Smart v. Oregon Short Line R.
Smart v. Oregon Short Line R.
Opinion of the Court
On June 1, 1917, plaintiff arranged with defendant to ship a band of sheep from Pioneer, a station on one of defendant’s branch lines in Idaho, to Cavinaugh, a station on the main line of defendant in that state. The sheep were loaded
Upon arrival of the train at Cavinaugh eight cars- were unloaded without delay by the crew that brought the train. Later a second crew unloaded a ear of sheep and the car of horses. The sheep from these cars were then taken to a pasture a quarter of a mile from the station by the plaintiff and seven men whom he had employed to assist in unloading. This took thirty or forty minutes, during which túne the engine and crew were idle. Shortly afterwards the second crew left for Montpeliar, and no more unloading was done during the next three hours or until another freight train came along about sundown, when the engine was detached therefrom and the other ears of sheep were “spotted,” taken to the chute, and unloaded. It was about 7:30 p. m. when they started to unload these eleven cars, and the work was completed about 9 p. m. All the sheep had arrived at Cavinaugh in good condition. After dark a cold wind arose. Plaintiff testified:
"It was real cold. There were no dead sheep in the cars unloaded at night.”
According to plaintiff’s testimony, referring to the sheep that were unloaded in the evening:
“Coming off the cars where it was warm they commenced to die as soon as they were taken off; some died on the right of way in fifteen or twenty minutes; some died when they arrived at the pasture. More than fifty died.”
He further testified that if all the sheep had been taken off the ears during the daytime and before the sun had set the loss would have been nominal only. On cross-examination he testified the delay was only three hours. It took about ten hours to load the sheep at Pioneer, but whether the sheep
At the close of plaintiff’s testimony defendant’s motion for a nonsuit was granted by the court. From that judgment plaintiff appeals.
Plaintiff contends that there was evidence tending to prove defendant’s negligence, and that its negligence in unreasonably delaying the placing of cars in position for unloading was the proximate cause of the death of the sheep.
It was defendant’s duty to place the cars in proper position at the chute with reasonable promptness, so that they could be unloaded without unreasonable delay. If the time of unloading was unreasonably delayed by the acts of defendant, its conduct constituted negligence for which it would be liable if damage resulted. If because of negligent delay the sheep were exposed to a cold wind that caused the death of some of them, such loss would be chargeable to defendant, but if without negligence on the part of defendant the sheep died from exposure to cold plaintiff would not be entitled to recover. There was a delay of not more' than three hours. Whether want of diligence by defendant caused the delay does not appear. For some two or three hours no train was at Cavipaugh, and hence no engine could be obtained during that time for placing cars in position. There is no evidence showing that defendant could, without the abandonment of trains or without impeding transportation on its main line, have had an engine and crew at Cavinaugh during the period complained of. The mere fact of delay does not prove negligence, nor does the delay of two or three hours
Was any negligence proven? We think not. Is there even a scintilla of evidence tending to prove negligence?
We think not. Is there any evidence whatever tending
Concurring Opinion
(concurring).
I concur. I desire to add to what is said by Mr. Justice WEBER, however, that in this case the parties entered into a contract of shipment wherein the plaintiff agreed to load the sheep at' the initial point of shipment and to unload
In Southern Pac. Co. v. Arnett, supra, it is said:
“Delays incident to ordinary transportation are the same as reasonable delays — as delays consistent with ordinary care.”
In Houston & T C. R. Co. v. Davis, supra, a delay of three hours in stopping a train at a station was held not sufficient to take the case to the jury on the question of negligence.
In Sikes v. St. Louis & S. F. Ry. Co., supra, a delay of five and one-half hours, two and three-fourths hours of which time was a delay in switching the cars to the unloading chute, it was held did not constitute an unreasonable delay, and hence was not negligence.
It is not necessary to quote further from the cases, since in those quoted from the .live stock was being shipped to-be sold on the market, and yet it was held that the delays referred to did not constitute unreasonable delays.
Under the circumstances I am clearly of the opinion lhat no culpable negligence is shown..
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SMART v. OREGON SHORT LINE R. CO.
- Status
- Published