Jobbers Overall Co. v. E. R. Deputy Co.
Jobbers Overall Co. v. E. R. Deputy Co.
Opinion of the Court
Action by plaintiff to recover damages for - breach of contract for sale of 150 dozen overalls. Plaintiff pleaded as its damages the difference between the cost of manufacturing and the agreed price; that is, the profit it
. There is evidence that, after the receipt and acceptance of the written order, the plaintiff; an extensive manufacturer of overalls at Lynchburg,- Virginia, made up the goods, and that the profit of the company on the contract, if the goods had been accepted and paid for by defendant, would have been |900, which testimony was received over the objection of defendant. Evidence also. aaus given that some of the garments were of unusual size, but nothing so extraordinary in that respect as to indicate they may not have found a sale on the market. Defendant’s rejected testimony was to the effect that such’ goods did have a ready market.' ’ , ’
The trial court evidently' followed the conclusion of the majoiity -opinion -in Diels v. Kennedy, 88 Neb. 777, which seems to hold that, on a breach of contract for the sale of flour, the meásure of damages would be the difference- betAveen. the cost .Of manufacture and. the'contract price (three judges dissenting).-. > In that case it Avas not necessary for the court. to ■ determine that question: ‘ The court was oníy called upon to say Avhethef there Ávás any élement of damá'gé alleged in the petition'to AVhich a demurrér hád been'sustained. The sixth paragraph of the petition, which alleged as damage the difference-' betAveen the necessary' cost' ‘ of production
The uniform sales act (Comp. St. 1922, sec. 2533) fixes the liability of the buyer who wrongfully refuses to accept and pay for the goods, which is, in. substance, the rule quoted from Cyc., but that does not apply to sales made before the act went into effect, July 28, 1921.
Where there is no market value, or under certain conditions, the rule is different, and the characteristic distinctions are pointed out in Murray v. Stanton, 99 Mass. 345, and Todd v. Gamble, 148 N. Y. 382, 52 L. R. A. 225. In the first of the two cases cited it is said .(p. 349) : “When there is ‘a market value,’ it shows the price at which either party may have relief from the consequences of the default of the other; and therefore it properly measures his damages. But when there is no such standard, the damages must be estimated from other means of valuation.” In the New York case,. Judge Gray’ says (p. 385) : “Market value, in the ordinary sense, is generally, but not always, the, measure of damages, and the application of the rule necessarily must 'be to a cáse where it is shown that there is a market value for the subject of the contract of sale.” In 35 Cyc. 594, it is further said: “If the article has no market value the measure of damages is the difference between the contract price and the cost of producing it, but to render such a measure of damages applicable there must be proof that the goods have no market value.” In the case at bar, there was no testimony that the goods had no market value. .
A case from circuit court of appeals, Manhattan City & I. R. Co. v. General Electric Co., 226 Fed. 173, is in principle very like the one at bar, and it holds that proof to show that a manufactured article has a market value should be received. Furthermore, if there was a market for the goods, the burden of proof is upon the
The refusal of the trial court to admit the proffered testimony and the giving of the instruction complained of was error, and the cause is reversed and remanded.
Reversed.
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