Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-11-29
FARMERS WILL NOT
Be REQUIRED TO BUY
EXPENSIVE SCALES
Only Accurate Scales viii Be
Required AT Salem Public
: Market


held last Saturday was rather slim on
account, to large extent, of the mis-
understanding that arose in the minds
of large number of the growers of
produce as to the requirements of the
scales to be used. Some of the farmers,
no doubt, labored under the impress
sion that they were liable to arrest if
they did not. purchase an expensive
scale and as they use their scales only
one day in two weeks at the most they
cannot afford as elaborate scales as
the merchants.
The office of weights and measures,
however, does not require the farmers
to purchase an expensive scale, simply
an accurate one, and they may buy as
costly or an inexpensive scale as will
meet with their pocket book limits as
long as the scale will weigh accurate
ly. The only scale that will be uni
versally condemned is the "family
scale" This family scale is an over
suspended scale, that is, the article
to be weighed is placed in the pan
above the mechanism of the scale and
the scale will not weigh accurately in
all instances as has repeatedly been
proven by tests.
No complaints have been made
though to the office that the patrons
Of the public market have been short
weighted but the only recourse of the
office of weights and measures under
the law is to see that the scales weigh
correctly to the fraction Of an ounce.
This has caused some of the farmera to
believe that they must buy an expen.
sive scale or be. arrested and rather
than conflict with the law some of
them refTained from coming to the mar
ket at all. The worst that could hap.
pen to them would be to have their
scales condemned if they were found to
be inaccurate and they would not be ar
rested unless they persisted in using the
particular scale that had been condemn
ed by an official weigher after test.
The state office of weights and meas
ures has lately received number of
requests from people desiring to sell
commodities, through the medium of
the "public Market for information,
relative to the kind of scales to use.
AS number of cities in this state
have made provisions for these mar
kets, and that there may be no mis-
understanding as regards the attitude
of this office in relation to the same,
the following statement is issued by
Fred G. Buchtel, deputy state sealer:
"The status Of the public market in
sofar as the office of weights and
measures is concerned, is exactly the
same as that Of any other place of bust
ness where commodities are sold TO the
general public, and the sole interests of
this office lies in seeing that the scales
in use are correct and that full weigh,
and measure is delivered. The scale
may be as expensive as the owner may
desire to purchase, or as Inexpensive, if
accurate, as he can obtain.
"Inasmuch as the scales must be
carried each time to and from the mar
ket and as they are frequently exposed
to the weather while in use, the latter
class (inexpensive) will probably be
found better suited to the requirements
of the average market man; and of
these there are many; the ordinary
swinging dial, with the commodity pan
suspended beneath, being a type that
will be found sufficiently accurate to
pass inspection and yet cheap enough
to appeal to all who desire to do bust
ness correctly.
"Do not buy scales commonly known
as family scales or those of similar
type; as the name implies they are not
nor never were intended for use in
trade, are generally inaccurate and will
not pass inspection, Furthermore pur-
chase your scale subject to the approx
al Of the office Of weights and meas
ures, with the privilege of returning it
if inaccurate Any conscientious mer-
chant dealing in scales and desiring to
retain your patronage, win not hesitate
to afford you this protection. This
office will be pleased to furnish
further information, relative to weights
and measures, or their use, to any one
desiring the same.
"FRED G. BUCHTELL,
"Deputy State Sealer. u