The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-01-04

concerning standardizing the weights
and measures which are being used by
the merchants and all those who dis
pense articles by weight and by meas
ure. In the past little heed has been
given to this item in Marion and Ma
rion county. All that has teen done
has been done by the state officials,
the law which makes the county au-
ditor the sealer of weights and meas
ures for the county having been APP
parently overlooked.
Heretofore the people have been
depending wholly upon the honesty
of the merchants and vendors. There
has been no little complaint, but II
has been nothing but a muttering,
no definite action having been taken.
Since the basket. purporting to hold
a bushel has come into general use,
there has been more or less COM
plant against its use. Some of the
baskets hold a bushel, while others
are not claimed to hold that much
In cases where the basket does not
hold a bushel 1t is originally sold for
basketfull and not for bushel, as
in many instances of fruits which are
the fruit has been emptied from the
basket it is often used again and when
a purchaser bargains for bushel of
potatoes or apples, he gets a basket
full and not bushel One merchant
in conversing recently stated that he
lost out during the peach season last
fall because he bought and sold BUSH
els and was not able to meet the
prices which were asked by others
who sold by the basket. To many peo
pie, basket of peaches is a basket
of peaches. it matters not whether II
contains a bushel or only three pecks.
The statute provides that the state
dairy and food commissioners shall
be the custodian of all standard
weights and measures and that they
shall be kept in the state house for
comparison will all sample standards
which are brought by the different
deputies throughout the state. wheth-
er city or county. 1t also provides
that the county auditor shall be the
sealer of weights and measures for
the county and that he shall have
copies Of the standard weights and
measures as adopted by the state and
with these he shall compare all
weights and measures which are
brought to him and destroy all Of
those which do not come up to the
standard. All those which do conform
| to the standard must be sealed with
a letter 80 and have the date of in
specton stamped on them. For this
work the county auditor has the auth
ority to appoint a deputy who shall
be paid the fees prescribed by law,
The statute governing this mhtter
reads;
Sec. 2615. BY virtue of his office,
the county auditor shall be county
sealer Of weights and measures and
lshall be responsible for the preser-
walton of the copies of the original
standards delivered to his office. II
shall be the duty of the county au-
ditor to see that all state laws re-
lating to weights and measures be
strictly enforced throughout his coun
ty and to assis generally in he pro-
secution of all violations OF such
laws.
Sec. 2616. The county auditor
shall compare all weights and meas.
ures brought to him for that pur.
pos, with the copies of standards in
his possession. When they are made
to conform to the legal standards
the officer comparing them shall sea
and mark such weights and measures
No weight, measure, balance of Other
weighing device shall be used oi
maintained for Weighing or measur
ing in this state unless such weight
measure, balance or other measuring
device has been scaled or marked
by the state dairy and food commits
sioner or any cmploye of said com
missioner detailed for that pupose, OF
by any county sealer or by the sealel
Of the city or village in which Tho
same Is used or maintained by stamp
ing upon each the letter 80" and tn,
last two figures Of the year in whfcl
1t has been compared with the lega
standards, adjusted and foun OF
made TO conform to said standards
with seals to be provided by sait
dairy and food commissioner for tina
purpose. Whoever violates any of tn,
provisions of this section shall be fin
ed not less than fifty dollars nor NOR,
than one hundred dollars for the frs
offense and for each subsequent of
fense shall be fined not less thar
one hundred dollars nor more thai
five hundred dollars and imprisoned
for not more than ninety days ol
both. A justice of the peace, polio,
Judge or mayor shall have final juris
diction in such cases as in cases o.
violation of law relating to the adul
teration of food and drink and dairy
products.
'Sec. 2622. Each county sealer oi
weights and measures shall appoint
by writing under his hand seal. a de.
putty who shall compare weights anC
measures brought to the office of the
county sealer Of weights for that pun
pose with the copies OF the oigina
standards in the possession of the
county sealer who shall receive foi
the performance of that duty the com
pensation In each case provided by
law, Such deputy shall also be en-.
!, ployed by the county sealer 10 assist