by
this memorandum, which is printed on
the cards recording what agricultur.
lists call meat weight"
-"Get weighed before bath or after
before meals or after, before a big
walk or after, as all those influence;
affect a persons weight from one to
five pounds. You Will also reduce your
weight from one-half to one pound by
inhaling more air."
Herein may be found an explanation
of the apparent popularity, otherwise
inexplicable, of scales at seaside re.
sorts. A difference of from one to
five pounds as the result of walk or
a plunge in the surf is not to be disre-
garded in an estimate of ones adipose.
and if, as set forth, the weight may be
reduced from half pound to a pound
shy inhaling more air." the field for
conjecture in the matter of weight i
certainly what may be called an open
one, especially to persons of magma
tive disposition.
1t has been observed that persons
newly arrived at the seaside desire
forthwith ''to get weighed" in order.
presumably, to establish basis OF
hygienic computation thereafter.
After a brief stay at the seaside it is
necessary to be weighed again in or
der to establish in pounds and frac-
tions of a pound the Improvement re-
sulting from absence from home. II
the results of such weighing are salts
factory (as they sometimes are) and
realize the expectations of the patron
of the scales this is an Incentive for
more weighing; if they fail to realize
the hopes of the patron, the defect is
ascribed to one or other of the causes
named on the card, and, as there is
apparently margin of gain always of
from one to five pounds from walks.
meals or bath, and CT loss of from half
a pound to a pound from the rudi-
mental process of breathing, the op-
portunities for weighing are increased
to such an extent that the apparent
phenomenon of 'scales at profit" is in
part. at least, explained.
There are 100 manufacturers of
scales and balances in the United
tates, having capital of $2,OO0,0OC
d giving employment to several
-r-~Hd persons. New York is at the
! cf the scale manufacture, hut the
'-ess of scale-making is so dis
1uted that there are establishments
50 CT the IS states, ard accompany
the extension CT their number
ere has been q large reduction in the
lem of manufacture of each, particu-
.arly since the more extensive use of
aluminium. One element in the reduc-
tioH of the cost of scales has been the
popularity Of the nickel-in-the-slot or
peEny-in-the-slot machines. whereby
1t has been made feasible for scale
manufacturers to get larger market
than was previously the case md an
enlarged market for manufactured
goods means inevitably a reduced
price. The old-fashioned method OF
getting weighed by scales in grocery
stores. or in armchairs affixed to posts,
has been superseded by the more mod
crn method Of having your weight
height and fortune told for one price.
liEe of industrial activity which may
be said to flourish most at the seaside.
N. Y. Sun.