The times., 1898-11-06

He then consulted the long brass lever In
the reading box along the side of the
scales, and found that the record of the
brickbat was just pound.
Turning to the reporter, he said that
the machine is SO sensitive that 1t can
weigh anything from a pound OF sugar
to a trio of 13-inch naval guns, and weigh
them accurately, though It viii probably
eke out a long existence at the famous
gunshop without having the chance to
weigh an ounce of the former. The ca
pacity of the new scales is lao tons, or
double the capacity of the old scales.
which have just been replaced by the
new ones. A 13-inch gun weighs about
fifty-five tons, and 1t may be readily seen
that the new scales can weigh Two OF the
monsters, reclining on q 4S-foot cartruck,
and not tax its capacity to any great ex-
tent All the big guns Of the new navy
will be weighed upon these colossal
scales. -.
The nearest approach to the navy yard
scales in size and Weighing scapacity are
the Weighing machines OF the railroads
centering here. Though they are COM
PEELED, by the appearance OF the former,
to take a back seat. they were once en-
We'd by lesser balances as the giants OF
the town. The Pennsylvania Railroad
has a machine at Bennings with a ca
pacity of 100 tons, and the baltimore and
Ohio Railroad has a machine of the same
capacity in its freight yitrds In this city.
There is also one at the Daish grain ele-
yator.
Those I'm the possession of the railroad
people are used for ascersaining the
weight of rolling stock empty ana when
loaded with goods. Next below them in
the list OF large scales are those which
belong to the District, aad which are
styled .'hay scales" because their princi-
nal lot is the weighing OF hay just as 1t
is brought to the city. in long wagons.
There are six of these scales, each Win
a capacity of from six to ten tons, ana
they are located at the foiiowing places. /.
Rriphtwood. Anacostia, Eleventh street
and Virginia Avenue southwest, Haymar-
ket SQUARE, on b Street near the Center
Market. at the GEORGETOWN market, ana
at the Tyson House, opposite the " street
market at the corner of Seventh ana "
streets northwest These scales are used
TO weigh hay, straw, fodder, livestock
and other articles of commerce ana trade.
They are not established for purposes
of revenue, but for the convenience and
protection of the public. it is contrary
10 the laws of the Distric, TO sell long
hav before II has been weighed on one
of these public scales and certified 20 by
one of the public welghers The Ii6ht TO
sell these public scales each year has
been conferred to :he District TJmInis-
sioners by act OF Congress, and they
are auctioned OF FOR a year 20 tbs high
est bidders each August ist.
Various sums are secured for th- privi-
lege ranging necessarily according 20 the
demand for the various s1ales rrhm sew
eral hundred TO several thousand dollars.
rI,t. ria.hs the
scales each year are allowed IN charge
25 cents for each load Of hay weighing
LOCO pounds or less, 80 cents for each load
weighing more than loo pounds, and ten
cents for each bundle OF hay ir straw.
They are also permitted to charge two
cents for every hundred pounds of live
stock weighed on the scales oHct which
they have Jurisdiction.
The principal one OF these public scales
Is at Haymarket Square. In the old days
of reconstruction and until the last
decade there were frequently SO -lany
hay wagons waiting TO use the scales
that they formed a string extending TO the
old Ford's Theater, on Tenth Street.
That day has passed and the position
of hay weigher is no longer as .Ierative
as II was formerly. IN very recent Years
the advent OF the h3y p1'ing machine
has also been the sources II snirrs SD
ness to the weighers as !many farmers
have their hay and stray baied In The
field, and shipped TO the tfty, thus elud-
ing the public weigher.