The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-04
CAN BE SAVED BY
HONEST WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Colonel Richardson in Letter Public Points Out the Gre
Benefits Come From More Strict Inspection.

An earnest effort liz being made to
secure the passage, by the general
assembly, Of the bill amending the
law regulating weights and measures.
This bill was endorsed by the national
conference on weights and measures
and like similar legislation proposed
in other States, looks to uniform laws
throughout the country. Col. John
w Richardson, register Of the land
Office and ex-officio state commits
sioner of weights and measures, adj
dresses to the public. through the Vir-
ginian, the following letter on this
very interesting and important subject:
Commonwealth of Virginia.
Land Office
Richmond, Va, March 2, 1914.
To the General Assembly and the
People of Virginia:
/ beg to submit the following state
ment on weights and measures in the
State OF Virginia, and what has re-
suited from the conferences that have
been held having an the primal object
the bringing about of a uniformity in
the laws of all the States, bearing on
weights and measures etc
When I went into office as register
of the land office. and as such ex-
efsicio superintendent OF weights and
measures in the year 1897. !, as soon
as l could get my bearings, began 10
look into the department Of weights
and measures. ! found that only nine
counties, and two cities In the State
had sealers, and following this infor-
nation, ] wrote to the Judges having
Jurisdiction. and the appointing pow
err In the other cities and counties
without seals asking the appointment
and equipment Of same.
Today there are fifty-five seaIers
at work, forty -four having been ap-
pointed and equipped On my request,
them, thus leaving forty seven coun-
ties now having no such officer.
The reason mainly for existing con-
ditions in the forty-seven counties, Is
that no one could be found willing
TO serve under the laws as they now
stand. the pay of the sealers being
provided in q small fee, which in most
counties would yield an income not
sufficient to defray even the travelling
expenses OF the sealer.
The "Bill' which follows, will make
a general change in the laws gov
erninE weights and measures, will do
away with the fee system, provide
q flat salary, and place the power to
appoint sealers In tho hands OF the
power to fix and pay their salaries.
So much difference existed In many
States In the weights OF commodi-
ties and the dimensions OF measures,
containers, etc, as to attract the at
tention OF the United States bureau
OF standards, at Washington, d. c.,
and resulted in that bureau writing
every governor OF all the States to
send their State sealer, or someone
else to represent the State In con-
ference OF State sealers, uniformity
being the end in view, and on January
Is and II, 1905, the first conference,
composed OF State sealers, was held
at the bureau OF standards, and or
ganized as The National Conference
Of State Sealers."
At this conference seven States
and the District of Columbia were rep
scented. and of these, two only were
Southern States, viz. Virginia and
Kentucky, the former being represent
ed by me, and the later by @. Lynn
Goooh, congressman from Kentucky.
Conferences have bsen held annual
~ since, and at the meeting in May.
1913. which I again attended as Vir-
ginia's representative, twenty one
States and twelve cities reported.
After a three days' discussion on
the best methods to bring about uni
forTnaty in weights and measures in
all the States, the following preamble