The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-04

They were scattered about the city. the
larger number being In the vicinity of
the coal yards. Their instructions were
to take an occasional loaded coal wagon,
drive it TO the nearest public scales, weigh
the entire load, that is the coal and the
wagon, then go with the load to the pur-
chaser, securing there q copy of the order
and delivery receipt, and then take the
wagon back to the same scales. where the
empty wagon was weighed. In that way
We could obtain the actual net quantity
of coal and then check it with the deliv-
cry slip.
Under that system. yesterday. out Of
fifteen loads of coal, coming from seven
O. eight companies, we discovered six
loads with 4 total excess of 345 pounds
and nine loads with a total shortage OF
3,255 pounds.
Companies Take Notice.
Il think the demonstration effected
through these fifteen loads was product
i've OF good. At least the companies took
quick notice. Early in the forenoon. short
" after the men had been out. an at
torney representing one of the coal COM
panies, called me up on the telephone and
Informed me that some men representing
themselves to be plain clothes men, were
inteTCepting the coal drivers ana making
them go to a scale to weigh their loads
He asked me if 1 knew anything about
this and if IT was done under my author
lty- told him it was and then he
wanted to know on what I based my au-
tfoTlty. / really told him that 1 was not
sure of the legal grounds, but was relying
at least on public sentiment. Apparently
he was not quite satisfied with that and
went on up higher for a few minutes later
Acting Mayor Ferry called me on the
phone, saying he had just heard that po-
hCemen were stopping the coal wagons
and asked substantially the same oues-
tons as those put by the attorney l
could only reply as 1 did to the attorney.
There may be no statute for my &C
ton, but / am willing that a civil action
should be brought against me by the COM
panies if the public does not believe 1 am
doing right in trying to see that they Sc
cure all they pay for"
Names Are Withheld.
Chief Barlow would not divulge the
names Of the coal companies whose wag-
ons were overhauled yesterday. SAVING
that he would wait until he had received
an opinion from the city attorney. He
stated positively, however, that this was
but the beginning of a system of super
vision directed toward the protection of
the purchasers we would have begun
this earlier" he said, but for the con-
dition of the roads and the fact that we
have been unusually busy of late. We
mean to evolve system that will protect
the purchaser. At present it is a little
crude, but 1t will be perfected so that a
check can be made on these coal wagons
quickly and without the use of unneces-
gary Hiett- 1eSteTudN We gave CaCn OF
the men detailed on the work 50 for the
purpose of paying for the use of the pub
lie scales and also paying the driver for
the loss of his time in going to the scales.
The total expended by the eight men in
securing the evidence of the fifteen loads
was $500
Chief Barlow also stated that he would
not stop with the coal wagons. but that
he would direct his attention also to hay
wagons and other products delivered in
the city.