The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-25
Ordinance Covering Scale In
spection Is Obsolete and
Does Not Meet Needs of the
Present Day.
REQUIRES INSPECTION
BUT ONCE EACH YEAR.
City Inspector Waterman Not
Required, Except on Re-
quest, To Inspect Scales
Oftener.

Direct blame for the condition of
scales in this city and particularly
those on ice delivery wagons whereby
short weight has been given consum-
ers of ice is due as much to the weak
ness of the city ordinance as any
probable laxity on the part of the in
spector of weights and measures. At
the present time the offices of inspec-
tor of weights and measures and pub
lie markets are combined in one man,
Henry Waterman. When the market
season is on in full blast as is custo-
mary through the summer months,
Mr.. Waterman devotes nearly all OF
his time to this branch of the depart
ment The inspection of scales is
done only upon request or when the
inspector sees fit.
The only regular inspection OF
scales is made but once a year, usu-
ally in September. In this month the
inspector makes the rounds of the city
and after testing scales affixes a pa
per seal, which bears the date of the
inspection and his signature. 1t is a
common sticker and Is as easy to re-
| move as to attach. A dash of water
from a sponge when the scales are
being washed removes the sticker and
| all indication that the inspector ever
| has seen them.
1t is possible to bring about altera
tons in all scales no matter what
their kind and when the owner knows
! after the inspe ctor has passed in Sep
tember he will not return for another
year. there is nothing to prevent the
dishonest person from turning a SET
screw or otherwise shifting the bal
ance so the scales will record in his
| favor.
Once year is all that the inspector
Is required to make an examination oi
scales and apply tests under the city
ordinance. This ordinance was pass
ed in 1887, before the days Of ice de
livery combinations and yellow wag
ons. The ordinance does provide tha
the inspector shall seal all scales BY
stamping, branding or otherwise af
fixing thereto, on some conspicuou.
the proper figures denoting the de
nomination thereof; said letters shal
be taken to mean Richmond Stand
ard and when affixed to any weigh
or measure by said sealer shall hav,
the effect of a certificate that sucl
weight or measure has been testet
by said sealer under the provisions o
this ordinance and the same is cor
rect.
The labels applied by the inspecto
do not show the initials ''R. S." in &C
cordance with the ordinance.
Never Inspected.
: Inspector Waterman said yesteI
day he does not inspect scales at an
time except in September unless b.
is requested. This morning a report
er went into a large uptown grocer
and asked to see the seal on tn
scales. The man in charge was toll
the reporter was looking for the IF
s." why, we have put in new scale
and they never have been inspected,
was the astonishing information. TIL
scales had been in use for severs
months but were not stamped as the
never had been inspected. There !
every reason to believe the scales ar
perfectly correct, but the inspecto
knows nothing of them and will nc
until next September, unless he make
personal investigation.
The city ordinance referred t
above states further: "It shall be Ill
!, lawful for any person or company Ell
gagged in the business of buying, sci
Ing, exchanging, bartering, peddlint
or hawking in the city of Richmon
any goods or merchandise, to use l
determining the weight or measur
the quantity of such goods or me
chandise, for the purpose of sale. ba
ter or exchange any weights, mea
ures. scales, beams or other instr
ment or means therefor, unless tn
same shall have been inspected b
the sealer OF weights and measures a
provided in this ordinance"
Waterman was asked IL he wait
until September to inspect the scale
in use by the ice company when til
ice season is practically over. H
said he visited the barns of the cor
> pany on the west side in June an
tested the scales. Inspected in Jun
1t was only about one month unit
the scales used on delivery wagon n
8, were found to be IL pounds sho
on each 100 pounds. This scale sho,
I ed no seal and what may be the CO
l. dition of similar scales on other wa
L ons is matter for conjecture Or
Main street confectioner had been a
+ customed to record the weight of il
: he received daily from this wagon, n,
knowing the incorrectness of IL