REPORT STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER 467 



We have many complaints against coal dealers delivering 

 short weight and upon a recent investigation of a complaint 

 from one of our large cities in the state, we found some extreme 

 shortages. The guilty parties were prosecuted in the courts, 

 were convicted and fined. Some of the shortages are as follows : 



340 pounds short on 2,000 pounds. 

 425 pounds short on 4,000 pounds. 

 660 pounds short on 4,000 pounds. 



One coal man whose scale was condemned, defied the state 

 and continued to weigh on them and tore the tag off. He was 

 arrested and given a fine of $50.00 and costs. 



The routine office work has been materially increased, par- 

 ticularly in the matter of correspondence. Questions are con- 

 tinually being submitted by individuals as well as by manufac- 

 turers. The Thirty-Ninth General Assembly enacted a law pro- 

 viding a $3.00 license fee on all gasoline pumps and meters; 

 which materially increases the office work. There is also a great 

 deal of correspondence resulting from daily reports of inspec- 

 tors; reports of shortages from various sources; requests for 

 scale inspection; prosecutions; complaints and reports of sim- 

 ilar nature, which demand a large amount of attention from the 

 Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures. Hundreds of scales 

 and measures of various types have been confiscated and con- 

 demned. The increase in the use of the Auto Truck has been 

 the cause of many new scales being installed. The depart- 

 ment's records show that there have been 4,480 platform 

 scales, 4,900 counter, 4,600 creamery scales inspected. These 

 do not include the number of weights and measures submitted 

 by cities, firms and individuals for verification as to their accur- 

 acy. Ten per cent were found to be incorrect. There were 

 also 1,710 gasoline pumps inspected, of which 26^% were 

 found incorrect; 663 measures of which 130 were incorrect. 



During the year ending November 1, 1921, the department 

 inspected 4,025 ''heavy" scales, that is, scales used by grain 

 elevators, coal mines, retail coal dealers, railroad stock scales, 

 sugar refineries, canning factories, etc. The revenue received by 

 the state for the inspection of these scales amounted to $12,- 

 710.98. 



The charge for inspection of scales of a capacity over 500 

 pounds up to and including 4,000 pounds capacity is $1.00; over 



