The Washington times., 1903-08-11
ICE DELIVERED
TO THE DISTRICT
SHORT IN WEIGHT
Company'S Scales. 1t Is
Alleged, Were De-
feCtive.
TONGS ALSO WEIGHED In
Commissioner West Orders
Sweeping Investigation.
Charges of Injustice.

The Sealer of Weights and Measure.
has reported to the Commissioners that
his office has discovered a practice. or
the part Of the employees of the Ameri-
can Ice Company, to defraud the Dis
trict out of fifteen pounds of ice IL
every fifty pounds issued.
The metho5 by which this has been
accomplished, he charges, has been in
the use Of faulty scales, which regis
tered ten pounds, when they should
have registered zero, and by including
in the weight of the ice the weight Of
the steel in tongs.
Commissioner West has ordered e
sweeping investigation in every branch
of the District of the receipts OF ice
from these contractors. with a view TO
ascertaining whether the District is sim
Harry treated elsewhere.
Company Net Condemned.
The letter of the Sealer of Weights and
Measures follows:
Il have the honor q report that uuon
complaint OF Chief Clerk, Mr.. Kemp We
visited police station No. 10 this morn
ing fcr the purpose of testing the weight
OF ice delivered there by wagon No. 75
belonging TO the American Ice Company
An exfmination OF the ice scales on said
wagon ssowed that they started at the
ten-pound mark. instead OF the or
zero mark. In weighing the ice the
driver made no allowance for the weight
of the ice tongs. which would add az
least five pounds additional TO the de-
heiency, making total deficiency of ff-
teen pounds in fifty pounds. We confis-
Gated the scales
We have already had some corre-
spondenee with the American Ice Com
pany regarding the weight of ice deIv-
cred and are OF the opinion that it is the
desire of the company to give correct
wetght-an allowance for drainage al
ways being weighed TO the drivers when
they load at the ice houses in the morn
ing. We will communicate with the
company again in regard to our findings
today and will make further report TO
you upon receipt of their reply"
In reply to these charges the Amer
ican Ice Company has informed the
District Commissioners that the scale
used in the test was defective
In addition to this, Instructions have
been issued TO the employees to examine
the instruments now in use, and report
any breaks or other defects
Orders Regarding Scales.
The following letter was sent to the
.
John D. Bartlett, local manager of the
American Ice Company:
Dear Sir: Replying TO your letter Of
complaint of the Sd inst regarding the
giving of short weight OF ice at Police
Station No. 10. have 10 say that our
drivers have been instructed that when
their scales get out OF order the scales
must be turned in at the office and new
scales substituted.
1T is our wish that the patrons OF
this, company receive full weight I will
see that full weight is given in the fu-
ture.
Thanking you for your letter calling
our attention to the shortage In this
case. 1 am very respectfully.
JOHN D. BARTLETT"
Mr.. Bartlett emphaticalIy denied that
there had been any attempt on the part
of the company to give a short weight.
He said the other scales now in use
were of standard quality and were in
no way defective
Says Injustice Is Done.
Mr.. Bartlett declared that ali inJus-
tice had been done the company by the
intimation or fraud. He maintained
that the scales were open for inspection
and asserted It was the duty of the Dis
trict to weigh the fee on its own ae-
count.
The scales were inspected last spring
by the municipal authorities. he said,
and were found to be in perfect order.
The American Ice Company has sup
piled the District for about twenty-five
years. This Is the first time there has
been any trouble In regard TO the
weight, Mr.. Bartlett says. He VIII con-
fer with the Commissioners in connec-
tiop with the matter.