Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-19
DISTRICT JUNK SHOP
WHERE FALSE SCALES AND MEAS
UREs ARE STORED.
Appliances Gathered During the Past
Six Months Under Sealer
Easkell's Direction.

The District junk shop is now overstocked
and within a few weeks will occur the
wholesale destruction OF the ma erials stored
therein. The junk shop is located in
small room Parti:iGncd OFF in one corner of
the basement Of the District building. and
1t contains the unique collection of Short
weight scales, incorrect measures and Yari-
Gus other articles and appliances seized and
condemned uudere direction of Mr.. w. c.
Haskell stJler Of weights and measures
for the District, 81 accordance with the pro
visions OF the law The present collection
represents the accumulation Of condemned
weights and measures made by the en-
ployes of the Office during the past six
months and the little room. about by IL
feet in dimensions, Is crowded to the extent
of its capacity.
TIE collection is interesting to Washing
tonians because of the fact that II has been
made from all parts Of the District, and the
numerous devices and appliances bear silent
evidence of falsity. suggesting the possibili-
ties afforded for the continual cheating of
res. dents in All parts of the city out OF
small amounts, which in time WOULD doubt
less aggregate many thousands of dollars,
No Reflection on Dealers.
II is not. however, insinuated that the
merchants from whose stores the incorrect
scales and measures were taken, used the
appliances with the slightest intention OF
dishonesty. On the contrary, it is conf
IDENTIFY believed that with scarcely a single
exception the iucorrectness of the scales or
measures was unknown to the owners, and
that they were used In absolute good faith
and with fun honesty of purpose. The fact
remains, however, that without the super
vision and careful exercise of law on the
part OF the authorities many thousands of
dollars would unwitttngly be taken from
customers without any adequate return.
On shelf in one part OF the junk shop
is a pair OF scales IN the battered scoop OF
which rice, sugar. prunes. coffee ana o,her
foodstuffs have been weighed out to house
holders in a certain part OF the city in In
correct amounts, the customers receiving a
few ounces less than what they have pad
for. Suspended from a cross beam In the
center of tie room are FeVeral DIAL scales
Oh which ham, chicken, beef etc, have been
dealt out IN short weights to purchasers
while on the floor in another part of the
room ale platform scales, which have been
used TO uncOnsciously defraud residents OF
the city In their purchases OF potatoes
beets. cabbage and other vegetables sold by
weight.
The collection also includes a tin measure,
from which Oh hot summer nights certain
refreshing ana foaming beverage has been
poured tItO che pitcher of some thirsty ciIf-
zen, whose eyes have spanked brightly as
he waited in pleasing anticipation OF the
cooling dTaught. This measure, like an
other in the collection which gives OFF an
door of strip, and sull another which bears
the marks of oil, has been condemned by
the sealer Of weights and measures and
will soon be battered and broken out OF all
semblahce TO its former shape Several
dozen glass milk bottles, seized because of
short measure. are also doomed to desJruc-
toL. and viii go the way of the others con-
0emned.
The Refuse to Be Sold
When tie work OF the destroying agent
has been completed and the appliances have
surrendered up their present form, the old
IRON and brass will be sorted from among
the debris and disposed of by the District
at the highest market price, and perhaps
u viii be used again by some manufacturer
In some sort OF device which may not meet
the requirements of the law, and VIII again
be condemned and stored in the District
junk shop by the employees of the sealsr of
weights and mea sures, and again II viii go
through the process of destruction employed
by the District authorities for the fate OF
all that reposes in the District junk shop is
scaled.