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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1911)
SHORT WEIGHT IS ROBBING PEOPLE One-Third of Scales Is Found Incorrect and Consumer Gets Worst of It. PORTLAND AMONG BEST Inspector Hotbrook Finds Staler Toe Well With 6cant Facilities, but Conditions at Seattle and Salem Are Bad. r"Titlng1 fmm rift Pit'.) one a year. scales scaled In J SOS were found In use last month. Ths Sealer admits thla condition exists, but de clares the growth of the city has been so rapid that It has been impossible, with his present force, to cover the around properly. However, the Sealer Is commenced for the success he hss attained under the circumstances, he having; secured 25 convictions out of I cases brought Into court last year, the fines ranging from 110 to 30 In every case. Most of these conviction were for selling- short measures of wood and coal. Commenting; further on conditions In Portland the report made to Director Stratton says: "In the testing; of apparatua other than scales very little la done, and It Is admitted that liquid measures, oil pumps, measures of length, etc.. are tested only upon request or complaint. The testing of all these kinds of appa ratus Is required by Uw. however. Lit tle Investigation Is made Into cases of short weight except upon a complaint, and It appears probable on this account that much short-weight Is being; given which Is never discovered." Many Scale Inaccurate. tMirlng his stay In Portland Mr. Hol brook tested scales of different types. Sixty-four per cent were found correct a variation of 1 per cent or less beln held correct!, whlls S per cent were Incorrect. As proved to be the case In all other cities, only a small percentage of the Incorrect scale i erred In favor of the buyer: most all the In accuracies favored the dealer. One pair of scales tested, and computing; scales at that, was found to be more than 12 per cent inaccurate, the error being In favor of the dealer. In other word, thai purchaser, thinking h was buying a poun.l. as measured by these scales, waa getting only H ounces. "Many of tha errors noted." says Mr. Holbrook. "were due to lack of balance at xero. It Is a peculiar fact that the sealer her has been accustomed to pay but little attention to such errors, and usually balanced the scales before a test waa matte. Since an error in bal- ance causes a corresponding error on ' every Indicated value when the acals is . working correctly, the balance becomes ,'ona of the most Important factors In the delivery of short weight- This matter waa brought to the attention of the official, and It Is probable that mora care in this Important detail will be exercised in the future. "It appeara that the lack of a higher percentage of accuracy Is due largely to this fact, as well as to the Infrequent tests made- The principal market place, wnere more iretjuem .r-i. -made, compares very favorably with similar markets heretofore inspected. Ueneral condltlona in Portland are enormously better than In Seattle, where no Inspection service exists, which some scales are being dishon estly used is well shown by store No. 14. In this store three scales were In use. each being correct. A number of one-pound packages of coffee had been put up by the merchant and were so exposed for sale. Investigation showed that some of these package weighed only 13 ounces, a shortage of 18.8 per cent, while a general average of all the packages was only 14.04 ounces, a gen eral shortage of l. ounces, or 1I.S per cent. These errors could only be due to absolute fraud. Under a provision al lowing the sealer to prosecute when short weight la offered or exposed for sale, shortages like these could be quickly detected and the offender pun ished: and a few examples of this kind would tend greatly to Improve condi tions by discouraging fraudulent prac tices of this sort. "No dry measures are found In use bere. most of the vegetables, nuts, etc.. being bought and sold by weight. In some cases potatoes, etc. are retailed by the 'bag.' no definite weight or measure being guaranteed: and cran berries are very largely being sold by tha liquid quart, shortage of sbout 15 per cent resulting. This method, al though against the law. has never re ceived the attention of the officials. In tha cases noted by me. 60 per cent of the dealers were selling cranberriea by liquid measure. Therefore half of tha consumers were receiving less than the proper amount and half of the mer chants are trying to compete with oth ers upon an unjust footing. The city department should systematise affairs fev forcing these merchants violating the law to deliver full weight or mess tire la this commodity. Weight of Batter Is Short. "The weight of the print butter