The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-22
SEALER KELLY'S
SCOPE WIDENED
Increased Funds Permit
More Rigid Inspec-
Pedd1ers Must Get Licenses
While Milk Bottle and
Whiskey Flask Examina-
tions May Find Vio1ators
of Container Law.

Through a realization of the effec-
tive work of the Department of
Weights and Measures during the past
year, appropriations have been grant
ed SeaIer Dennis Kelly for the COM
ing fiscal year which will permit of
a much wider range of protection than
heretofore possible in Bridgeport.
When seen in his new offices in the
Warner Building Sealer Kelly said
that where only $3.50 had been avail
able last year to conduct the work, he
had been informed that an amount Of
$1,65S.75 exclusive of salary had this
year been appropriated. OF this
amount $56S.75 had been requisition-
ed for new weights, scales, and other
technical equipment used in unmask-
ing the various frauds perpetrated up
on the consumer by unscrupu1ous
tradesmen. The sum of $500 is grant
ed for transportation, which not per
mitting the purchase of a. much need
ed automobile still affords ample
funds for the transportation of heavy
weights used in testing the heavier
scales in various outlying sections of
the city.
E'whiIe the complaints about gross
irregularities in scales used by store
keepers are not so frequent since dis
honest merchants know that an in
spector is walking about the city, yet
there are still many. short-weight in
struments and containers. used by
dealers who are themselves not aware
of defects said Sealer Kelly.
Probably the hardest to locate at
the present time are those in use by
wagon vendors, but with the passage
of the recent ordinance requiring ev-
cry peddlerv to secure and display a
license tag, to be issued by the police
department, this will be greatly rem
edied. The law which will become ef-
fective on April 1, ordains that appli-
cation for such license shall be made
to the superintendent of police, who
after receiving assurance from the
sea1er that the measures have been
duly tested, will issue the necessary
municipalities for wagon and owner.
These are being made by the Board
of Contract and Supply and are ex-
pected by the first of the month.
''Then again there is the computing
scale which while seldom found in
tected by the finest test-weights. These
we have not been able to purchase
from our friends the past year, but
will now have ready for instant use.
Do you know that have even found
one computing scale in Bridgeport
the dealer. The slightest dispIace-
ment of the recording chart on such
machines works for or against the
owner,and can only be repaired by ex-
perts from the factory In such cases
it is necessary to temporarily con-
denim the machine and seal it tightly
against use until repaired.
Among the equipment shall soon
have at my command will be a large
office balance, delicately poised, and
capable of detecting the slightest
variations of scale beams. This is
specially constructed for seaIers of
weights and measures and will be a
H.
There will be complete assortment
of brass capacity measures and test
weights duly certified to by the State
Superintendent of Weights of Meas
ures, and against which no objection
can be brought in court of Justice
Asked if a close supervision of milk
bottles will be made under the recent
net-container law, SeaIer Kelly said:
Complaints properly lodged with this
office will receive careful investiga-.
ton, but it will be impossible for one
man to seal all the bottles in use by
miIk-peddlers in this city. Such an
attempt was made in Boston and with
over seven clerks, who devoted their
entire time to the work, it was found
impra ctica bic. A number of bottles
have already been guaged and found
correct and wherever possible others
will be inspected.
Several complaints under the net
container act have reached me regard
ing whiskey sold by the flask. These
have already been gauged and found
the required amount, and before con-
tinuing a sale in fasks stamped with
contents marks, sa1oon-keepers will do
well to assure themselves that the re-
ceptacles are bona-fide.
With the statement that he believed
there was less violation of the weights
and measures laws than ever Before
in Bridgeport and that with the trans
portation granted by the Board of Ap-
nortionment a closer inspection in all
sections of the city would be part of
the coming campaign, the interview
was concluded.