REPORT OF STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER 431 



weight or measurement. The testing of the many thousands of 

 wagon or truck scales and gasoline pumps and measuring devices re- 

 quires much time and labor. The reweighing of commodities in 

 the various stores and of loads of coal as well as checking up the 

 peddler or huckster, which has always given us trouble. The very 

 nature of the way their business is carried on makes them an object 

 of suspicion. These "roamers" make victims of the rich and poor 

 alike; they have no fixed places of business, frequently drifting fron 

 town to town. They have many tricks at their disposal, as their 

 enterprises usually are of the seasonable variety, their efforts are 

 generally directed toward making a clean-up in the short time they 

 have. Their stocks in trade may be anything from an orange to a 

 ton of coal, though most of them seem to take very kindly to the 

 produce business, for what reason can best be judged when it is 

 realized that in practically no other line of trade is there such oppor- 

 tunity to defraud. It is difficult to realize why the people in general 

 put so much faith in them instead of consistently dealing with 

 reputable merchants with established locations. So-called bargains, 

 which the people think they receive from peddlers are, as a rule, more 

 costly in the end than were the goods purchased at a store. Store- 

 keepers are not so apt to stake their reputations on questionable 

 practices. 



The wagon scale or five-ton scale is being replaced by the heavy 

 truck scale, ten-ton and larger. With so much heavy trucking by 

 motors, some of which are almost as large as small freight cars, 

 carrying loads that require scales of large capacity to handle, larger 

 scales are being installed all over the state. 



While in most cases incorrect scales are found weighing against 

 the consumer, frequently a scale is found weighing against the dealer. 



In a recent inspection of coal scales a scale was found that was 

 giving the consumer 1,200 pounds for each 1,000 pounds. When the 

 inspector discovered the error and notified the dealer he was frantic 

 with grief and endeavored to call in all wagons which were out de- 

 livering coal from his bins. The scales were immediately repaired 

 and hereafter no patron of his place of business w T ill get more coal 

 than is paid for. 



We find material shortage from time to time in checking up the 

 coal dealers. We have had a number of cases against them ; in some 

 cases they plead guilty, in others they stood trial. In one case we 

 had recently the dealer plead not guilty. He was short 525 pounds 

 on a one-ton load. His defense was that the wind blew it away, 



