Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04

TUESDAY, DECEMBEH
and less expensive. and an appropriation
made for its enforcement In It's amenoeo
form.
Uniform Laws.
The commissioners on uniform state laws.
upon which commission the District Of
Columbia is represented, have adopted IN
their national conference the draft OF q
bill to make uniform the law of warehouse
receipts prepared under their direction, and
the draft OF bill to make uniform the
law relating to the sale Of goods Inc
Commissioners Of the District of Columbia
recommend to the Congress the enactment
of these bills for the District OF Columbia
Smokeless Locomotives.
The Commissioners believe that the steam
railroads operating within the District OF
Columbia should be required by law to use
motors which will not emit smoke "A
large part Of the so-called smoke nuisance
in the District of Columbia is caused by
| the smoke-emitting locomotives Of the rail-
| roads. which. under the "smo,-e law" are
not forbidden to emit smoke or subject 20
prosecution for doing so. The Commits
sioners in November last addressed letters
to the presidents of all the railroads which
would use the union station asking them to
substitute electric motors for smoke emit
ting locomotives within the District OF CO.
lumbia as soon as the union station comes
into use. The replies received Indicate
that the request will not be complied with;
nor, do they promise any relief from the
locomotive smoke at any definite time In
the future Therefore the Commissioners
lay the matter before Congress for its
action, believing that the beauty OF the
capital. the comfort of the public and the
interests Of the railroads especially In the
| preservation Of the union station, alike re-
| quire that the railroads shall use smoke
less motors within the District OIL Columbia
Inspector Of Gas and Meters.
Daily determinations were made by the
inspectors at the several testing stations
Of the candle power and purity Of the gas
supplied by the two gas companies. The
| tests showed an average of 1922 candies
| for the product of the Washington Gas
Light Company and 1895 for that Of the
Georgetown Gas Light Company. This is
well above the legal requirement of % can
| dies. The purity tests showed, with few
exceptions. a satisfying compliance with
the regulations. -
The widespread use in recent years of in
candescent gas burners and the general ap-
pHcatfon of gas in cooking and heating aS-
paratus has given an increased Importance
to thu question of the calorilic value or
heating power of the gas. For the purpose
of making occasional tests of the calor;fic
value of the gas supplied. the inspector 8
office was recently equipped with junk
ers gas caiorimeter. A number Of deter
| limitations of the heating value gave an av-
erage of 1925 British thermal units per Gu
bic foot of gas.
The inspector reports that during the year
| his office inspected and proved COOS gas
meters, this being the largest number in
spected in any one year since the Office was
established. About So per cent of this num-
Der were new meters, very largely required
to meet the demand occasioned by the
growth in population of the District.
Fees to the amount of 81, 1910 were col
lected for these Inspections.
sealer Of Weights and Measures
The report of the sealer of weights and
| measures, who has immediate supervision
of the District market houses and market
| masters, the inspection of lumber. wood
and flour, public weighmasters and hay
scales, shows that during the fiscal year
| ended June 80, 1905. 1906 inspections Of
scales, weights and measures were made.
| There were condemned and destroyed 1o5
spring balances. % center scales, 145
weights, s. liquid measures, 256 dry meas
ures and "a yard measures. Scales con-
demned for repairs numbered 271.
AS compared with the fiscal year 1905, a
decrease of 26S is shown in the number of
scales, weights and measures condemned
and destroyed, which indicates better con-
ditions. Informations were fl ed in ia cases
and fines to the amount of $7:3O imposed In
one case personal bond was taken; one Of
fender was sentenced to serve II months
and % days and another months for vio-
lation of the weights and measures law.
=: The sealer states that hucksters still con-
| tinue to require much attention and time
He Is of the opinion that an increased IL
cense fee would confine the trade to the
reputable dealers and protect the public
against the dishonest methods pursued by
the inscriptions. With but few exceptions
coal dealers were found delivering full
weight Hucksters selling coal by the bushel
were the most frequent offenders during the
| past winter. but the conditions were much
| improved over those of the preceding year
The sealer reports that much time as
| possible with his limited force was given
| livery of Oil. The Office has had in general
| the cooperation of the managers of the
companies, and everything possible has
been done to insure the delivery of full
measure oil.
Scales used on ice wagons are required to
| be regularly inspected. The dealers who fail
| to respond to the notice requiring the scales
| to be inspected within a reasonable time
| limit. and who are afterward found using
scales not sealed, are prosecuted Since
July l there has been more than usual ac-
tivity in looking after this class of dealers.
and over forty arrests have been made The
office will continue its close surveillance.
The Eastern and Western markets are in
excellent condition. An addition to the for
'HleT Is recommended and 1000 is included
| In the estimates for this purpose The ex-
penses of the Georgetown Market have been
reduced SO that the market is more than
self-susta1ning. A comparison with the
municipal markets of other large cities
SHOWS that the rental of stalls in the Dis
| trict markets is less than elsewhere. and
the amount collected from farmers and gar
deners who occupy space set aside for mar
Ket purposes on the streets is also less
The buildings on the Wholesale Market
square have all been placed In good repair
and painted and improvements made for
the accommodation of those entitled to oc
| cupy space at this market. The receipts
| from the Wholesale Producers Market for
! the fiscal year 1905 amounted to 81 716 IN
an Increase of $2,11S.16 over the receipts
| for 1906 e-p''
The number of square feet of lumber in
spected and pa ssed as merchantable was ~ :
| IA 26 and 1866 square feet condemned,
| Fees collected amounted to s463653 ex
| penses 81, 1853. IS, and net fees retained for
| services. s3.7SO.S3. -'i
There were 26,5O5A cords of wood inspect-
| ed; fees amounted to $23S541: expenses
$37921, and net fees $4,000. 90
The use of the public hay scales for one
| year from August l. 1905, was sold at pub
| lie auction for s1,745.OO; the Ash wharf
| rights and privileges were sold for $40 for
one year, the price usually realized at its
sale. 80
The total receipts amounted to s23, ss2. 40: