Weigh Station

Weigh Station. First Drive Thru. , The first set of weigh scales was located behind Town Hall. This is the site of the second weigh scale station, operated from 1900-1960 by the Town of Perth. Trucks and wagons laden with goods would enter from Drummond Street, drive onto the scales to get weighed and exit after onto what was then-called Baby Street., Knowing the weight of products was important for many reasons - from the government levying of taxes on goods to vehicle licensing and for setting trade prices. Farmers weighed-in their loads of dairy goods and produce such as grain and vegetables. Local merchants confirmed the weight of products such as coal, timber, potash before shipping via Tay Canal, rail or road to far-reaching markets. Deliveries were also weighed for accuracy by importers - the most exotic being the banana making its Perth debut in 1927., There was always something interesting coming and going on here. It was a hub - a place for both social and business interaction. Current trading prices, the season's crops, and new technology were discussed, and often there was laughter over a shared joke with neighbours and friends., Going Bananas , "In 1927, J. Quattrocchi Wholesale company imported the first-ever carload of bananas to this area. Every time we received a banana shipment at the CPR rail yards in Perth, we would weigh our empty truck here at the scales, and then bring it back and weigh it again loaded to see if we were charged for the right amount. This went on biweekly from April to October from 1927-1941, then almost weekly, year-round until 1951 when we built a banana storage room at our new warehouse in Smiths Falls." Gus Quattrocchi, [Photo/illustration captions, clockwise from top left, read] , . In 1922-38, J. Quattrocchi retail fruit store and wholesale merchant operated at 32-34 Gore St. E. Pictured here are members of the Quattrocchi family - Murray, Mary, Joe Jr. and Agatha (c 1929)., . By 1897, the Vermont-based Fairbanks Scales company held 113 patents for improvements and inventions in weighing. Detail above shows the Fairbanks first invention for weighing wagons, trucks and cars. Refinement of this idea came in 1918-19 with the production of the "registering beam' which was the type used at this station., . Detail above shows the Fairbanks weigh scale "registering beam" that worked in conjunction with the "drive-thru” wooden ramp. Note that the scales are in Imperial measurement, whereas today Canada is mostly metric. These scales, salvaged by former Town employee George Rathwell, are on display at the Perth Museum., . The snapshot below shows the weigh station in 1960 with a view towards Drummond Street., . Background photo taken circa 1890. Arrow indicates weigh station location.