is liere very Important. Ilnce nearly all butter la being retailed by the print. It la of further Interest on account of the provision of the state pure food law. which provides 'every square or roll of butter kept, exposed, or offered for sale In the State of Oregon shall contain not lesa than eight ounces. If ounces or 13 ounces, and each square or roll shall be plainly marked with the number of ouncea they contain.' "Because this provision Is placed for enforcement In the hands of the pure food department, the sealer here has not been vigilant In enforcing full weight In this commodity. But It Is es sentially one of. his duties, and some time might well bo put upon this lm portant detail of the work. "In the Investigation. 133 one and two-pound prints of 23 different brands of butter have beens) weighed. .It was found that the marking of the weight upon the prints, as required by law. Is being generally compiled with, although some ranch butter was found not to be so marked. One brand Is stamped 1S ounces' very conspicuously, but was be ing retailed by tha "pound"- neverthe less. This brand was found on sale In only one case. -The Investigation showed that the pound' prints have an average shart ase of .3 ounce or l.ST per cent, and the two-pound prints have an average shortage of .5 ounce or 1.76 per cent. Kour brands out of IS of the one-pound sise were full In weight (within 1 per cent), while five brands were more thsn 3 per cent short, the lightest brand being 4 per' cent short. In .tha case of the two-pound prints seven brands out of IT were not mora than 1 per eent light, while seven oranas snow a greater deficiency than 1 per cent. The lightest brand, ranch hotter, had a shortage of 11 per eent and this. It la claimed by tha retailer, was not being old aa two pounds of butter, but by the print. or In larger quantities by actual weight. "The Investigation showed sn average shortage on all butter of 1.8 per cent. These results sre very much more ae curate than In the majority of cases found elsewhere on this commodity. The error In Portland Is only half of that found In Seattle, and In addition tha weight of the butter In the latter city has been somewhat Influenced by- the law here, since Oregon butter, stamped aa required by law. Is on sale there. The error Is very nearly the same as that found In Spokane. In which city a similar provision of law Is being en forced by the city department of weights and measures. It therefore appears that the law la doing much to Increase the weight of the butter prints, although the maximum weighty has not yet been ob tained. "A violation of the law Is found in the case of several firms packing their own brand of lard in tin palls. These firms state the price of lard as IS cents per pound, three pounds for 45 cents, five pounds for 75 cents. an 10 pounds for 31.45. and yet In palls deliver only about 3 pounds ounces for three pounds. 4 pounds ounces for five pounds, and 3 pounds 2 ouncea for 10 pounds of lard. It Is true that large manufacturers reg ularly pack In these sixes gross weight, but In their case no weight Is stated, the lard being sold In No. 3, No. 5 nd No. 10 palls, or else gross weight Is stated. Such methods are not being used In Portland, however, aa has been shown, and the violations are therefore positive ones. "The weight of loaves of bread Is not fixed by ordinance, and data obtained shows that the average weight Is lower than In Ppokane. where 14 ouncea Is specified Many loaves weighing 13 ounces ia9l even less are being sold in Portland through this neplect The milk bottles tested show no serious shortages, the average contents being very nearly correct." Portland Not the Worst. In concluding his report on Portland. Mr. Holhrook says: "Conditions are very much better In Portland than conditions in any unpro tected city in this section. The moral effect of prosecutions for delivery of short weight coal snd wood must. I be lieve, have greatly reduced shortages In these Important deliveries. It must be remembered, also, that the Portland Weights and Measurea Department is the only one In th's section, and Is greatly hampered by the fact that no co-operation can be secured In any part of ' tha state. When these th'nga are taken Into' consideration. I believe that great credit la due the Sealer. The work done and the good accomplished by his department has certainly Justified its existence, but with more adequate state laws and Inspection service In nearby territory the resulta are bound to show a great Increase of efficiency here." Conditions Bad at Salem. Reporting on condltlona at Salem. In spector Holhrook says: "Salem, although the Capital City, has no local Inspection service, no ordinances on the subject of weights