Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-02-18
FROM THE STATE INSPECTOR
STATE INSPECTOR II. Il. FORRES-
TOR CLEARS UP SITUATION
IN REGARD TO SHORT
WEIGHTING IN
DEBORAH.
RumOr About mgvOldstad 4 Co
Being Subjected to Fine, Prov
en- False by Inspectors
Letter.

Letter.
About two weeks ago a report was
circulated around town to the effect
that Ingvoldstad & Co., and several
other merchants had been subjected
to a fine by State Inspector H. E.
Forester, for short weights. Like
scandals, this false report travelled
on myrid of legs, and soon it was
public property, undoubtedly believ-
ed by some and doubted by others,
as such kind of reports generally
are. To circulate such story about
reputable business firms without any
! foundation, whatever, is a shame,
and in this instance there was no
! foundation for it, as a letter below
from the state inspector will show.
Mr.. Ingvoldstad took the matter up
with the inspector, requesting let
ter from him for publication, as to
whether or not he ever subjected
them to a fine for short weights, at
the time this report was circulated,
or any other time. A letter from the
| inspector, which is published below
brands the report as false, giving
Ingvoldstad & Co. clean sheet, and
| illustrates that if the golden rule
was followed a little more closely,
many scandalous stories would never
be started. Furthermore the inspec-
tor says he never made case
against a single DEBORAH merchant
for short weight, and that certainly
speaks we'll for the honesty and up
rightness of our business men in gen.
eral. Following are the letters
which speak for themselves:
DEBORAH, Ia, Feb. IA, 1914,
Mr.. H. E. Forester, State Inspector
Charles City, Iowa.
My dear sir:
On or about Jan. 20, 1914, you
visited DEBORAH, Iowa in your official
capacity as state Inspector Rumors
were circulated soon afterward to the
effect that coal weighed out from our
scales had been found short and that
we had been subjected to a fine
These and other rumors of like ma
ture have been put out in an effort
to harm our business and the repnta-
ton for honesty and square dealing
we have gained, during our 16 years
CT business in DEBORAH
Believing that you are interested
in promoting honesty and Justice. in
business affairs and that you would
wish no business interests under your
inspection to be injustly dealt with
or slandered, may we ask you to give
us statement to the following
questions: 4
Did you during your inspection ON
or about Jan. 20, 1914 or at any 9TH
er time find either. our scales or coal
weighed out on our scales, short
weight? n, 81
Did you ever find reason to com.
plain about our business and sub
ject us to fine2 .As. ~
Believing that we owe it to the
public and to ourselves, we wish tol
give to the public your answer to our
questions. Thanking you for al
prompt reply we remain
Yours truly, -
INGVOLDSTAD & CO.
Per w. B. Ingvoldstad.
Charles City, Iowa.
February 18th, 1914.
lngvoldstad & Co.,
DEBORAH, Iowa. n
Gentlemen
Your favor of the 14th inst, at
hand and in reply will say-So far
as l know personally, you have not
been subjected TO fine by the State
OF Iowa for short weight on coal or
for inaccurate scales.
On my visit to DEBORAH about jan
uary goth, 1914 / did not weigh any
coal from your yard.
/ might say in connection with this
that | have heard the .rumor that is i
currant in DEBORAH regarding short
weight given by several merchants
OF your city and / will say that ri
have never made case against sin
gle merchant of that town for short
weight. Yours very truly,
H. E. FORESTER.
-o-