The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-10-16
SAYS FUEL LAW
IS NOT FORCED
Erickson Blames City for
Wagon Controversy

That the present controversy over
the sire Of delivery wagons used
by wood dealers II caused by no
flaw IN the law covering tho mat
ter. but by the failure OF the
weights and measures department
Of the city TO enforce the law. Il
the contention made by Councilman
Oliver T. Erickson IN answer 70 Tho
Stars recent editorial captionsd.
Council Should Remove Absurd
Limit on wood"
The mill wood provision Of the
weights and measures ordinance was
passed two years ago" he said. Thru
tho efforts OF some large fuel dealers
who hold themselves above tho law.
encouraged by q city employee whose
duty II was to enforce this ordinances.
II became q dead letter. Tho mayor
hns made some inquiry about this
'incurabIe.' 20 he rushed out and mr.
rested dealers who want 10 comply
with the law. but have been prevent.
ed from doing 90 by his obstructive
tactics
This standard for load OF mill
wood II not a freak. an you have
been led TO believe. All tho talk
about fuel dealers being arrested for
generosity II blather and smoke
screen The standard we adopted
has long been In use IN British Ca
lumhia. and was taken bodily from
the British Columbia law. II was
passed upon and approved by the
forestry department Of the uniYer-
sity Of Washington and subjected 10
many hearings before tho COMMITTEES.
1T provides that 81 cubic feet shall
constitute n single load OF mill wood
and fss cubic feet double load. II
the virtuous dealers who are fight.
ing this ordinance want 10 sell dou-
bic load Of wood for the same price
thai other dealers sell a single load.
they are not prohibited. Before this
standard was fixed. a load OF wood
was anything from an armful to a
box car full. AS this kind OF fuel IL
usually sold by the load. the council
determined TO have n load mean
something, Just ms i2s cubic feet in
fourfoot wood mean a cord.
Now. you and some OF the fuel
dealers demand that we set a mini.
mum standard for a load OF mill
wood That Is something new in
weights and measures. In selling
groceries. for instance. we should
have a pound OF butter OF IS ounces
or more. a quart of milk Of two plnts
or more, dozen eggs OF ~ eggs
or more.
IF we fix a minimum standard for
wood. don't know why grocsrs
should mos demand II for their wares.
You may affnc that wood Is differ
ent from groccr.ea The state law
has fixed standard for ~ kinds OF
fIrewood other than mill "a inches
long or shorter and II has nd mini.
num- II has been incorporated In
our weights and measures ordinance
and reads as follows:
"'Section IAN. II shall be uniaW.
fui for any vendor OF firewood IN the
city of Seattle. or his servant. agent
or other empioyc. 10 sell or offer for
sale the same in the city Of Seattle
In any quantity or by any measure
except by the cord, or fractional part
thereof. The standard measurement
of n cord OF firewood In the city In
hereby fixed and established at one
hundred and twenty eight u2s) cubic
feet
Here II another leaf from the
same ordinance:
"'section a. That II shall be I'm.
lawful for any vendor. or his serv-
ant, agent or other cmploye. to ex.
pose for sale. or offer TO sell, or sell,
or cell and deliver any coal. or coke.
by the sack having more or less than
one hundred 400 pounds. net weight.
Of coal IN each such sack OF coal. or
more or less than fifty 500 pounds.
net weight. of coke In each such sack
Of coke
There In no minimum In either Of
these standards. Think OF Il. sack |
81 coal shall be 100 pounds. no less
md no more. II one Of these benevo-
ent fuel dealers wants TO tuck an
,zfra 10 pounds Of coal In a sack he |
= subject to fine of 800 or 30 days
n fail unless he paints tho actual
weight Of the coal on the outside Of
he sack and publishes his generosity
o the world.
Have the virtuous fuel dealers or
heir champion In the weights and
department cried out
against this injustice to fuel buy.
rsy'