and measures, and no city standard. The county au thorities pay no sttentlon to this Im portant subject, either In the county or i . ...ni t nmtArttnn what ever 1b afforded the honest ami legiti mate mercr.ant or tne consumer Miunm dtehonest competition and short weight mmmiviltlH The resulting conditions were found throughout tha city to DO very unea.iiisciory. nt nf lha mr a 1 a In com mercial use In Salem, which were ex amined, are correct. I nis i true noi- uh,i.Mtln (K. fart that all the ID- . . . I n , V. . maWlrv nf the taHAr (IBI . u a a u J " s ctores In the city has been tested. The errors are in many cases, very serious ones, occasionally Being greater man n cent were working In favor of the user, and only 17 per cent tend to deliver over- -1 .. . mvA nA ar-a ! havinc a greater error than per cent favored ' the pur chaser. ucn percentages very show that all of the errors cannot be t I .in., it w almriMt certain that the fast' and 'slow errors would be more evenly dlstrioutea were tnis wm ess"- , "In one of the largest stores In the city four scales were In constant use. and every one bad errors ranging from . vnr wiU tending; to deliver less than the indicated quantity. These errors occurred Dy a isjse ueuauvo at sero. which is an inaccuracy that n he at once discovered and checked by the users of the scales. In Oregon City, wnere an examination was aleo made by the Inspector of the Bureau of Standards, conditions were almost Identical with thoew In Salem. Korty-nine per cent of the scales In- . i Anj 4 a he InAtr urate. avevici - most of the Inaccuracies, aa usual, favor ing the dealer, some tne acaies wtro m per cent short- ' BLACK HAND GANG SPLITS After Routing White Hand, It Starts Factional War. CHICAGO. Jan. 38. The White Hand society, an organization of wealthy and Influential Italians, formed for the purpose of driving the Black Hand out of this city, has Itself been routed and rival bands of the criminal organi zation have entered upon a war of ex termination against each other, accord ing to police officiate. Fully a dosen of the unexplained murders on the North Side during the last year now are attributed by the police to Internecine strife between the Black Handera. Tha police yes terday gave out a list of five dead and said they had established a con nection between these men and a Black Hand suspect who Is In the custody of the United States authorities on the charge of using the mails to extort money. All of the five dead were under po lice surveillance and acocrdlng to As sistant Chief Schuettler, their untimely deaths saved them from arrest on sus picion of being Implicated In the set ting off of black hand bombs. A deadly feud exists between what Is called the "Old Chicago gang" and the "Eastern gang." The former have been residents of the city for upwards of five years and the latter settled In Chicago after being driven out of New Tork following the murder of Lieuten ant Joseph , Petroslno in Sicily In March. 103. Division of territory and spoils following the route of the White Hand Is said to have caused the feud. 28 ASK F0RP0WER SITES Oregon Is Among; States for Which - Water Permits Fend. WASHINGTON. Jan. 28. Applications to the forest service for permits to use water power sites within National for ests now number 8. Since the promulgation of the new regulations twelve projects have been' acted upon. The permits pending are located In Washington. Oregon. Montana, Idaho. Colorado. Utah and Minnesota. It la expected these will be passed upon within a short time. They are now in the hands of the district foresters, and If favorably reported will be turned over to the companies wh'ch will build the projects. Jamaica Wants -1915 Fair. KINGSTON. Jamaica. Jan. 38. The Jamaica chamber of commerce Is direct ing a proposal to recommend to the Gov ernment the holding fwf a big exposi tion here In 1914. coincident with tha formal opening of the Panama Canal. Kdlefsen's cvala satisfy. 39ul. E 303. LIBERALS UNITED, TORIES QUARREL Approach of Supreme Struggle About Veto Finds Popu lar Party One. TORIES WILL FILIBUSTER Attempt to Prolong Conflict in Brit ish Parliament Till Coronation ' May Cause Kin to Act Home Rule All Around Possible. BY T. P. O'CONTTOH. . P. (Special Cable to the Chlcaso Tribune. Copy right, 1011. by tha Trlbuna Co. I LONDON, Jan. 18. Between the pol irv and tha Dumose of the two English. parties there remains the same curloua contrast. On the Liberal eiae mere is confidence and fixity of purpose and a u. ..ir whlla tha Tories still OUar rel and still oscillate between the tac tics of reason ana oi aespair. The first Cabinet council revealed the absolute unity of every section of the Liberals, every man realizing that only one course waa possible, namely . .i .ki m t I v t nn with tha flft-ht iu bv etiw - - against the Lords and carry the veto bill, peaceruuy, tr posbidis, or vy tu ition of new peers and any other ex r.. moaaiir. if war to the bitter end Is proclaimed by the Tories. All or cne uoerai papi same attitude and among: the Liberals tha hopefulness even sroes to the ex treme length of regarding the -veto tight as already nnisnea ana won. Tories May Filibuster. 