Carlon v. Western Union Telegraph Co.
Carlon v. Western Union Telegraph Co.
Opinion of the Court
Appeal by -defendant from judgment and order denying a new trial. Plaintiff, a grain dealer at Armour, S. D., delivered to defendant, foe transmission to. a party at Miles, Iowa, a message offering to sell to such party a car of oats at 45 cents per bushel on track at Miles. Through the negligence of defendant the message, as delivered, read “40” where it should have read “45.” The offer was accepted, and plaintiff, in ignorance of the error in the message as received, shipped a car of oats to such party, and afterwards settled for same at 40 cents per bushel. The evidence, under the theory upon which the case was tried, was ample to- sustain the verdict.
Appellant claims the trial court erred in refusing to admit as evidence the market reports published in the Armour newspapers, in refusing to permit appellant proper latitude in its cross-examination of witnesses on the question, of market value, and in giving a certain instruction to the jury on the question of market value. Appellant contends that, if the value of oats at Armour was the proper basis upon which to rest respondent’s, damages, then, as tending to- prove such value, it was proper to prove - what was the market price at which similar oats could have been purchased at Armour. -Respondent contends that the proper basis upon which to compute his damages was the value of these oats for the purpose of shipment to- and sale in the terminal markets. The evidence received showed such shipping value. If such value was the proper basis upon which to compute respondent’s loss, the trial court committed no prejudicial error, either in its rulings upon evidence or in the instuction complained of. Appellant cites, in support of its contention, 37 Cyc. 1773. The section undoubtedly referred to, and which appears on pages 1772 and 1773, reads:
*556 “Where in consequence of a telegraph company’s negligence-goods- are -shipped' an-di sold on a particular market, which, if the company had performed its obligation,, would have been shipped and sold -on another and better market, a recovery has been allowed for the difference between the markets, plus or minus, as the case may be, the difference in expense of transportation and handling. Where the negligence of the telegraph company results in goods being shipped and sold- on. a certain market, when, but for such negligence, they would not have been shipped at all, the measure of damages is the difference between the price realized by the sale and. the value of the goods at the place of shipment, plus- the cost of handling and freight.”
The judgment and order appealed from are affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CARLON v. WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY
- Status
- Published