The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-23
INSPECTION TO Be
MADE OF WEIGHTS
Atlanta Will See That New
Law Is Enforced
STATE LAW is IGNORED
Georgia Has Had Inv on Weights and
Measures With Penalty for
False weights Which Is
Not Enforced

Atlanta, May 22.-(Special.)- in New
FORK, Massachusetts and some of the
other states of the east they are trying
to help solve the problem of the in
creased cost of living by more careful
inspection of weights and measures, upon
the theory that part of the extra cost
may be found in short weights.
Reports of wholesale discoveries by in
spectors of fraudulent weights and meas
ures in the hands of retail dealers have
set people down this way to thinking.
OF course, so far as increased cost of
living is concerned this would affect only
the customers of those who were UNI
principled enough to use short weights.
This might be a great or comparative
ly small number. but at present nobody
knows anything about the number affect
ed or the extent of it,
The Georgia law on the subject, having
been given up as a dead letter years ago,
Atlanta's city council has recently taken
hold of the matter: it's action being based
also upon the theory that more careful
supervision is needed in big city than
in the smaller places or the country coun-
ties.
Under the terms of the Atlanta ordi-
pointed by the mayor for q term OF two
years an inspector of weights and meas
ures at salary of 500 per month. He
is to be under $1,000 bond, and may be
| removed by the appointive power for in
competency or neglect. The ordinance re-
quires that he shall examine and test
the scales of all dealers who sell COM
modties or merchandise by weight or
measure, at. least once month. He is
also to have authority to test the weight
of coal delivered in wagons, and of the
empty wagons. He may stop the driver
| of a coal wagon anywhere on the streets
and compel him to so to the city scales
to see that his load is up to the amount
for which the bill is rendered.
AS to penalties, there are two kinds. In
the first place, if the inspector finds any
short weights or measures he is to serve
notice upon the firm or individual using
| them. and they must be corrected within
| 10 days, otherwise it becomes the duty
of the inspector to seize them in the
name of the city.
| In the next place the ordinance makes
| 1t a msdemeanor, or what is in effect a
misdemeanor, for any person or firm to
| employ short weights or measures, the
punishment being a fine of $40 to $lO0, or
Imprisonment on the public works for 80
days, either or both in the discretion of
the recorder.
The ordinance applies To grocery stores
wholesale and RETAIL coal dealers and all
who sell commodities of any sort to the
public
| Georgia has had law against the use
of short weights and measures since 1876,
but 1t has long since fallen into disuse.
Under the terms of this law set OF
standard weights and measures was,
years ago, furnished to the ordinary of
each county by the state, and the ordi-
nary was required to provide himself
with stamp for stamping all weights
and measures inspected by him which
come up to the standard.
| The law requires that all persons selling
by weights. and measures shall have them
so stamped by the ordinary, and any per-
son selling by unmarked weights or meas
ures is prohibited from collecting more
commodities so sold.
| Selling by false weights and measures
Is made a misdemeanor, indictable by the
grand jury and punishable as the law
provides Complaint may be made by
any person of deficient weights, and the
party complained of Is then required 10
submit his weights and measures to the
ordinary for inspection. If found dencient
1t is provided that indictment shall follow.
These are, in the main, the features OF
the Georgia law, but so far as Is known
no case has ever been made unoer II.
Scarcely % of the counties now have
the sets of standards which were furn-
ished them by the state. And those sets
cost $500 or $500 each. No appropriation
has ever been made for replacing them.
What has become of the set of stan
ia rds furnished to this, Fulton, county,
nobody seems to know. The ordinary
saws there was a subsequent law passed
providing that they should be turned
over to the county commissioners ana
the county commissioners have no idea
where they are. Possibly they are stored
away in croker sack In some Ola vault
possibly they have been thrown out as
junk. ;
And it is just the same way In many
counties OF the state.
There is some talk of taking the mat
ter up at the coming session OF the iesis-
lature, and revising the law so as 10
bring it up to date.
But little can be accomplished except
NV ,nspection. The state has provided
for inspection in the matter of protecting
the people against impure and adulter,
ated foods. and, why, 1t is asked, should
not similar protection be afforded against
false and fraudulent weights and meas
ures? -,
Possibly some such action as TINS VIII
he taken. At any rate there Is sooo
deal of talk about 1t just now.