Слике страница
PDF
ePub

E 19-a.

INDIANA.

The Governor of Indiana to the Secretary of State.

CORYDON, September 9, 1817.

SIR: I have, herewith, the honor of submitting a report from the secretary of state for Indiana, relative to the regulation and standards for weights and measures in this state, in conformity to a resolution of the Senate of the United States of the 3d of March last. Absence from the seat of government of our state prevented an earlier compliance with your request.

I have the honor to be,
With great respect,

Your obedient servant,

The Hon. the SECRETARY OF STATE.

JONATHAN JENNINGS.

E 19 b.

SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE,
Corydon.

The Secretary of State, to whom was referred the resolution of the Senate of the United States of March 3d, 1817, requiring a statement relative to the regulations and standards for weights and measures in the several states, &c. has the honor to submit the following report, containing the regulations and standards for weights and measures as used, and now in force, in the state of Indiana.

One measure of one foot, or twelve inches English measure, so called; also, one measure of three feet, or thirty-six inches, English measure as aforesaid; also, one half bushel measure, for dry measure, which shall contain one thousand seventy-five and one-fifth solid inches; also, one gallon measure, which shall contain two hundred and thirty-one solid inches; which measures are to be of wood, or any metal the court may think proper; also, one set of weights, commonly called avoirdupois weight. R. A. NEW, Secretary

His Excellency the Governor

of the state of Indiana.

E 20-a.

MISSISSIPPI.

The Governor of Mississippi to the Secretary of State.

NATCHEZ, September 17, 1818.

SIR: I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 8th ultimo: By an act of the legislature of the Mississippi territory, passed the 4th February, 1807, the treasurer thereof was directed to procure one set of weights and measures according to the standard of London, which was to serve as a general standard for the territory. He was also directed to procure a set for each county; the latter provision was never carried into effect. The legislature, therefore, by an act of the 23d December, 1815, authorized the treasurer to procure six sets of the same standard, and directed them to be deposited at certain public places, under the care of an officer, whose duties are prescribed by the act; this law was duly executed, and the weights and measures, which were procured, are now the standard by which weights and measures are regulated throughout the state. I enclose to you copies of the acts herein alluded to.

I have the honor to be,
With great respect,

Your obedient servant,
DAVID HOLMES.

To the Hon. JOHN Q. ADAMS.

E206.

An Act relative to Weights and Measures, passed 4th February, 1807.

SEC. 1. The treasurer of the territory be, and he is hereby, authorized and required to procure, as soon as may be, at the public expense, one set of weights and measures, viz : one weight of fifty pounds, one of twenty-five, one of fourteen, two of six, two of four, two of two. and two of one pound avoirdupois weight, according to the standard of the United States, if one be established; but if there be none such, according to the standard of London; with proper scales for weights, together with measures of one of the length of one foot, and one of one yard, cloth measure; and the measures of one half bushel, one peck, and one half peck, dry measure ; also, the measures of one gallon, one of half a gallon, one of one quart, one of one pint, one of half a pint, and one of one gill, wine measure, according to the above named standards; and the said weights, measures, and scale, shall be deposited with the said treasurer, to serve as a general standard for weights and measures within this territory, until otherwise directed by Congress,

SEC. 2. When the aforesaid weights, measures, and scales, shall be provided as aforesaid, the treasurer shall cause to be made or pro

cured for each county within this territory, at the public expense, one set of weights, scales, and measures; and the last mentioned weights and measures shall be compared by the said treasurer with the aforesaid general standard, and, when found to agree therewith, shall be forthwith transmitted by him to the clerks of the several county courts in this territory.

SEC. 3. The said weights, measures, and scales, shall be kept by such person in each county as the county court shall direct, who shall take the following oath, viz: "I, A B, do solemnly swear, (or affirm, as the case may be,) that I will, in all things, act with justice and faithfulness in my appointment as keeper of the standard of weights and measures, for the county of, according to law, to the best of my skill and judgment. So help me God." And, immediately after such appointment, the clerks of the several county courts shall make known the same by advertisement, to be fixed at the door of the court house; and, also, by inserting the same in one of the public gazettes of this territory. And all persons, desirous of trying their weights and measures, may resort to the aforesaid county standard for that purpose; and, if they are found true, the person appointed to keep the said standard shall seal them with a seal, to be provided by the county court, at the expense of the county; and the persons appointed in the several counties, to keep the said county standard, shall be entitled to receive, for trying every steelyard, and giving certificate therefor, and for trying any other weights and measures, and sealing the same, fifty cents each, to be paid by the person for whom such service is rendered or done.

SEC. 4. Three months after the appointment of a person to keep the said county standard shall have been made as aforesaid, every person, or persons, who shall sell any commodity whatever by weight or measure that shall not correspond with the said county standard, or shall keep any such for the purpose of buying or selling with, shall, for every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars; recoverable, before a justice of the peace, by any person who will sue for the same, and applied to his own use.

