The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-03-19
ROBBED BY FALSE SCALES
Superintendent Of Weights and
Measures Says People of New York
Lose Millions Every Year.

Albany. March l9-~That the PEG
pie of New York city are robbed an
nually of from S2,0000O0 to 100000
in nfe's necessities because OF the in
efficiency of the bureau of weights
and measures has been proven by
searching investigation by my inspec-
tors. Chief Patrick Derry has re-
signed because Of disclosures as to
his maladministratiOn. rather
think Mayor GaynOr will clear out all
Of Derry's twenty subordinate end
put men in charge who will protect
the poor consumer rather than per
nit him 10 be robbed
State Superintendent of Weights
and Measures Fritz Reichmann made
this statement on receipt of reports
of an inquiry initiated by him last
June. These showed:
Fmst-That more than ~ per cent
of the scales, weights and measures
in the metropolitan district are incor-
rect.
Second-That of 1853 of those ex
amined in 6l7 groceries provision
stores and meat markets 1887 were
wrong and 1922 right.
Third-That the inaccuracies var
led from to IS per cent.
superintendent Reichmann has for
warded to Mayor Gaynor an abstract
of his discoveries all sworn TO by his
inspectors. 1t includes records of
tests made in Manhattan along Riv-
| ington, Orchard, Elizabeth and
Spring streets, Broadway, Amster-
dam and Columbus avenue; in Brook
| Ign, Fulton and Meserole streets.
Broadway, Bushwick and Graham av-
enues; in the Bronx, Wendover
Washington and fremont avenues
in Queens, Flushing, Corona, Elm
hurst, RocKaway, jamaica in Rich
mond, Tompkinsville. Stapleton, Port
Richmond, Tottenville, New Bright
on and West New Brighton
Mr., Reichmann wrote to Mayor
Gaynor: THE facts seem to clearly
indicate that the bureau of weights
and measures has not accomplished
with any degree of approximation
that for whihc it exists, namely Sc
| curing correct weighing and measur,
ing apparatus in use in trade for the
| protection of the legitimate dealer
and the consumer. The quantity de-
livered is of the most economic i'm
/ portance, particularly to the poor. 1t
is highly regretable that such a state
of affairs should exist, The chaotic
conditions clearly indicate that there
is a lack of intelligent appreciation
of the economic importance of sys-
tematic weights and measures inspec-
ton, irrespective of the fact that
the ordinance governing the subject
particularly prescribes the sealing.
Mayor Gaynor appears to have
been appraised early the present
month that Superintendent Reich
manns deputies were probing his
weights and measures bureau He
wrote Reichmann March /: q should
be glad il you would call in and in
spect my bureau of weights and
measures some time when you are in
New York and | should like to talk
to you about it."
Superintendent Reichmann visited
the mayor last Friday and exhibited
some data secured during his months
of inquiry.
"The mayor" said Superintendent
Reichmann. told me to go into the
bureau and get all the personal infor-
. nation | could. did so. ! found II
completely demoralized and Chief
/ Derry absent left word for him to
notify me as soon as he returned He
did so but before | could get within
reach of him he had turned his res.
ignation in to the mayor. was in
formed that he some time ago wrote
out his resignation leaving it undat
ed. He has filed in the date and got
out He should have plenty of com
pany"