Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05
MR.. CHAPMAN'S PLAN
RECOMMENDS THE ESTABLISH
MENT OF PUBLIC SCALES.
Believes Such System Will Guarantee
Coal Dealers Against Charges OF
Short Weight.

Mr. ]. Edward Che pman. local coal
dealer who was charged with sending out
for delivery a load of coal recently which
when weighed by the District authorities
was reported to be short OF the legal
weight. states that some time before the
incident noted he sent a letter to the Com
nissioners of the District suggesting that
a public scales system be established In the
city, chiefly. he says. for the purpose OF
preventing just such an unpleasant occur
renee as has happened to himself. Mr..
Chapman says he hopes the publication OF
I'll csc views. written several months ago.
will indicate him from the implication that
1t was his intention to wrong the public.
He also asserts that he weighed the coal
referred to. which was afterward weighed
by the sealer of weights and measures. and
believes II was correct, and asks whetner
his word should not be taken as well as
that of the official mentioned.
Mr.. Chapmans communication to the
Cmmissoners was as follows:
81 have the honor to call your attention TO
a matter of public interest which l trust
YOU will see in the light place it, and as
the protectors of your people you will give
Your aid and direction 1 have the honor to
suggest public coal scales for the purpose OF
certifying to the weight of each load OF
coal after the same has left the dealers
yard, which scales may be placed In the
most convenient place in each police pre-
c,nct, and to be in charge of a competent
man, to be paid out of the District funds or
a small charge of. say cents Tor SAID
certifcation of weight. 1t is a matter OF
fact that coal is being frequently sold at
the most ridiculously cheap prices, ana
while l am assured that the coal dealers or
this city are generally speaking, most
worthy and honorable class of gentlemen.
am sure that the quantity Is often cut IN
proportion to the prices, and the better
class of merchant has often to compete
tI,n I'll Lace L
sure that some plan to compel honest deal
ings will be a boon to the business and
enable all engaged to be on the same basis
as to the manner of treatment or custom
At Less Than Actual Cost
81 have known coal to be sold at less
than the actual cost. including the hauling,
and as d further argument for my PROPOSE
ton / beg to call your attention to law
you now enforce regulating the weight OF
coal delivered to the consumer. 1t has been
my hope that l might be able to help my
brothers in the business. You send out ire.
quently your weighmaster, the sealer or
weights and measures, to intercept the
dealers delivery wagons. Should same be
found short of the weight marked upon the
ticket the dealer Is arrested, taken before
the Police Court and, If convicted fined $40
for the first offense and no doubt larger
amount for subsequent offenSes; whereas
have known this to happen to several or the
proceedings of the court are puDl1shed IN
the newspapers, and the dealers reputation
and business and he, although not guilty OF
any wrong, stamped as a thlef ana snort
weight dealer the balance of his career.
Might Happen to Any One.
Thanks to good Providence, this has
never happened to me, but through mis-
take, error, vindictiveness or carelessness
of a clerk. it is liable to the most honor
oh in 10 huSineSS. and plan or
something which will have the same effect
will obviate the chance of such an event
happening to any of US. l beg to say that
| can recite several instances where the
dealer has had occasion to have his driver
arrested for stealing bushels OF coal from
the load of coal after same left the deilV-
cry point, and if this load had been weigh
ed by your inspector the dealer would nave
been, no doubt, fined for short weight ana
with perhaps the ruinous effects of same
without it being in the slightest manner
the dealers fault, and this innocent man
and his family be Sneered at as thieves 1or
endless time.
II will give 500 to start the matter going
or will donate one pair of scales.
Il beg to call attention TO the fact that
the District pays about $3,oO0 yearly Tor
coal inspections and the general govern
ment about $1,000 for the same service.
which my proposition should save in each
instance as each and every ton could be
weighed without extra expense by taking
advantage of the public scale plan.
There are approximately 60o,OO0 tons CT
coal sold in Washington every year, and II
q charge of cents per ton is made you
will bring in the treasury of the District
more than money enough to defray the ex-
pense of the project and leave a balance
to the benefit of the city, even II good
salary such as $500 a year, is paid each
weighmaster or inspector of coal for their
services. L am certain there are rev, II
any consumers of coal in this or any city
but would be willing to pay such small
inf tn
they paid for, and it will put every dealer
in coal on the same plane of doing business
and prevent what in my mind Is most I'M
portant, the chance of an honorable man
being accused wrongfully, and insure to
the citizens of this city honest admin
istration of business for their benefit.
Regards It as Fair Proposition.
There will be some complaint from the
dealers that such plan as L suggest VIII
be an dispersion on the dealers In this bus-
ness as class which needs watching L
do not think any honest man objects to
having thrown around him all the checks
with which we try TO systematic our own
business to make us all calculate on the
positive fact and not the conjecture that all
are honest.
There will also be the argument that the
plan would cause great waste OF time for
the dealer with his teams. and therefore the
customer would suffer thereby. l beg to
offer in answer to such line of argument
that we get the same price almost WITHOUT
exception for coal delivered block away
from our respective coal yards as we do for
coal delivered four miles away, and If the
coal is delivered in our own precinct we are
not as badly off as though the same was
delivered in another precinct Knowing the
location of the inspection scales. we could
regulate the route of the teams TO the point
of destination
II am in the cause for some regulation to
protect the customer, and also to protect
the honest dealer against the merchant not
so scrupulous in his business, and also for
some plan to prevent the loss Of a reputa-
ton made by strictly clear dealings. for a
mistake, as suggested before, by a careless
or perhaps vindictive clerk, and II this let
ter will prompt better plan than / have
mentioned l am glad to send the same
along with flying flags"