The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-28
City Weights Inspector HamiI-
ton Makes Serious Charges
Claims They Are Giving ''ShOrt
Weights" and No Tickets.
SPLIT THEIR LOADS.
Officials Claim That Dealers
Play Many Tricks.
Hamilton Asks That Buyers
Save Scale Checks.

Closely following his open declara-
ton of war upon the Topeka mer-
chants who sell goods below cost
and upon the alleged fake advertis-
ing methods practiced here, City
Inspector of Weights and Measures
c. B. Hamilton calls out his private
militia and charges upon the farmers
and dealers who bring and sell hay
IN this city.
That the people of Topeka are re-
ceiving short weight hay every day,
that some of the haymen are taking
advantage of the carelessness of the
people and "skinning'' weight tickets
and that dishonest methods are used
in the selling of hay, is the spirit of
the new war cry which has been
adopted by the fighting city inspector
today.
But Mr.. Hamilton is not blaming
the haymen anymore than he does
the people who purchase the hay. AS
a remedy for the short weight evil
said to be practiced here, Mr.. Hamil-
ton suggests that every person who
buys hay should require the hayman
to deliver the official weight ticket
to the buyer. eff the buyer will then
forward the ticket right to me I will
check up the amounts with the
scales and all short weight complaints
will end in the court" said Mr., Ham
ilton.
Il desire to impress upon the parties
who buy hay the Importance of insist
ing upon the scale ticket being deliv-
cred with the hay said Mr.. Hamil-
ton in explanation of the remedy IF
the people will mail these tickets to
me as soon as they receive them 1 will
have a perfect check on the dealers.
1t is a fact that much of the hay sold
in this city is short weight. 1t will
be very easy to stop this business if
I can have the scale tickets and can't
DO it any other way. If the people will
continue IN sending these tickets to me
I will be able to stop the whole thing
in a few months"
The city ordinance covering this SUBJ
ject saws:
1888. Weighing, and weigh ticket
required. 1. 1t shall be the duty of
every person, firm or corporation sell
ing or delivering hay or coal in the
city of Topeka by weight, by the
wagon load. or any part thereof, to
have the same weighed on some scale,
within the city of Topeka, and to send
by the person in charge thereof to the
person to whom such commodity is sold
or delivered, ticket showing the gross
and approximate net weight of the
same; the date on which such commo-
dity was delivered; by whom sold; by
whom delivered and to whom sold or
delivered. Within "A hours after the
delivery of any such commodity, the
owner shall cause the wagon with which
it was delivered to be weighed on the
scales upon which the gross weight was
ascertained, and the record of the
weight Of such wagon shall be imme-
oiately recorded as hereinafter pro-
vided; such record shall be open to the
INSPECTION of the city inspector of
weights and measures at all times"
The penalty of not delivering a tick
ct, or giving the wrong ticket, or
failing to follow out all the points of
the law is fixed at a fine of not less
than SIS and not more than $500. Con-
sidering the spirit displayed by In
spector Hamilton the man who is
caught will receive a heavy fine.
Some of Their Schemes.
1t is stated by the city officials that
the hay men have number of
schemes of cheating the people. Some
of them will not deliver the tickets,
it is said. Others will have their hay
weighed at one of the six official scales
in the city, received their tickets and
then go down the street, where they
will split their load and deliver it far
under weight. The average buyer or
ders his hay and does not see it again.
1t is hauled to the house. thrown in
the barn and all trace of it is lost as
far as the weight is concerned.
Then it is stated by the officials that
others will buy the tickets themselves
at the stationery stores and fix them
up the way they please. There are a
score of schemes of giving the buyers
short weight and the city inspectors
have all of them on tap, but without
the tickets from the buyers they are
unable to make any proof.
Complaints come to the office of the
inspector every day. asking that the
weights be verified and stating that
there has been a short weight. But
the buyers always fail to ask for the
scale ticket, which is supposed to be
delivered to them by the hay men, and
the city official is powerless to act
The charges of Mr.. Hamilton will
affect large number of dealers and
will open the eyes Of some of the big
buyers in the city who have paid little
attention to the new ordinance passed
last summer.