The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-03-15
MINNESOTA STICKS TO GRAIN LAW
North Dakota Legislatures Request for Changes Is Re-
fused and Charges Are Denied Minnesota's
Answer Explains Grain Inspection
Laws of That State


Minneapolis and three at Duluth.
Another particular duty of the in
spection department during their work
in the railroad yards is to make an
examination OF each car of grain for
any leaky conditions that might exist.
When the grade and dockaee has
been finally determined, certlfcate
of inspection is issued.
Again the car load Of grain comes
under the direct supervision OF the
state department. for the state weigh
er at once makes careful examlna-
tion of the car to detect any bad ordor
condition, and most complete record
is made OF any such condition found.
At the large elevators in the system
where the weighing is done on hopper
scales in the cupola.-two men are EN-
ployed one being stationed up stairs
| where the weighing is done, and the
other man supervises the handling or
the grain down stairs.
After the examination of the car mas
been completed and the seal record Sc
cured. the car is placed at the unload
ing pit, where by means OF poWerlnl
steam shovels the grain is unloaded.
1t is elevated directly to the garner,
| which is the large receiving hopper 10
Gated just above the scale hopper.
After the scale has been properly pal
anced and closed, the grain is drawn
down from the garner into the scale
hopper
The grain is then carefully weighed
by the state weigher and the ofiglhdi
| entry of weight is made according 10
law in the record book provided for
the purpose.
He then takes specially arranged
| ticket. and by means of the type-regls-
tering device with which all scales are
equipped on which state weights are
given he obtains a type-prnted record.
Since an incorrect record cannot De
| obtained from the type-register, pro
yided it is not actually out OF order, II
| is practically impossible for error 10
| enter into the work of weighing under
| the present system.
However. no man would assert that
| mistakes cannot possibly be made in
some part OF the operation, for as long
| as man is infallible an error Will occa-
| sionally occur.
Another check upon the work is the
| fact that all through the weighing op-
| Grafton the state weigher has not been
| alone in the work. for the mill or ele-
| yator weigher has been present all the
| time. and as a result two men are en-
abled to compare their work and hg-
| mistakes.
| When the shipper of car load 81
| grain obeys the law by placing a cara
| in the car giving the shipping
| weight. an immediate investigation is
made If there is an apparent discfep-
! ancy between the state weight ana
shipping weight
! Where track scales are used instead
| of hopper scales. the loaded car is un-
coupled from all other cars, placed
| upon the scale platform and weighed
| Then. when the grain has been unload
ed. the empty car is weighed TO obtain
| the tare weight his tare weight is de-
| ducted from the gross weight to deter
mine the net weight A complete rec
| ord of the work is kept the same as
+, in hopper scale weighing, and the
work checked by the type-registerinS
| device previously mentioned.
The state weighing department
| thoroughly investigates all claims that
| arise in the work, and no effort is con-
sidered too great If in the end just
| settlement can be obtained.
| between the seller and buyer; it treats
! both with equal fairness; IT Is disln-
| terested as to the financial interest in
volyed, it's only care being to see that
! Justice is done.
The state weighers who do the weigh
| ing are each under substantial Sc
| curity bond OF $4,000, and while they
are thus held liable for the results oi
their work, still they are wholly nde-
pendent. not knowing to whom a SIN
gle car OF grain belong which they
weigh. and they also know that the
tenure of their ONCE is not dependent
upon the good or i'll Will OF mill or ele-
yator people at whose industries they
might be stationed.
A close supervision is kept over all
! the scales on which state weights are
given and this work does not mean or
binary care in the use Of the scales.
| but means a complete and severe test
up to full capacity OF every scale in the
system.
At the state weighmaster's Office an
Official certificate of weight Is issued
| bearing upon its face the car number,
! initial. contents and state weight, to
| gether with the time and place OF
| weighing. This certificate is stamp
ed with the seal OF the Office of the
state weighmaster and forms the basis
| of settlement between seller and buyer
| in the matter of weight.
Another very important branch Of
the state weighing service is the sys-
! tenn of watching or patrol, whereby the
cars loaded are continually watched
while going through the terminal
yards to detect any leaking conditions
that might exist. as we'll as to guard
| against pilferage