Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-06-23
MILK BOTTLES NEXT
Systematic Inspection to Deter
mine Their Capacity
Scales Belna Tested In Brattleboro Stores
for State commIssloner-Agent OF
Manufacturer Also Here.

After inspecting the greater part of
the scales in the stores of Brattleboro
Charles Henry of Chester. representing
tho office of Commissioner of Weights
and Measures Hugh Henry, says that
conditions here are as near the standard
of requirement as they are in any town
I'm Vermont. AS reported in last weeks
issue of The Phoenix the chief trouble
with the weights here is that they give
too much to the customer and Mr..
Henry has been compelled to drill out
some of the metal from the weights in
several stores. Mr. Henry, who has
been here this week. carries with him
complete apparatus with which to test
weights and measures and as this is the
first inspection to be made in this town
he was surprised not to find more
weights short of the requirements of the
statutes He finds that storekeepers
here do not realize the value of keeping
their scales clean. After weighing diff
ferent sorts of articles they become
dirty, the pivots get clogged and the
scales do not balance easily and are as
apt to give overweight as not to give the
buyer full weight. In several stores he
spent a little time in cleaning the appar-
atus and telling the storekeepers the
many little points they are apt to over
look. but he cannot do this in every
place he visits as his time is limited
He has not yet made a systematic in
spection of the milk bottles and other
liquid receptacles,- but he has tested
few and found them up to standard. He
will leave here next week and return in
about two weeks and will then examine
them Systematically. In Massachusetts,
the inspection of weights and measures
has been going on several years and
milk bottles are being watched contin-
ually by the inspectors. Without doubt
4 IL. a. lO1I f1,1
specified amount, and where they go is
mystery. 1t is suspected that many find
their way into Vermont and perhaps
there are some in Brattleboro. On his
next trip Mr.. Henry will make 1t
point to find out whether the dealers
here are buying and using short weight
measures and bottles. The law specifies
that every measure of capacity for use in
trade shall have the denomination and kind
thereof permanently marked on the out
side of such measure in legible figures
or letters" Very few milk bottles are
marked although it is simple matter
for them to be marked with acid or
sand blown. Mr.. Henry is waiting until
his next trip in order that the dealers in
liquids may have sufficient time to
conform with the law. Where copper
measures are used, if they are up to
standard in capacity, it is simple mat
ter to have them stamped on the outside
with dies. Tin measures are easy to
obtain marked according to law. The
inspector finds that the so-called pound
packages of butter vary from II
ounces to more than the necessary 16
ounces. To comply with the law dealers
will have to charge for the actual weight
Of the butter in the future or sell it by
the package.
Up to a short time ago the five inspec-
tors employed by the commissioner
worked together, but they now are widely
scattered in different sections This
makes it difficult for hired agents of
scale manufacturing companies to work
in the same towns with them and repair
the scales so as to give correct weight
before the state inspectors arrive at
store. Not all scale manufacturers do
this, but some do. A man has been
working in Brattleboro this week, some
times arriving before Mr.. Henry at
store and sometimes not being so for
tunate When Mr.. Henry makes his next
visit here he will engage a heavy team
and inspect the large scales used for
weighing hay, coal and heavy articles,
besides testing the liquid measures. 1t
has not been decided definitely whether
to condemn the so-caled computing"
scales, which are supposed to figure the
correct weight and price of any article.
They are apt to be not up to standard
and the figures may often be juggled at
the will of the weigher, especially when
the article weighs 10 or more pounds.
There are many in use and to condemn
them would mean expense to many deal