Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-23
The HQSkin Letter 81 r : %s4a
STANDARD WEIGHTS.

| equipped that a little round piece Of
the glass case works on a lever and
pushes the scale pan outside the case.
The scientist al then place the
weights on the scale pan without open
ing one whole side Of the case and let
ting in dust.
For careful work the weighing ex-
per sometimes stands eight or 10 feet
away from the glass enclosed balance
so that the warmth of bis body may
not affect the reading. He reads the
figures by use of a telescope and
mirror.
In the basement of the building il
the ever temperature Dol where still
greater precautions are taken to
achieve exactness. The room is built
with an extra double wall of hollow
tile, 50 that when it Is kept closed the
temperature remains constant to within
one-tenth of a degree in many hours.
The most important balance in the
building is here. 1t is protected from
vibrations by having its mount on q
separate foundation from the floor.
For special research problems a
vacuum can be created in it's metal
case.
Improved Standards In States
The official gold plated weights of
all of the states are referred % the
government standards when necessary.
New sets of standards for Wyoming
and Massachusetts are being tested in
the bureau laboratories at present.
They will then be sent to each state
capitol, and entrusted to the sealer of
weights and measures or the CORE
spending state official.
A few years ago, when the govern
ment began to promote more accurate
weighing in markets and stores, in the
effort to eliminate fraudulent weights
and measures, most of the states
hardly knew that they had official
standard weights.
In one state the set of official
weights was located in a junk shop.
In another it is said that they were
melted into bullets during the civil war.
In several other states they were
hidden away in vaults and cellars of the
state capitol and forgotten. Now
every state realizes the Importance Of
accurate weighing based on reliable
standards, although some states have
gone farther than others in making and
enforcing laws.
Nothing like the minute exactness of
tuC ptiEdu VI etdubuIuo "oth 10 ga
pected in every day weighing. The
bureau experts can weigh to one-mil-
lionth of a milligram, . distinction so
fine that we cannot grasp any idea of
it. But the bureau scientists also be-
lieve that common sense should be ap-
piled to weighing problems. when it
is necessary to do highly accurate
work. we can; when it isn't we don't"
one official says.
Very fine work is being done with
weights and balances now. In the past
Is years apparatus has been so highly
developed that even the scientists in
their striving for perfection say that
their laboratory work is good enough
for all purposes.
Laboratory weighing is far ahead of
practical, everyday weighing. The fed
eral experts are working now in CO.
operation with the states for more uni
form state laws and fair weight for
the public. In the golden age of some
day the people Of one state will
have to accept as honest weight
that which by law is dishonest in other
and the grocer's thumb in all its |
will no longer be included in the
of the purchasers package.