1 i iri to a cvnlcal ji.k.n.f r tha declarations of 'dy ing in the last ditch." by the Tories, but Austen Chamoeriain, imunu -" a . . t n.ifniip and chief of the ut & ii u w - - . . .. protectionist section, surprised the world this wees; ay jiutiiiuiuB sion to the policy of fighting without ing, by which the veto bill could be held up till tne coronauun, auu uui.i sides look to that date aa tha central factor In the situation. The Liberals will meet this filibuster ing by feverish and fierce tactics In order to hurry up and close the fight Tj alritndv thev DroDose to take up all" the time of the House of Commons on tne veto question. in step will be revolutionary in parlla- .nnai, and mrib &tow1s may eome from certain faddists and section al leaders, but unaouoieaiy mo imciu spirit of all the Liberals is to sacrifice nrvthinr not only to the veto but to Its quick termination. King May Enforce Peace. t rv this draatlo action will supersede the rights of the private members, which have been sacred for Tha T.Iherala will take other steps such as time may show necessary. On the other nana, ins iorr ywij this session will bring into the present ii. f rnmmnna a larae number of young, energetic and ambitious men. and filibustering is me rusui wy iv catch the publlo eye and achieve noto riety. This may mean an attempt by tha Tories to prolong the struggle. Tte FOR STYLE, FIT AND WEAR Men's Clothing Suits, .Trousers, Raincoats, Overcoats, Hats, Gloves, Shirts Sweaters, Some exceptionally low prices on 'broken lines. 22 Notihmg Msk&dimg-Uke VALUESMJTut the Plains, Hornet Tru& All of these foreshadowings of the course of the fight may be falsified by the events as they arise. They also leave out of account the ardent desire of the new King not to celebrate his coronation in the midst of such a fierce national fight among his subjects. They also leave out of account the knowledge, which at last Is reaching the minds of even the backwoodsmen, that the Liberals look on with intense delight at the prospect of overwhelm ing the existing House of Lords with hundreds of new peers drawn from such plebeian material as the great shop keepers and the other self-made men of the English middle classes. Home Rule All Around Possible. Redmond has just come to London and will start private discussion, doubt less. In a few days, regarding the de tails of the home rule measure for the next year. . The absence of Lloyd-George makes some difficulty in getting to close quar ters, he being the most friendly and nimblest member of the cabinet in deal ing with all difficulties, especially with Irishmen,' but I saw him before he was leaving and found him much improved in appearance, full of hope and cour age and only suffering from a local trouble in his throat. There are little Indications that, as between proposing home rule for Ire land exclusively and home rule all around, some members of the cabinet favor tackling the whole problem at once, and William Jones, the brilliant Welshman recently promoted to a min isterial office and a close friend of Lloyd-George, threw out the significant remark that soon Wales as well as Ire land might have aelf-government, but all this as yet Is quite undetermined. The sudden death of Sir Charles Dllke created universal regret. He had by sheer indomitable attentlon(to his par liamentary duties and his commanding abilities worn down the prejudice oanaail fh hldnmiR rAVAlatiOn O f. hiS old divorce case, and all the commenters see now only the tragedy or tne Droaien career of England's most capable poli tician. Baptists Confer at The Dalles. THE DALLES. Or., Jan. 58. (Spe cial.) One of the 1J Baptists Evan gelistic Mission Conferences held throughout the state was held In the local Baptist , Church yesterday. Many Baptist pastors were present from other fields. Rev. H. Wyse Jones, of McMlnnvllIe; Rev. F. C. Stannard. New berg; Rev. W. H. Eaton, Roseburg: Rev. W. T. Tapcott. Salem; Rev. H. T. Cash, Hermlston: Rev. D. O. Dunkin, Baker; Rev. P. C. W. Parker, general missionary. Questions of- much inter est were discussed. TSJpvpr fails to restore gray hair to its natural color. Positively removes Dandruff. Is not a dye. Brad 6s. sostas sad roar dealer's aarna for a FREBSAMPLB BOTTLE a pbiio Hsr Spw. Co. Newark. N. J.. U.8.A Sl aad SOo. boruea, at drat or dspC stores, o direot epos roods ol Piee. REPUSB ALL SUBSTITUTES HAY'S LILY WHITB CREAM beaarjfiee the oomplexioa. pi areata wriakles, saabara, freeklea, pinplee. blaekbeada. Not sreaey or S rittn leaves ao .bier effeet. Does not promote pair srewta. 