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Letter to Editor
March 2, 1803
The Recorder
Richmond, Virginia
What is this article about?
A correspondent reports complaints about overweight butter casks deceiving buyers and suggests legislation for mandatory inspection, weight marking, and condemnation of falsely branded containers, citing an example of a 25-pound firkin instead of 15.
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Full Text
FROM THE SAME CORRESPONDENT.
Great complaints have been made, as to the weight of casks, or firkins, which contain butter. Would it not be advisable for the legislative body to pass a law ordaining that all butter shall be inspected, and the weight of the casks marked or branded by the maker: and that if any cask or firkin shall be falsely marked, or branded, that each cask or firkin, shall be liable to condemnation.
I have seen a firkin which contained eighty-five pounds of butter, and which weighed twenty-five pounds, when the weight should only be fifteen. The deception is done in this way. The maker has the staves three inches thick in the middle. Only fifteen pounds are allowed for it; and thus the purchaser, of the butter gets ten pounds weight of wood, instead of butter.
Great complaints have been made, as to the weight of casks, or firkins, which contain butter. Would it not be advisable for the legislative body to pass a law ordaining that all butter shall be inspected, and the weight of the casks marked or branded by the maker: and that if any cask or firkin shall be falsely marked, or branded, that each cask or firkin, shall be liable to condemnation.
I have seen a firkin which contained eighty-five pounds of butter, and which weighed twenty-five pounds, when the weight should only be fifteen. The deception is done in this way. The maker has the staves three inches thick in the middle. Only fifteen pounds are allowed for it; and thus the purchaser, of the butter gets ten pounds weight of wood, instead of butter.
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Informative
What themes does it cover?
Commerce Trade
Agriculture
What keywords are associated?
Butter Casks
Weight Deception
Inspection Law
Firkin Weights
Legislative Regulation
What entities or persons were involved?
The Same Correspondent
Letter to Editor Details
Author
The Same Correspondent
Main Argument
proposes that the legislative body pass a law requiring inspection of butter casks, marking or branding their weights by the maker, and condemning any falsely marked casks to prevent deception.
Notable Details
Example Of A Firkin Containing 85 Pounds Of Butter But Weighing 25 Pounds Due To Thick Staves, Instead Of The Allowed 15 Pounds, Resulting In 10 Pounds Of Extra Wood.