SEC. 5. The territorial treasurer shall transmit to the clerks of the respective counties the weights, scales, and measures, as directed by the second section of this act, within twelve months from and after the passing hereof.

E 20-c.

An Act passed December 23, 1815.

SEC. 1. The treasurer of the territory be, and he is hereby, authorized and required to procure, as soon as may be, at the public expense, six sets of weights and measures as described in the act, entitled "An act establishing weights and measures in the Mississippi territory," passed February 4, 1807.

SEC. 2. When the sets of weights, measures, and seals, shall have been procured by the treasurer as authorized by this act, one set shall be conveyed, at the public expense, to Huntsville, in Madison county; one other set to some place on or near Pearl river; one other set to the town of St. Stephens; one other set to the town of Mobile; one other set to the town of Woodville; and the sixth set to the town of Port Gibson, and be placed in the hands of some person, to be appointed by the governor; and the sets of weights and measures heretofore procured shall be forthwith delivered to some person residing in the city of Natchez, to be appointed in the manner above described. And the keepers of weights and measures, hereby authorized to be appointed, shall, previously to entering upon the discharge of their duties, take the oath or affirmation prescribed in the third section of the act above recited; and the said keepers shall, immediately after their appointment, make known the same by advertisement, to be fixed at the door of the court house of the counties in which they reside; and, also, by inserting the same in the nearest newspaper published in this territory. And, immediately after the appointment of the said keepers, all persons residing in any part of this territory, and desirous to try their weights and measures, may resort to any of the aforesaid standards for that purpose; and, if they are found true, the keeper of any of the said standards shall seal them with a seal, to be procured by the said treasurer at the expense of the territory; and the persons appointed keepers, as aforesaid, shall be entitled to receive the fees prescribed by the third section of the act above recited, for the services therein specified.

SEC. 3. Three months after public notice of the appointment of a person to keep the said standard in the city of Natchez, every person residing in any of the counties lying upon the Mississippi river, and that, three months after public notice of the appointment of the other keepers of weights and measures hereby authorized to be made, every person residing in this territory, who shall sell any commodity whatever by weight or measure, that shall not correspond with the standard hereby established, shall, for every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of fifty dollars, recoverable before any justice of the quorum, or of the peace; to be paid to the county treasurer for county purposes.

SEC. 4. The sum of four hundred dollars, in addition to the eight hundred dollars heretofore appropriated for the purpose of procuring weights and measures, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated for the purposes specified.

E 21.

ILLINOIS.

An act regulating weights and measures.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the People of the state of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That it shall be the duty of the county commissioners in each and every county within this state, as soon a practicable after they are qualified to office, to procure, at the expense of their respective counties, one measure of one foot, or twelve inches, English measure so called; also, one measure of three feet, or thirtysix inches, English measure as aforesaid; also, one gallon liquid or wine measure, which shall contain two hundred and thirty-one cubic inches; one measure that shall contain one-fourth part, one measure that shall contain one-eighth part, one measure that shall contain one-sixteenth part, of the aforesaid liquid gallon, denominated quart, pint, and gill, each of which shall be made of some proper and durable metal; also, one half bushel measure for dry measure, which shall contain eighteen quarts, one pint, and one gill, of the above liquid or wine measure, the solid contents of which is equal to one thousand and seventy-five cubic inches, and fifty-nine hundredths of a cubic inch; likewise, one measure that shall contain one-fourth part of the aforesaid half bushel, or one gallon dry measure, which said half bushel and its fourth shall be made of copper or brass; also, a set of weights of one pound, one-half pound, one-fourth pound, oneeighth pound, and one-sixteenth pound, made of brass or iron; the integer of which shall be denominated one pound avoirdupois, and shall be equal in weight to seven thousand and twenty grains troy or gold weight; which measures and weights shall be kept by the clerk of the county commissioners for the purpose of trying and sealing the measures and weights used in their counties, for which purpose the said several clerks shall be provided with a suitable seal, or seals, with the name, or initials, of their respective counties inscribed thereon.

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That as soon as the county commissioners shall have furnished the measures and weights as aforesaid, they shall cause notice thereof to be given at the court house door, one month in succession immediately thereafter; and any person thereafter who shall knowingly buy, or sell, any commodity whatsoever, by measures or weights in their possession which shall not correspond with the county measures and weights, shall, for every such offence, being legally convicted thereof, forfeit and pay the sum of twenty dollars, for the use of the county where such offence shall have been committed, and costs of suit, to be recovered before any justice of the peace of said county. Every person desirous of having their measures and weights tried by the county standard shall apply to the clerk of the county commissioners, and if he find it correspond with the county standard, shall seal the same with the seal provided for that purpose; and said clerk is allowed to demand and receive such fees as now are, or hereafter may be, allowed by law.

This act to be in force from and after its passage.

« ПретходнаНастави »