Baker v. H. Dittlinger Roller Mills Co.
Baker v. H. Dittlinger Roller Mills Co.
Opinion of the Court
Appellee sued appellant in justice’s court for $112.35, including $10 attorney's fee, and interest, because of the alleged negligent loss during transportation from Ft. Worth, Tex., to New Braunfels, Tex., of 89 bushels of wheat shipped in bulk. A judgment was rendered for the amount sued for, and upon appeal to the district court, the same judgment was rendered.
The wheat was shipped by the E. G. Rail Grain Company in car No. 24280, S. P., to its own order, with instructions to notify ap-pellee of its arrival. The bill of lading recited that the weight of the wheat was 59,480 pounds, but contained a provision that the same was subject to correction as to rate, weight, and classification, and in the column wherein the number of pounds was stated there appeared under the word “Weight” the words, “Subject to Correction.” The weight inserted in the bill of lading was obtained from the scale ticket prepared by an employe of the shipper, R. M. Wilhoite, who weighed the wheat at the ■shipper’s elevator scales at the time it was loaded. This employé was licensed to serve as a weighmaster by the Western Weighing & Inspection Bureau, an organization maintained by the carriers, including the International & Great Northern Railway Company, to supervise various incidental features directly connected ’with the shipment of merchandise, such as checking invoices, scale tickets, and other records in an effort to verify them and insure their correctness. There was testimony to the effect that scales authorized to be used in behalf of the Western Weighing /& Inspection Bureau are tested ■ and inspected, and that only competent persons are permitted to act as the representatives of said bureau in weighing and issuing certificates'.
The superintendent of the Goodwin Coopering & Inspection Bureau testified from records that the car in question was inspected and coopered and otherwise prepared for grain loading on July 19, 1915. After loading the side doors of the car were sealed by Wilhoite, under which seals the car reached New Braunfels, and was delivered to appel-lee’s elevator for unloading. The chief joint car inspector for the Joint Car Association of railroads entering Ft. Worth testified from records that the car was inspected when received from the shippers’ elevator and no evidence of any leak discovered. Cur-rie, inspector for appellant at Mart, and Rush, inspector for appellant at Taylor, testified from their records that the car was inspected when it reached the places mentioned, and there was no leak, and no repairs made. They testified that cars, such as the one used, sometimes have a leakage which is not discernible while the car is standing still or 'moving slowly, but which permits the escape of wheat when' the car is moving fast over rough road. It was agreed:
“That defendant’s physical and mechanical inspection of the car at New Braunfels before delivery thereof to plaintiff did not disclose' any signs or indication of the existence of a leakage *799 of its contents; that, when said car was opened after delivery at plaintiff’s elevator in New Braunfels, there was no physical indication of any leakage of the wheat from the car, and after the unloading was completed plaintiff’s em-ployés went inside of the car and looked over same, but failed to observe any holes or defects therein whereby a leakage might have taken place; but plaintiff’s empíoyés were not aware at the time of the discrepancy in weight, and 'did not make a minute examination of the car.”
When the car reached New Braunfels it was weighed on the railroad track scales, and the weight of the wheat contained therein was found to be 53,900 pounds. When it was unloaded it was weighed on ap-pellee’s elevator scales, the same showing the weight to be 54,140 pounds. No question is raised with respect to proof of the value of wheat, so the testimony relating thereto need not be stated.
We deem it unnecessary to review the cases discussed in appellant’s argument. They are fact cases, and the proof showed that other tests of indentity of goods shipped existed than mere weight or. that transportation was by boat or ship, thus affording a much better opportunity for proof that no loss en route could have occurred than is the case when shipments are transported by rail. Carriers can protect themselves against mistakes in bills of lading as to weight by exercising diligence before issuing the same. The owner of wheat shipped is in a bad predicament if the weight adopted by the carrier can be changed on such inconclusive evidence as was adduced in this case.
The judgment is affirmed.
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