Illinois Central R. R. v. Smith
Illinois Central R. R. v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The appellee, on August 10, 1912, made a shipment of cattle from Lamar, Miss., which was at the -time within that portion of the state of Mississippi whence cattle could be shipped as being free from tick infection. The destination of this cattle was National Stockyards, Ill. Appellee duly paid the freight on this shipment. Under the rules and regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture then in force, with reference to the infection of cattle with ticks and the shipment of the same, it was required that the railroad company should label each car to show certain facts with reference to tick infection, and at the destination of the cattle shipped in this case over the railroad of appellant were maintained accordingly two separate and distinct yards for receiving shipments of cattle. This was done in order to comply with government regulations. One yard was termed the “ Native Division Pen” and the other the “Quarantine Division Pen.” It was the duty and was required of it by the government for the appellant in accepting and loading shipments of cattle from the Lamar section of Mississippi to label its cars of cattle to show in which of these pens the said cattle were entitled to be unloaded. The cattle in the instant case were entitled to
It is contended by counsel representing tbe appellant Railroad Company in this appeal that tbis court, in Illinois Central R. R. Co. v. W. J. Davis & Co., 72 So. 874, announced á rule which, if followed, demands a reversal and dismissal of tbis case. Tbe facts in tbe Davis Cáse are, we think, altogether different from tbe facts of tbe instant case. In tbe Davis Case there was a claim for damages on account of an unreasonable delay in tbe transportation of tbe cattle from tbe initial point to tbe point of destination, which caused a shrinkage in the weight of tbe cattle. This damaged the cattle physically, and tbis physical deterioration, and tbis loss of weight was a damage to tbe thing shipped, which damage caused tbe plaintiff to lose money. Tbe Davis Case was correctly decided, but we think tbe facts of tbis make an entirely different case. Here there was no delay. Here there was no damage to tbe cattle. Here there was no loss of tbe thing shipped. Tbe damage in tbe present ease was tbe result of defendant’s negligence in failing to put the proper tag on tbe car.
Tbe contract in tbis case was prepared by the common carrier, and we are of opinion that there is
It is quite reasonable to say that the shipper did not know that the carrier had neglected to do its duty until the ten days mentioned in the hill of lading had expired, But, he that as it may, we construe the hill of lading to mean that the “loss” referred to is a loss of the thing shipped, and the word “damage” means some physical impairment of the article shipped, which physical impairment damaged the shipper ”s pocketbook.
Affirmed.
Reference
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- Illinois Central R. R. Co. v. Smith
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- Syllabus
- Cakriers. Live stock. Bill of lading. Construction. Loss. Damage. Where a hill of lading for an interstate shipment of cattle provided that it is agreed by the shipper that no claim for loss or damage shall be valid unless it shall he made in writing within ten days, and because of the carriers’ failure to properly tag the car, the cattle were unloaded in a quarantine division pen and a lesser price was obtained, recovery may he had, though the notice provided for was not given, there being in such case neither “loss” nor “damage,” since the bill of lading will be construed to mean that the “loss” referred to is a loss of the thing shipped, and the word “damage” means some physical impairment of the article shipped.