Evening star., 1932-10-04
COAL LOSS Barred
FOR D. C. CONSUMERS
IN FAULTY SCALES
Continued From First Page)

Of checking the accuracy Of scales fol
weighing heavy merchandise.
Fenton M. Fadeley, chairman Of the
coal division, further declared that the
District did not obtain this needed
equipment until representatives OF the
merchants association waged persist
ent campaign before District Commis.
sioners and members OF congressional
committees in favor Of an appropria-
ton for the item.
Any implication that only the con-
suming public is the loser from mac
curate scales is unfair, Mr.. Fadeley de-
clared since such a scale may work te
the disadvantage OF either the Goa
dealer or the buyer.
Dealers Back Move.
Coal dealers of Washington, Mr.
Fadeley continues. are just as interested
in maintaining accurate scales as any
one else.
He pointed out that since in former
years the District Weights and Meas
ures Department was net equipped with
weights or other equipment for check
ing the accuracy Of scales weighing
heavy merchandise. the merchants were
forced to borrow weights totaling 70 O0t
pounds from the Bureau OF Standard;
in order to check their own scales.
Because of the calls made on the
Bureau of Standards for use of theil
weight measures. Mr.. Fadeley con.
tinued, the bureau recently notified the
merchants that they no longer coulc
borrow these measures. To meet this
emergency, Mr.. Fadeley said. his con-
cern has just placed an order for the
purchase of 10000 pounds Of weights Sc
that it could make frequent check.
against the accuracy of their scales.
Mr. Fadeley added that one check hi
had made against the accuracy OF hi.
own firms scales indicated that hi.
Arm had lost as much as slo,O 900 in on,
year by reason of giving overweight
measure to his customers.
Equipment Lacking.
He pointed out also that until tn,
District obtained the new weights ane
truck to check the accuracy OF heavy
duty scales, the local Government in.
spectors were equipped with facilitie!
for checking but per cent OF the tota
capacity of the larger trucks and scale:
of tic dealers.
Mr. Fadeley made public a letter HI
wrote to Mr.. Roberts, superintendent o
weights and measures, under date o.
January %, 1927. declaring, in part:
I'VE have urged for many years th'
absolute necessity Of having available
more comprehensive and adequate tes
for heavy-duty truck scales. Year BY
year we have been handling larger ane
larger equipment ttrucks) carrying
greater and greater loads. To meet thes'
conditions we have replaced our scalei
from time to time until we are nov
operating six scales, each with ca.
pacity of 10000 pounds.
In weighing coal, we have alWay'
had two things in mind, protecting thu
consuming public from short weight!
and protecting ourselves from givinl
overweight. The least variation II
either direction leads to q condition
which, for our tonnage (well over 100,-
coo tons per year, amounts to q very
great sum Of money.
Pleads for Tests.
1--WE know that the present test Is In
adequate and we are therefore inevitably
drawn to the conclusion that 1t is per-
fectly possible in spite Of our UmoSt care
that either the public or our firm coulc
lose considerable sums Of money each
year. Such condition can be corrected
and we feel that every poss Gle steI
should be taken toward that end.
I'VE feel that continued failure te
have such test available will be moth
ing less than criminal negligence"