Evening star., 1936-08-02
A CENTURY OF MEASURES
Decades of Confusion and Turmoil Preceded Federal System of
Standards Determine Just What Citizens Should Get
for the Dollars They Spend

by Congress in regard to weights and
measures, but, because no standards
had ever been adopted, 1t was not Lut
into effect at that time.
In the early l800s the flood Of petit
tions to Congress from the States
imploring some real action looking
toward Standardization Of weights and
measures continued. Delaware, In
particular, was insistent and at In
tervals its Congress members sought
to stir their colleagues to take some
step. All such moves proved abortive,
however.
There the matter rested until 1916,
when President Madison reminded
Congress that no provision yet had
been made for uniformity. So COM
mittees were named and reports MADE
and the question debated, but still no
affirmative action.
Early in 1921, Secretary OF State
John Quincy Adams transmitted to
Congress q report that became the
classic summation Of the problem.
Adams delved deep into the history OF
weights and measures and described
the various systems used in foreign
lands and the natural reasons Tor thelr
adoption. He also dwelt upon the
growing confusion caused by different
standards in use in the several States.
THIS caused appointment of another
l. House committee and in about a
year it reported resolutions designed to
render uniform and stable the meas
ures and weights which we at pres
ent possess"
Even this detailed charting Of the
course failed to awaken response and
four years elapsed before Congress
again considered the subject. Then, in
1926, an effort was made TO have the
length of the yard officially deter
mined. The English had established
the standard yard of 1850 as the one
from which all their measures OF
length, weight and capacity, were to be
derived, and had also declared the rel
ative proportion Of that standard to be
the length of a pendulum, vibrating
seconds in London.
The length of the English pendulum
had been determined with great care
by the apparatus Of one Capt. Kater.
The pendulum of Capt. Sabine, who
also had done important work along
this line, was taken to New York and
its length determined there by Sabine
and Prof. Renwick Of Columbia. 1t
was then proposed in Congress that
the pendulum be measured in Wash
ington, thus forming tri-city chain
of experiments subject to no sensl-
bic error"
Then followed long debates in Con-
gress, during which evidence was de-
veloped that the Government had suf-
fered great losses in revenue through
varying weight and measure stand
ards at customs houses.
Two years later. however, Congress
did get around to passing bill con-
tinuing the mint at Philadelphia and
establishing the troy pound of En-
gland as the standard weight for gold
and silver In the United States. This
mint act of 1928 was the first law en-
acted by Congress relative to uniform-
ity in weights and measures which
was effective in producing results. The
troy pound adopted was copy of the
British parliamentary troy pound OF
1853, recognized and designated in
1924 as the imperial troy pound Of
Great Britain. 1t was procured in 1927
by Albert Gallatin, American Minister
at London, and sent by special mes
senger to the Philadelphia mint.
THIS standard weight was Of brass,
as was the original. 1t was en-
closed in a casket under seal Of the
American Legation in London and was
accompanied by certificates testifying
to its accuracy. Casket and certifi-
Gates remained under seal in Phila-
delphia until President Adams arrived
October IL, 1927, and verified Gala
tins seal and other facts regarding
the authenticity of the whole trans
action.
AS result of congressional action in
1880, Secretary of the Treasury Ing
ham designated Ferdinand Hassler,
superintendent of the Coast Survey, to
make o comparison Of weights and
measures in use at the various Gus
tom houses. This showed wide range
Of discrepancies and the situation
was pronounced "a serious evil"
Hassler was instructed to proceed
with construction Of standard weights
and measures for the custom house to
insure uniformity. It was decided
that the yard of SO inches, the avoir-
dupois pound Of 1000 grains, the gall
lon of 23l cubic inches, and the bushel
Of 2,150.42 inches be adopted. A brass
bar made In London and brought to
this country In 1913 was used to fix
the official measure Of length. The
avoirdupois pound was derived from
the troy pound Of the Philadelphia
mint. The units Of capacity selected
were closer than any other to the
average In use in the United States
at that time.
Work Of constructing actual stand
ards for the custom houses then began
In earnest, and the movement to sup
ply the States as well as the custom
houses with copies gained ground
rapidly. It eliminated In 1886 with
the adoption by Congress Of resolu-
ton: ''That the Secretary Of the Treas
ury be, and he hereby is, directed to
cause Of q complete set Of all weights
and measures adopted as standard and
now either made or in progress OF
manufacture for the use Of the several
custom houses, and for other purposes
to be delivered to the governor Of each
State in the Union, or such person
as he may appoint, for the use Of the
States, respectively, to the end that 9