Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-16

the inspectors Of the weights
and measures office Of the District spend
each business day testing scales and
measures Of every kind and thus secur-
ing for the District housekeepers a full
measure Of all they purchase. Scales be-
longing to the finest little shops as well
as to the large grocery stores and the
markets are tested and either approved
or condemned and conflscated.
Il i
The iceman must have his scales in per-
feet condition and must be ready at any
time to guarantee that all Of his Ice is
served at full measure. Coal wagons are
stopped and the contents weighed. The
huckster has to be very shrewd to play
any tricks with his berry boxes. In fact
a close watch is kept by this Office over
all those articles that make up the ne
cessties Of life, and "a full measure is
the password.
The office rooms in the District build
ing Of Col w. C. Haskell, superintendent
of the weights and measures Office, are
literally decorated with measures. scales.
milk bottles, ice cream boxes and other
for testing purposes. On the basement
floor of the building Is a room that might
almost pass for a junk shop. for its walls
are lined with shelves containing all
varieties Of battered tin measures and
some that look new and perfect, but are
labeled with the fatal word condemn
ed" Scales. about which there is some
trick find their place in this room
along with bottles, huckster's baskets, oil
and milk cans and other articles that
have failed to comply with the standard
measurements.
Many Of these were first discovered by
the two inspectors who compose the field
force Of the office. With the aid Of
horse and wagon these men make their
rounds Of the District, calling unexpect
eddy at all places where produce is sold.
Though the work for each day is planned
ahead 1t requires six months for the men
to cover the entire District. Thus twice
a year each dealer is called upon and
charged on his scales a small fee, which
makes the Office self-supporting.
Should g. dealer neglect or refuse TO ex-
hibtt to the inspector hts weights, scales.
measures, beams or other instruments
used for weighing or measuring, or should
he use measures that are not conforma-
BILE to the standards, he is liable to a
prosecution and a fine. Though the fine
never exceeds 500 and the costs Of prose-
cution, the dealers In some instances are
to law must be held in prison until pay
ment is made. The term Of imprison-
ment. however. is limited to six months
and the fine is regulated by the courts
Reports show that during the past seven
years 483 cases have been prosecuted and
the total fines for that period amounted
to S. 1876
The office supports itself by the fees
collected each year for the testing OF
weights and measures. A printed schedule
OF the fees charged for the various kinds
Of instruments used in weighing and
measuring is made and displayed in the
Office. The fees charged for testing the
cents to s.. The weights and the dry
measures of half-bus or less are sealed
at 10 cents each. Liquid measures OF one
gallon or less and yardsticks are also
tested at this nominal fee. The dry and
liquid measures, larger than the above
named, bring in a revenue Of % cents
each.
The basement room Of the Office con-
tains among its relics an oil can that
most cleverly served in a scheme to cheat
customers Of one gallon Of oil out of every
five. It was quite by chance that the
fraud was discovered, and serves as an
example Of the continual vigilance that Is
necessary on the part Of the inspectors.
The office wagon passed an Oil cart on
the street one day and under ordinary
circumstances would have gone on with
his guilt by rushing madly for nearby
house. carrying his can with him.
The case looked suspicious and tho in
spector Immediately inquired as to his un-
necessary haste and the oil can was ex-
amine4- When filled with oil and carried