Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-30
THE DEALERS PROTEST
OBJECT TO PROPOSED LEGIsLA-
TON GOVERNING MILK SALES.
Hearing Before the District Commits
sioners in Which Regulation
Was Discussed.

Representatives of the Milk Dealers and |
Producers Association of Maryland, Vir- |
ginia and the District of Columbia were |
granted a hearing by the District Commits
sioners today. when objections were pre-
scented to legislation proposed by W. s.
Haskell. sealer of weights and measures
providing for the inspection and sealing of
milk bottles and jars used in the District in
the distribution of milk and cream.
The hearing occupied about two hours
and the subject was discussed quite thor
oughly. The substance of the dealers ar
gument was to the effect that less than 5
per cent of the bo tiles now used in the Dis
trict are under measure. and that 95 per
cent are either exact or else over measure.
1t was argued that In 4 months delivery of
milk in bottles the Consumer receives more
than he pays for by reason of the fact that
nearly all the bottles are above measure.
The dealers objected to paying for the in
spection OF the bottles. when they claimed
there would be no benefit accruing, either to
them or 70 the public
At the close OF the hearing the Commits
sioners stated that they would take the
matter under careful consideration and
would announce their decision in the mat
ter at later date. The milk dealers pres
ent were Corbin Thompson. b. Ager,
Charles R. Darby. A s. Trundle. F. B.
Faruuhar and III. H. Trundle.
LIE proposed LeSlSla IlOu
The regulation proposed provides that in
the distribution and delivery of milk and
cream bottles and Jars may be used which
shall be subject to inspection at all times
when inspection is made at place of bust
ness they shall be inspected in such guam
titles as shall be prescribed by the Com
missioners of the District of Columbia of
not less than 10 nor more than - per cent
of the number to be inspected at any one
lima rIa in nv CONSIGNMENT
purchase: such inspection to be made from
bottles in upon the passage of this act,
and thereafter the sealer of weights ana
measures shall be notified in writing of the
purchase or consignment of all new bottles
or jars for use in the distribution of milk or
cream In the District of Columbia. and they
shall not be placed In use until the same
shall have been inspected herein speci-
fed, which shall be done within reason
able time after such notice. and all such
bottles and jars shall conform to the aver
age true standard within the tolerance
made or to be made by the Commissioners;
and 1t shall be unlawful to use said bottles
or Jars herein described until such aver
age herein specified shall be estab-
lished."
Mr. Haskell stated that bottles vary in
size from a specified measure from 21a to
10 per cent. He suggested that the Com
miSsioners fix a tolerance of per cent
within which the bottles should conform TO
the measure for which they were intended
to stand. He read from a report in which
the results of several inspections of bottles
were given The average measure of the
bottles inspected shown to be either
correct or above the measure.
View of the Dealers.
A s. Trundle, secretary of the Milk Deal
ers' Association. said that he estimated
there are about 200 900 milk bottles. used in
Washington each day. OF this number. he
declared, less than Per cent above
the measure for which they are intended.
He said 1t is practically impossible for the
manufacturers to blow glass bottles of an
exact measure. With the bottles now IN
use, he said. the consumer is receiving
more than he pays for. and the dealers
have received practically no complaints
from customers relative to short measure.
He objected to increasing the expense of
. the business without corresponding bene-
fit. either TO the dealer or to the public. If
manufacturers are required to make bottles
of an exact size. he said. they would cost
considerably more. and the people would
have to bear the increased expense.
Commissioner Mcfarland suggested that |
1t does not seem wise to except milk bot
ties from inspection when all other meas
ures are required to be inspected. The pur-
pose of the regulation. he said, is to estab-
lish a reliable and uniform standard of
measure in the sale of milk and cream
Objects to Expense.
Corbin Thompson stated that he receives
pay for only ninety-five gallons out of
each hundred gallons sold. because the
bottles in which milk are delivered are
over measure. He protested against pay
ing $500 or $500 a year for inspection of
milk bottles when, he declared. he re-
ceiving no benefit from the inspection and
the people would not be benefited. No |
other city of any size in the country re-
quires such inspection, said Mr.. Thomp- |
son, excepting little, insignificant place |
called Boston. The idea Is absurd. He |
said that milk bottles last but a short |
time, and the cost of inspection during a |
year would be considerable item of ex-
pense, he used about $1,000 bottles a |
year In his business.
Other representatives Of the milk dealers |
argued that the present system is fair and |
Just to the public, that milk is now served |
in sanitary way and customers are get |
ting more than they would under the pro- |
posed regulation
Secretary Trundle in closing the argu- |
ment for the dealers stated that he under |
stands national bureau of weights and |
measures is TO be established. He sug-
gested that this bureau take up the mat |
ter of making bottles of uniform size with |
the manufacturers, with an idea to settling |