Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-27
HIS ANNUAL REPORT
SEALER HASKELL'S STATEMENT
OF OFFICE BUSINESS.
The Markets and Other Local Matters
Discussed-Fees for Flour
Inspections.

Mr. w. G. Haskell, Sealer of weights anu
measures for the District. today submitted
to the Commissioners his annual report Tor
the fiscal year ended June 30. together with
the reports of the inspectors of the several
divisions of the department, including IN
spectors of boilers. lumber. wood, -four and
public hay scales, and the report OF the
marketmasters.
The report states that considerable prog
ress has been made by the department IN
educating the people in the use of sealed
measures and scales, and that the dealers
appear to appreciate the benefits accruing
to them from the inspections.
'In canvassing the District in the testing
and sealing of scales. weights and meas
ures.' says Mr.. Haskell the necessity OF
the Office for the public good is fully DEM
onstrated. Vigilance on the part of the as
sistants is most important, many differ
ent methods are resorted to in an endeavor
to deceive the public and the office. 1t Is
not to be expected that these conditions
can be COPIED with to the extent of entirely
abolishing dishonesty in this line, but when
officials in this Office to give their attention
to the work We feel that good results have
been accomplished.
THE regula ton of the sale of all kinds of
provisions, where we find short weight
given, on account of close competition, and
also in some cases a desire to increase the
profits at the expense OF the public, Is OF
great Importance, and we have accomplish
ed a number of reforms in this line of our
Investigations. In some cases it has been
necessary to have the interested parties ap-
pear in Police Court before they could be
made to understand that the laws must be
respected and obeyed.'
Short Measures Cause of Complaint.
The report states that short measure Oil
has been source of many complaints dur
ing the past year. With the cooperation
of the ma nagers of the several Oil COM
panies, 1t is stated, the old measures have
been abandoned and new measures on a
different model are now used. While the
complaints of short measure Oil are not
SO numerous as heretofore. the present
conditions are not regarded as entirely
satisfactory. and the matter will continue
to receive the attention of the office.
During the past year, according to the
report 1t was discovered that dried Clipped
beef to supply the retail trade was being
Eut up in boxes of different weights, some
of the boxes containing a full half-pound.
while others contained only from five and
one-half to six ounces. This practice was
considered as misleading and was RENE
died by marking the exact weight of the
contents on the boxes.
The office has a daily route established
by which the inspectors of scales and
measures visit from thirty to forty stores
each day. 1t is estimated that First
Assistant Howe and the labOrer have trav-
eled fifty-Hve miles per week two thou
sand eight hundred and sixty miles during
the year with the wagon. and that Second
Assistant Schoenthal has travelled thirty
miles per week, or fifteen hundred and
sixty miles during the year, on the street
ca rand on foot, total estimate of four
thousand four hundred and twenty miles
travelled during the year.
During the year, the report shows, IL, S41
scales have been inspected and sealed, 40
IA hcov, for ofy aio
have been condemned and destroyed, 1902
measures were sealed and 615 We're con-
demned The number of business houses
visited during the year in the inspection of
scales weights and measures was 1857.
The Public Markets.
&. With regard to the markets Mr.. Haskell
reports:
1.-The receipts of the Georgetown market
are not sufficient to provide for its neces-
sary expenses l am of the opinion that the
country people, for better conditions and
more trade, have sought other markets and
stores While direct trade appears to have
drifted away, in a measure, 1t is not lost to
Washington, but merely change of method
in the purchase exists. am convinced that
improvements can be made which would
place tho Georgetown market in a very de-
SRA bic condition to serve the trade includ-
ing proper protection to the country peo-
pie as well as to others. My understanding
is that you desire that the market should be
self-sustaining at least. and therefore ] do
not care at this time to make any recon-
mendations that will increase the cost of
maintenance of the Georgetown market.
until am assured of the fact that there is
real need for additional expenditures and
that ample benefits will be derived there
from.
1.-THE annual report of the market master
of the Western market shows the market in
better condition, both financially and in
general appearance. than ever before in its
history, and the receipts exc eed those of the
preceding year by Stages.
1.-THE market master of the Eastern mar