The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-06-10
SHORT WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Conference Held Wednesday at
MONTPELIER

ence on weights and measures called
here Wednesday by Gov G. H. Prouty
brought out a goodly representation
of we'll known men from various parts
Of the state. Governor Prouty pre-
sided at the conference which was
held in the board of trade rooms. In
calling the meeting TO order Cover
nor Prouty expressed his surprise and
qualification at the large attendance I
He. said he had called the conference
because he thought the question of
weights and measures should be dis |
cussed In Vermont today along
these lines things are not what they
should be and he believed further leg
islation on these subjects is desirable.
Governor Prouty then called on p.
r. Hazen, superintendent of the Fair
| banks Scale works at ST. Johnsbury.
Mr.. Hazen said he had attended three
of the five national conferences on
these matters that have been held at
Washington, D. c., since 1906 He
explained the scope and work Of the
bureau of standards at Washington
and said the present law in Vermont
in regard to weights and measures is
q dead letter because it has no pow
er to enforce its provisions. Mr.. Ha-
zen referred to like conditions that
prevail in Massachusetts,, Rhode Is
land and other states and believed
the laws in regard to weights and
measures in the different states
should conform 70 those OF the feder-
al government for the sake of unifor-
nifty II for nothing else. In the opin-
ion of Mr.. Hazen the use of short
weights and measures in Vermont is
not general and in most cases where
it is practiced it is due to ignorance
Of the law.
Perhaps the most interesting feat
ure Of the afternoon was the report
OF Inspector Holbrook who visited the
cities of Vermont this spring. This
report was read by l.. A. Fischer Of
the bureau Of standards at Washing
! ton.
Mr.. Holbrook and other inspectors
, have visited 80 cities in 26 OF the cas-.
! tern and southern states. Mr.. Hol-
brook visited Brattleboro, Burlington.
: Barre, st. Johnsbury, Rutland and
Montpelier in Vermont. His report
stated that he found conditions here
similar TO those In other states. In
Vermont an average of 40 per cent
OF all the scales tested were incor.
rect and of these so per cent were
short weight In one city IN butter
sold in prints the variation in one
store was from lG lilo ounces to a
pound print to an ounce and quarter
less than pound. In another city
: he found three butter pats one-hali
and seyen-tenths OF an ounce short
Of pound He found liquid meas.
ures used where dry measures should
have been which means 10 per cent
loss to the purchaser, One oil pump
was found that was % per cent short
Numerous other examples were cit.
ed and Mayor Burke Dawley Of Mont.
! peller and representatives OF other
5 places visited by Inspector Holbrook
pressed Mr. Fischer for a bill OF par.
4, ticulars but while he was willing to
! give such information in private he
, would not give out for publication the
-; names Of short weight dealers and
merchants. Mr.. Fischer said the only
, protection against such fraud IS
, strict laws competent inspection and
a rigid enforcement OF the law.
, On motion OF A. J. Whitman OF
, South Royalton the governor was re
quested to appoint as soon as con.
venient committee OF five TO draft
: a law OF 1914 for enactment that
shall remedy the defects I'm the pres
ent law and make IL effective
The present law in Vermont on this
subject seems TO be vaguely or i'm
perfectly understood even by the
great majority of those whose bust
ness success or failure depends upon
correct scales. weights and measures
II provides that the state treasurer
shall keep the scales. weights and
measures provided by the government
and that on penalty for non.concur
renee the several county treasurer,
shall keep set OF weights and meas
ures approved by the state treasurer
The law also provides that a persor
who knowingly uses for the nurpos,
Of purchase or sale or keeps for pub
Tic use, a balance. scale. weight OF
measure which does not conform I,
those adopted By the state shall b,
subject to heavy penalty.
AS an evidence OF how little atten
ton has been paid to this matter h
past years the records OF the stat
treasurers Office show that only one
while the Office was held by Henry +
Field OF Rutland. and once during IN
\ encumbency Of John L. Bacon o
II Hartford was the state treasurer cal
L cd upon 10 prove and seal a set q
q weights and measures. State Urea.
urer +. II. Deaviti has performed mi
duty once while he has been In oflc
and has one such call not IN hand
These are the only instances OF sue
e requests In 20 years.
The present agitation OF the matte
was largely brought about By the fac
that few months ago the Unite
states government which has 70
years been advocating more strlngen
81 laws I'm rpunrd 10 xY.fwhtu 81 49,.