Evening star., 1902-02-03
SEAL Frs DUTIES DEFINED
BILL AMENDING LAW REGARDlNE
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Changes suggested by Experience Oh
the Incumbent of the once
An Explanation.

The District sealer of weights and meas
,ras Mr. " G. Haskell, has submitted to
the District Commissioners for transmls-
sion to Congress a bill to amend the la"s
relating to the duties, etc, OF the sealel
embodying changes which have suggested
themselves to the sealer during the past
two or three years. The bill has ALREADY
been submitted to the city solicitor anu
passed as being in proper legal form. Ex-
planning the measure, Mr.. Haskell says:
The changes IN section q are Tor the
purpose of emphasizing the fact that meas
ures of every kind whatsoever are subject
TO inspection and sealing, which IS the IN
tent of the law as We interpret 1t, but,
designating the different kinds of measures
leaves no question to be raised. 1t also
makes clearer our authority 10 seai uo"li
scales which are represented TO us dS lIoI
being in use, or those Which we conoeLn, H.
but because their condition does not, III
our Judgment warrant their DESTRUCTION
we seal them down until such time as they
are reported repaired. Oftentimes Wheh
the former is represented to be the case,
n js simply for the purpose of avoiding the
payment of the fee and soon after our ue-
Darture the seal is broken and the scale
placed in use again. II penalty Is at
fached for this particular onense, we pc
Teve we-will not have this to contend with
70 such an extent as Is now the case Inc
change also excerpts the Inspection OF gov
eminent scales upon the written request oI
the head of the department desiring such
InsDection from the fees charged TO others.
For the departments no fees snail De
charged .u,,,, y,
bottles or jars to the COMMUNITIES "'tS'N'
enumerated there.
Matter OF yerifcation.
..Ir sactiop IL changes are suggested
which require the inspection Of scales
weights and measures used in the verihca-
t,on of weights and measures, question
which has already been raised on several
occasions. The use of weights, measures
scales. beams or other instruments used In
Weighing or measuring before the payment
Of fees fixed by the Commissioners IS an
other matter inserted. This is included II
the amendment to section or the act
amendment approved March % 1850 :e pe
as freight and express matter are spechi,
caUy mentioned in this amendment II
leaves it's scope as to other sections nt'
tie in doubt and We therefore desire II m
cluded in this section also. Delaying OF
obstructing the sealer assistant Sealel
in the performance of his official duty the
irnnersona tion of such officers and the coun
terfeiting of any seal or badge OF the de
nartment is also taken up. There Is moth
ing in our laws covering these matters anC
we consider it important that II should D.
included.
'sIn section IL we define the method Of
selling charcoal and coke and the kind o.
measure to be given, Both charcoal anC
coke are very susceptible TO the erect O
water. and we therefore suggest this mod
of selling Tin measures not exceeding nv
bushels capacity as the best for the pro
lection of both the buyer and the seller
Size and Construction.
Another section defines the size and con
struction Of measures used for measurin'
oysters in the shell. As now CONSTRUCTED
the measures have solid bottoms, which
permit of a great accumulation of dirt, ant
short measure Is said to be the result. rh
measures must be made with wire bottoms
having open meshes. The same style o
measure is provided for the sale of char
coal
These changes" says Mr.. Haskell I'd
rot in my estimation materially alter tn
law, but simply define duties NOR
clearly. AS It now stands the law is mos
obscure on many of these points,"