Source: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/264/560.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 22:59:35+00:00

Document:
Mr. I. Parker Veazey, Jr., of Great Falls, Mont., for petitioner.
While the railroads were under federal control, Cornwell ordered of a station agent empty cars to be ready [264 U.S. 560, 561] October 2, 1918, for loading with cattle to be transported in interstate commerce as common carrier. This action against Davis, the Agent of the President designated under Transportation Act of 1290 (Comp. St. Ann. Supp. 1923, 10071 1/4 et seq.), was brought in a state court of Montana to recover damages for failure to supply the cars. The plaintiff sued on an express contract to furnish them on the day named. It was not shown, or contended, that the published tariffs governing the contemplated shipment provided in terms for such a contract. The defendant asked for a directed verdict; the request was refused; and the jury was instructed that, if the promise was made, the defendant was liable for its breach, even if the carrier was unable to furnish the cars. A verdict was rendered for the plaintiff; the judgment entered thereon was affirmed by the highest court of the state; and the case is here on writ of certiorari under section 237 of the Judicial Code as amended (Comp. St. Ann. Supp. 1923, 1214). 262 U.S. 740 , 43 Sup. Ct. 700. Whether, under the Interstate Commerce Act as amended, the express promise to furnish cars was valid is the only question requiring decision.
[ Footnote 1 ] Compare Saitta & Jones v. Pennsylvania R. R. Co. 109 Misc. Rep. 604, 179 N. Y. Supp. 471 Underwood v. Hines (Mo. App.) 222 S. W. 1037; Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Ry. Co. v. Beatty, 42 Okl. 528, 533, 534, 141 Pac. 442. Of the cases relied upon by respondent, Wood v. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry. Co., 68 Iowa, 491, 27 N. W. 473, 56 Am. Rep. 861, and Harrison v. Missouri Pacific Ry. Co., 74 Mo. 364, 41 Am. Rep. 318, arose before the enactment of the Act to Regulate Commerce. Easton v. Dudley, 78 Tex. 236, 14 S. W. 583; Nichols v. Oregon Short Line R. R. Co. 24 Utah, 83, 66 Pac. 768, 91 Am. St. Rep. 778, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Ry. Co. v. Racer 10 Ind. App. 503, 37 N. E. 280, 38 N. E. 186; Mathis v. Southern Ry. Co., 65 S. C. 271, 43 S. E. 684, 61 L. R. A. 824; International & Great Northern R. R. Co. v. Young (Tex. Civ. App.) 28 S. W. 819; Outland v. Railroad Co., 134 N. C. 350, 46 S. E. 735; Chattanooga Southern R. R. Co. v. Thompson, 133 Ga. 127, 65 S. E. 285, Midland Valley R. R. Co. v. Hoffman Coal Co., 91 Ark. 180, 120 S. W. 380, and Oregon Ry & Nav. Co. v. Dumas, 181 Fed. 781, 104 C. C. A. 641-were decided after the enactment of the Act to Regulate Commerce, but before the decision of the Kirby Case (1912). McNeer, Talbott & Johnson v. Chesapeake & Ohio Ry. Co., 76 W. Va. 803, 86 S. E. 887, and Stewart v. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Ry. Co., 172 Iowa, 313, 151 N. W. 485, were decided after the Kirby Case, but the rule there declared appears not to have been called to the attention of the court. Clark v. Ulster & Delaware R. R. Co., 189 N. Y. 93, 81 N. E. 766, 13 L. R. A. (N. S.) 164, 121 Am. St. Rep. 848, 12 Ann. Cas. 883, and Texas Midland R. R. v. O'Kelley (Tex. Civ. App.) 203 S. W. 152, dealt with intrastate shipments.

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