2S 50o. Pros tt Dept. Moras. Pepsimd. Boys' Clothing Knickerbocker Suits, Knicker Pants, Waists, Shirts, Sweaters, Union Underwear, Etc. ; . Some exceptionally low prices on' broken lines. LLIM MORRISON AND FOURTH SPEEFS MEN SCORED Colorado House Hears That Threats Were Made. DEADLOCK IS UNBROKEN Uproar Is Created 'When Represent ative Judklns Hurls Charges of Coercion at Forces of Sen atorial Candidate. DENVER, Jan. 28. Representative Judklns (Democrat), of Aspen, created an uproar In the House this morning by declaring that he had been approached by Speer men and told that unless he voted for Mayor Speer, of Denver, for United States Senator, he need not hope to get any bills through the House. Mr. Judklns' charge was made prior to today's ballot, the Aspen Representa tive rising to a question of personal privilege. Later Mr. Judklns. under a fire of questions from other members, quali fied his statement. He said he did not COLUMBIA HARDWA Phone A 1236 104-106 Upsm Ladies' Suits and Cloaks Man Tailored Cloaks and Suits, Sweater Suits, -Sweaters, Elegant and Stylish Some exceptionally low prices on broken lines. CLOTHEER. mean to say that he had been told if he did not vote for Speer his bills would not pass, but was told that if he did not support "certain measures and vote for a certain man" his legis lation would suffer. The House took no action. The fifth vote for a successor to the late Charles J. Hughes, Jr., resulted In no important deviation from previous unsuccessful efforts. A half dozen members were absent from the joint session, which accounted for the loss of a few votes among the leaders, while the Republicans carried out their "complimentary" programme by uniting on C. C. Dawson, which gave him 30 votes. The Speer forces were defeated in an effort to force a session of the Assem bly tomorrow and the body adjourned until Monday. The vote: Democrats Adams, 18; Martin. 2; Maupln, 1; O'Donnell. 2; Shafroth, 1; Speer, 25; Taylor, 1; Thom as. 5: Ward, 5. Republicans Gowdy, 1; McCreery, 1; Northcutt, 1; Vaile, 1; Dawson, 30. VIRGINIA FIGHT SETTLED Democrats and Republicans Appear Together In Senate. CHARLESTON, W. Va.. Jan. 28. The differences between the Democratic and Republican members of the State Senate were settled today and the Republicans appeared In the Chamber for the first time since they went to Cincinnati to avoid possible arrest for refusing to at tend sessions of the body. The agreement provides that the Re publicans are to unite with the Demo crats in another election of United States Senators to succeed Nathan B. im DISCOUNT On All Our Coal and Wood Heating Stoves In order to make room for our splendid new and attractive Spring line of Refrigerators and Gas Ranges, we will, for the next 10 days, give a discount of 20 per cent on all Coal and Wood Heating Stoves in stock delivered and set up in any part' of the city. WE SHARPEN ALL RAZOR BLADES, Except Star. Mail Orders FoDTth St., Bet. Washington and Stark ml B Scott and the late Senator Stephen B. Elkins. William Chilton and Clarence Watson have already been chosen for these places by the Democrats. The purpose of holding another election Is to make certain that the proceedings are legal. The agreement further provides that the Republicans are to be given the Presidency of the Senate. Dr. Hatfield of McDowell was chosen for the place. Tenth Albany Ballot "So Choice." ALBANY, N. Y., Jan. 28'. Some of the "Insurgents" took advantage of the week-end'to stay away from the joint legislative session that took the 10th ballot today for the United States Sena tor. The total vote was 32, and owing to the absence of a quorum the result was declared "no choice," the same as yesterday. The vote showed no shifts and the whole proceeding was short and perfunctory. Change at Helena Slight. HELENA, Mont.. Jan. 28. The only i .i . i, .. I., tnA-uv'u hnllotin&T Big iiiiiv.mi 1 LuaiiBO 1 ' l J ' for United States Senator was the gaining of two by Walsh. Walsh re ceived his lowest and Conrad his high est vote of the series today. .The indi cations for a break in the deadlock are not regarded as bright. Iowa Deadlock Continues. DES MOINES, Jan. 28. Today's bal lot in the Iowa Legislature for United States Senator was as follows: Kenyon, 35: Funk, 30; Young. 26; Garst, 1; Por ter (Dcm.), 40; absent. 24. Necessary to elect, 67. ' Oil of lavender, sprinkled about their , shelves will prevent hookb munnii. KINDS OF SAFETY 25 PER DOZEN, Receive Prompt Attention. StS. Phone Main 1236 RE CO.