Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-15
SEALER TO WAR ON
PACKAGE ARTICLES
Contents Weigh IA Ounces, lie
Says, and Carton the
Balance.
TELLS WHAT HIS OFFICE
HAS DONE DURING YEAR
confiscated 1,344 Measuring
instruments and Improved
Conditions at Markets.

Work done by the city department
Of weights and measures to decrease
the cost of living and save the poor
from additional hardships by frauds
il detailed in the annual report of the
department prepared by sealer of
weights and Measures John II. Sulh-
van
a big improvement in conditions as
compared with other years is shown
as the result of the crusade by Mr..
Sullivan and his men. During the
1874 measuring instruments were
confiscated, 496 condemned for re-
pairs and s96 adjusted. The total
number inspected was 25,422.
Referring to his campaign against
short measure in coal and his plan
to check up and reweish all com
modifies put up in packages, the
sealer says:
ssThe sealers last year made many
reweighings of coal in quantities from
fifteen pounds to four tons, the out
come of which has resulted in the Of
tenders being fined to the extent OF
$50 and costs of court. The amount
Of prosecutions does not give a clear
convention Of the value of this i'm
nortant work. The activity of the in
sneetors and the knowledge which Of
Tending coal dealers have that the
sealers are pursuing an active war
fare on this form of cheating acts as
a deterrent in the practise of fraud.
The saving TO the purchasers OF coal
made by this office in preventing de-
ception in the sale of this commodity
alone. | feel justified in saying, will
amount to a sum sufficient to main
tain this department.
fAs it is very important that we
should from time to time check up
and reweigh packages ready for sale
or delivery, next year | intend that
more time be given to this line OF our
work. AS it is our duty to regulate
the sale of all commodities sold by
weight or measure, the grocers and
butchers have been made to under
stand that wooden plates and heavy
wrapping paper used to contain but
ter, lard, meat and groceries cannot
be included in the weight of the
article purchased.
ETluL DulleT was cOlu III ~ iAAS
that weighed from IA to Is ounces.
The consumer would ask for pound
of creamery butter and was handed
one of these prints. After careful
investigation I discovered that the
grocers were not to blame for the
shortage. I took the matter up w1tn
me -cres meries and the commission
men. and convinced them that short
weight prints would not. be tolerated
in this city, and today print butter
that weighs less than Is ounces is q
very scarce article in Newark.
During the summer months we
made several early morning raids in
the Centre Market and found many
farmers and peddlers with short
measures. l also learned that It was
the custom to sell vegetables and
fruits by the bag or box, and the
purchaser did not know how much
be was getting. Baskets and meas
nres now used in Centre Market have
the capacity of quarts plainly marked
thereon.
After asking the cooperation of
every housewife and consumer in his
campaign for honest weights and
measures. Mr.. Sullivan invites them
to call up 100 Market and ask for
the city sealer when they are sus-
picious of weights or measures.
In commenting upon his work, the
city sealer states:
i have often been asked the ques-
hon, DO you find that the most of
short weighing is done Intentionally?
or DO merchants know that their
measures are Incorrect In many
cases the fraud is, no doubt, de-
liberate; in others it is due to criIni-
nal carelessless. Some merchants