Irish v. Pauley
Irish v. Pauley
Opinion of the Court
Action upon a verbal contract to cut and deliver sawlogs at the sawmill of defendant, on the East Fork of the North Fork of the North Yuba river, county of Sierra. The cause was tried by the court without the intervention of a jury. Written findings were filed, upon which judgment was entered in favor of plaintiff for $560 and costs. Defendant appeals from the judgment and from an order denying his motion for a new trial.
We have found but little aid from the statement of facts by the counsel for the respective parties in their briefs. The statement of each is predicated upon the evidence in his own behalf, and seems to ignore that of his adversary. As there was a substantial conflict in the evidence upon nearly all the issues in the case, and as the court below found in favor of the plaintiff, counsel for respondent is justified in assuming the facts to be in line with the testimony of his own witnesses.
The first point made for reversal is that “the decision is against law, as the judgment is based upon contradictory
It is further objected that finding 14, which is to the effect that plaintiff delivered no logs in 1894, but did deliver three hundred logs in 1895; that they were cut and prepared for delivery in 1894; and that by the delay in delivery they were injured to the extent of one dollar per thousand feet, etc.—is in conflict with finding 6 and a portion of finding 11, which are to the effect that such delay was no violation of the terms of plaintiff’s contract. By the second finding it will be seen that the logs were to be floated in 1894, if practicable, and, if not, then in 1895; and the fourth finding shows that it was not practicable to so float them in 1894, and gives at length the reason therefor. We agree with the learned counsel for appellant that the injury to the logs by the delay is a false quantity, and immaterial, as it was not in violation of the contract, or by reason thereof that the injury occurred. The court deducted one dollar per thousand from the amount of the judgment on account of such injury. The judgment being upon the special contract, and not upon quantum valebat, this deduction was not called for. But, as the error was in favor of appellant, he cannot be heard to complain.
The question of the loss sustained by defendant by reason of not having logs to saw in 1894 cuts no figure in the case. Had defendant’s theory, that the logs were, under the contract, to be delivered in 1894, been sustained, the loss by reason of a violation of the contract might have become an
There are some other points made, but they have no more merit than those already noticed. We have carefully examined the evidence. It is conflicting, to the last degree, but is quite sufficient to sustain the findings of the court. We recommend that the judgment and order be affirmed.
' We concur: Haynes, C.; Belcher, C.
For the reasons given in the foregoing opinion the judgment and order are affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- IRISH v. PAULEY
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Logs and Logging—Delay in Performing Contract.—Under a contract to furnish logs to a mill, to be fl.oa.ted to the mill the next spring, if practicable, and, if not, then the spring following, where it is found that delivery the first spring was not practicable, a delivery the second fulfills the contract; and no damages are recoverable for the delay, or for the depreciation in value of the logs during the year.