THE WEIGHING OF MARKET HAY. 17 



from the car. This order usually contains the car initial and num- 

 ber, together with the name of the buyer, and is signed by the seller. 



At St. Louis, where the Merchants' Exchange maintains a super- 

 visor at each team track scale where hay is weighed, this order is 

 presented to the supervisor instead of the weighmaster. The super- 

 visor, after making a record of it, issues another order, which con- 

 tains the wagon number, the car number and initial, and the name of 

 the buyer. This order is then presented to the weighmaster, who, 

 after obtaining the tare weight, places that amount upon it and gives 

 it to the driver. At most other markets the weigher, upon receipt of 

 seller's order, weighs the empty wagon or truck and places the 

 amount of the tare weight, together with the car initial and number 

 from which the hay is to be taken, upon a weight ticket, which is then 

 given to the driver. 



Upon receiving the tare weight the driver proceeds to the car con- 

 taining the hay which he is to haul, as shown upon the weight ticket, 

 and proceeds to obtain a load of the hay. In several of the large 

 markets an inspector is stationed at the wagon track yards whose 

 duty it is to police them and to see that drivers obtain their loads 

 from the proper cars. They indicate by a check mark or their initials 

 on the weight ticket that this has been done. At some markets these 

 inspectors are in the employ of the railroads and at others they are 

 employed by the commercial exchanges. When the load has been 

 obtained it is weighed on the same scales on which the tare weight 

 was found, and this gross weight is then also placed upon the ticket 

 taken by the driver with the load. 



In all cases a copy of the weights is kept by the official weigher and 

 is forwarded by him when the weighing of the car is completed, or at 

 the close of the day, to the office of the chief weighmaster, who issues 

 an official certificate for the total amount of the weights of each car. 



Where supervisors are also employed the weighmasters usually 

 turn over the weights to them, and they, in turn, after recording 

 the amounts, forward them to the chief weighmaster. 



WEIGHING FROM PRIVATE TEAM TRACKS. 



Firms operating private warehouses or having private sidings 

 and desiring to have official weight certificates issued for hay weighed 

 by them usually have one of their employees designated as an official 

 weigher. When such an employee is so designated he becomes sub- 

 ject to the rules and regulations of the weighing department of the 

 commercial exchanges. In markets where bonds are required of the 

 weigher he, or his employer, must furnish a bond of a specified 

 amount for the proper performance of his duties. Some weighing 

 departments have official weighers who can be furnished to the 

 various private warehouses on request and can be sent from place 

 to place as the need for them occurs. 



