The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-05-21
StaQQerinQ Statistics as to the Annual Loss Of the Poor
by Reason Of Fraudulent Weights and Measures
It Amounts 900 Year in New York State Alone
--One Consignment Of 100000 Berry Boxes
Found Short Measure.

Albany, n. Y.-Poor people in this
State, who have to buy their food
supplies in small quantities, were
robbed Of about $20,000,000 last
year by reason of short weights and
small measure, according to an esti-
mate made by Fritz Reichmann, State
Superintendent Of Weights and
Measures. OF that loss about $10,-
100000 came from the people in New
York City, in spite of the municipal
bureau Of weights and measures, OF
whose head Superintendent Reich
mann has not very complimentary
opinion.
"The people wholose most through
faulty weights and measures he de-
clared, "are the very poor, who have
to buy in small quantities. This State
Is so far behind it's neighbors that 1t
naturally becomes the dumping
ground OF short weight and short
measure goods. Russia, which we
consider a barbarous country, Is so
much better governed than New York
State in respect to its weights and
measures, as to ms Ike us blush"
Primarily the reason for this great
defrauding Of customers by dealers Is
not dishonesty, in Superintendent
Reichmann's opinion, but the imper-
feet laws, which leave each munich
pality to work out its own destiny,
with merely a general supervision on
the part of sadly handicapped State
department. Thus dealers In one city
supplying retailers in some other city
with different regulations as to
weights and measures. or perhaps
negligent inspection or no inspection,
may unintentionally perpetrate a
fraud, which the retail dealers would
pass along or Intensity.
"To be sure" Mr.. Reichmann con-
tinued, there is much dishonesty,
deliberate and intentional, In every
large city and many small ones, and
It Is to guard against this that the
sealers OF weights and measures have
to watch constantly.
Berry Boxes Short Measure.
81 stopped consignment of 600,-
900 berry boxes to New York City the
other day from one of our upstate
Cities" the Superintendent added.
"They were short measure. The con-
signor said they were to be used for
the wagon trade.
The staggering statistics which he
produced as to the total annual loss
from fraudulent weights and meas
ures were compiled by taking twenty
foodstuffs. the average proportion OF
loss found by the departments tests
and the average consumption yearly
of the twenty articles chosen.
"They were twenty average COM
moditiee-flour. bread, meats, eggs,
butter, coffee. tea, sugar, beans and
the like" said he. Those figures,
too, are conservative. II anything.
the amount would be larger rather
than smaller"
To take one example. He esti-
mated that on dried beans the con-
sumer paid for some $4,000 worth
of beans more than he received In
the course OF year. What purport-
ed to be a quart of dried beans was
purchased by one OF the inspectors in
a grocery store for twelve cents. The
beans and the bag containing them
were weighed and found to weigh
90 s-32 ounces. The bag weighed
9-32 OF an ounce, leaving for the
beans % 1915 ounces. A correct
quart Of beans Is supposed TO weigh
exactly thirty ounces. Thus on that