The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-07-11
To Help the Farmers

The standard barrel law passed in ii
68d congress became effective July
1916. Under its provisions a standar
size barrel is required for the packing K
shipment of all dry commodities. FL
some reason the provisions Of this Ia
were not brought to the attention Of til
farmers and produce growers until aft
they had placed their orders and mad
their contracts for barrels for this year
crops, which barrels 20 not come With
the provisions of the new law, and th
use OF which, under this new law,
punishable with heavy penalty. Whe
the law was called to the attention
these produce growers it was immediate
ly seen that it would entail upon tnen
heavy loss if they were not permltts
to use the barrels which they nao a.
ready contracted for and in many cases
had paid for. A number OF the grower
of the Second District took the matte
up with Congressman Bacharach. The!
stated to him that they had no objection
|
but they would like. if possible, to OBJ
tain permission to use the barrels which
they had purchased for this years crops
and stated that they would be willing tc
mark these barrels I barrels, even
though the amount they contained was
greater than barrel. Mr.. Bacharach
Immediately took the matter under con-
sideration, and made representations to
the Bureau of Standards, asking that
they co whatever could be done to help
the produce growers in their present
difficulty, for in some cases, if they were
forced to discard the barrels on hand and
purchase new barrels, it would be much
cheaper for the growers not to market
the produce. In any event the increased
cost would have to be borne by the con-
sumner, if they were forced to buy new
barrels. Upon the solicitation Of Mr..
Bacharach the Bureau of Standards
took the matter under advisement, and
rendered decision, as follows:
Until October 1, 1916, barrels having
a capacity of less than one standard bar
rel and more than / standard barrel may
be used but only in case each of such
barrels SO used is clearly, conspicuously
and permanently marked, branded or
stenciled in letters and figures at least
one inch in height, with the words I
Standard Barrel If the barrel has two
heads such marking shall be upon both
heads or upon the side of the barrel, and
if the barrel has but one head such mark
ing shall be upon the side of the barrel.
Barrels having capacity OF less than /
standard barrel but more than 1 stand
ard barrel, and barrels having capacity
Of less than u barrel but more than !
barrel may also be used but only if each
barrel is marked n Standard Barrel, or
] Standard Barrel, respectively, in the
same manner as is required in the case
of the barrels mentioned above.
1.-THE conditions under which such
barrels may be used should be thorough
ly understood and strictly followed, since
if they are not fully complied with the
user will be liable to the penalties pro-
be noted that no other markings than
those mentioned above can be permitted
since no other sizes than those mem
toned are recognized in the Standard
Barrel Law. Therefore, the marking of
a barrel with its actual capacity, such as
IL pecks, or marking it short, will not
exempt the user from the penalties pro-
vided. OF course, it is obvious that the
barrels SO marked as above must be sold
on the basis of the marking thereon;
that is, for instance, barrels marked Z
standard barrel may not be delivered or
billed as barrels when commodities are
contracted for, or ordered by the barrel,
or when barrels are purported to be de-
livered. After October l, 1916, no barrel
may be used which is not of one of the
sizes specified in the Act, and any per-
son using for purposes included within
the Act, barrels of other than the sizes
prescribed will be liable to the penalties
provided by the Act"
Producers using their barrels in ac-
cordance with the above decision will
therefore have no reason to fear that they
are transgressing the law and be subject
to arrest therefor. 1t should be plainly
noted that this exemption applies only
to October l, 1916, and growers should
see that all barrels which do not conform
to the law are used up prior to that date.