Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-16
WEiGHTs AND SCALES
sEA1ER FAsKELL's ANNUAL RE
PORT TO COMMISSIONERS.
Receipts Of Office, $6,67o.70, a Large
Increase- Estimates for Ensu-
- ,
ing Fiscal Year.

A marked improvement in the condition
of all the scales, weights and measures in
the District is reported by w. c. Haskell.
the sealer of weights and measures, in his
annual statement to the Commissioners.
The receipts Of his Office were $6,670.70. A
total Of Is, 1853 scales were tested and sealed
and 125 condemned. One thousand nine
hundred and thirty-one weights were tested
and twenty-seven condemned. Four thou
sand and thirty measures were sealed and
1000 condemned. Commenting on the work
Of the office Sealer Haskell says:
''Our system of canvassing the District
in the examination Of scales. weights and
measures Is very satisfactory, our rigid
inspection meeting with the approval of a
large majority OF those concerned. Inrousn
the secretary of the Retail Grocers Asso-
citation we have the cooperation or that
association, the result of which must be
to our mutual advantage. Our efforts along
the line Of educating certain dealers IN the
proper use Of the liquid and dry measures
have resulted in a large percentage OF de-
crease in the improper use OF these meas
ures.
much time and attention has been given
to the coal scales or so-called wagon scales.
and l feel that they are In peter ana
more satisfactory condition than hereto
fore Frequently these scales are USED IN
the notification Of disputed weights and It
is, therefore, important that they be cor
rect or as nearly so as possible.
where it has been possible for us to do
SO we have. made necessary repairs on all
sumed in doing this, but we are amply COM
pensated for our efforts In the appreciation
Of the owners. We are also advising DEAL
ers that we will make inspections and reg
ulate their scales at any time we are re-
Quested, other than the regular fnspec-
lions, for which no fees will be charged.
This has not been generally understood
heretofore.
District Hay Scales.
1.-THE appropriation for a new District hay
scale to replace the one now located at the
Center Market, 18th and B streets north
west, will enable US to provide much
needed Improvement. A District hay scale
will also be located at Tenleytown. With
the exception of No. 3 scale. located at the
Center Market, which was withdrawn from
the sale owing to failure to receive bid
for the upset price of $1,000 the sale OF the
use Of the District hay scales on the 10Th
day of July, 1902, was somewhat more sat
isfactory than that of year ago. Ere
quently these scales bring less at the auc-
tion sale of their use than the amount ex-
pended upon them during the year they are
leased, and, for this reason, and also be-
cause the District is practically at the
mercy of combinations under the present
law governing these scales, would earn
estly recommend that Congress be asked
to amend the law, giving the Commission
ers of the District of Columbia the right to
receive propositions in writing for the use
of these scales for one, two or three years;
the Commissioners to fix fair and just
valuation upon each scale and to have the
right to accept or reject all such bids, and
that they be authorized to take charge of
such scales and place weighmasters at
such points as would be necessary and to
the advantage of the District and the best
public service, should it be necessary to re-
ject all such bids received. Under the pres
ent conditions 1t would seem that If the
highest. bid offered is only 81 1t must be &C
cepted ~9!,.t
- Receipts Increased.
"Our receipts have been the largest In
the history of, the office sinces the abolish
ment of the fee system of compensation to
its officials This is gratifying, as it has
sustained estimates made in asking for
additional assistance. In addition, there
are the receipts from the sale OF the use
of the District hay scales. the care and SUI
pervision of same having been assigned
this office by your honorable board. L con-
slider however, the collection Of the fees
of minor Importance, but the fact that we
are now better able to cover the territory
and correct errors in scales, weights and
measures and their use is of the greatest
Importance, resulting in very considerable
saving to the consumers and reputable
dealers. Sometime since I submitted to
your honorable board some proposed
amendments to the laws governing the Of
fee which met with your approval and
also with the approval of the Senate Dis
trict committee, but owing to press of bust
ness were not taken up by Congress at It's
last session. We hope they will eventually
pass and become a part Of our laws.
.'Oftentimes we are compelled to resort to
the Police Court when we are satisfied that
there is an intent to wrong customers, and
I am pleased to state that in all CAFES We
have been sustained by the court and Sc
we're fines have been imposed upon those
perpetrating the fraud
acting under instructions from your hon.
orable board. the sealing of milk bottles or
jars was discontinued awaiting a decision
of the court. l informed that the court
will take up these cases in the near future
and the question whether or not they are
legal measures will be adjudicated.
1--WE continue the inspection of coal carts
and wagons and | am pleased to state that,
with few exceptions, the weight has been
found to correspond with that shown by the
certificate. We have been very thorough
in this line of work
False Measures and Baskets.
..The use of false measures and baskets
by the hucksters throughout the District
has given us considerable annoyance; but
after a confiscation of a large number Of
these measures and baskets we find an i'm
provement. Since our recent crusade
against the hucksters we have received
some complaints from them relative to the
custom of the wholesale merchants in SELL
ing vegetables and fruits in their original
packages. After personal investigation
we found that it was the custom of these
merchants to sell potatoes lin the spring of
the year, by the barrel, for the reason that |
new potatoes will not bear unnecessary
handling because the skin would be bruised
and knocked off, and the potatoes would
turn black. They are received by the bar
rel: each barrel of the uniform flour size.
The barrel contains about two bushels and
three pecks, land the purchaser is in !
formed by the dealers; the barrel weighs
between $50 and 400 pounds gross. Toma-
toes are sold by the box, each box contain
ing about three pecks. These boxes are
partitioned off in the center and their sides
are made Of Stats, SO that purchaser can
see whether4~t.Iey are closely packed or
not Peachessare sold by the box or crate;
sometimes in boxes that are in crates, and
later in the SEASON they are received here
and sold in baskets. These baskets, boxes
or crates are all of standard capacity
according to the state from which they are
received. For instance, the crates received
from Floridas North Carolina or South
Carolina, are all of a different size. Each
will measure exactly what 1t is supposed to
conta in, the amount being stated to the pur-
chaser but because certain fruits and early
vegetables will not stand handling or