American Sugar-Refining Co. v. Tatum

60 F. 514, 9 C.C.A. 121, 1893 U.S. App. LEXIS 2369
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedDecember 19, 1893
DocketNo. 154
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 60 F. 514 (American Sugar-Refining Co. v. Tatum) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Sugar-Refining Co. v. Tatum, 60 F. 514, 9 C.C.A. 121, 1893 U.S. App. LEXIS 2369 (5th Cir. 1893).

Opinion

PARDEE, Circuit Judge.

The plaintiff below, who is defendant in error, made the following allegations as to citizenship and as to jurisdiction of the lower court, and there is nothing in the record to supplement them:

“The petition of Arthur Robinson Tatum, a citizen of Louisiana, and residing in New Orleans, with respect.shows that the American Sugar-Refining Company, a corporation domiciled and doing business in this city, and a citizen of New Jersey, and found within the eastern district of Louisiana, of which George S. Eastwicke is general manager, and authorized to accept service of legal process, is indebted to your petitioner in the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), for this, to wit.”

The plaintiff below further stated his case as follows:

“That on and prior to the 20th day of June, 1892, your petitioner was employed by the said American Sugar-Refining Company as a laborer to work at their refinery-situated in this city. That under said employment petitioner was employed to work in the fifth story of said refinery, and under said employment was required to watch and care for large tanks used for the purpose of receiving sugar that is pumped up through a large 18-inch pipe, running from said fifth story to the first floor of the said refinery. That, after said pumping of sugar -ceases, and the tanks having sufficient, the said 18-inch ifipe is cleaned by the engineer on the first floor by his turning on a strong force of steam through said pipe, which forces the sugar out, ’and thoroughly cleans said pipe; and, should' any one be in close proximity to said pipe, he is liable to be scalded and killed. That said steam is always turned on immediately after the sugar-pumping ceases. That on said date, and at said place, without any warning, or notice by the said defendant [515]*515company or its agents or engineer in charge of the engine on the first floor to petitioner or to the workmen on the fifth floor, where yonr petitioner was working, and in close proximity to the said pipe, his employment requiring him to he there, the steam was turned on with a great force, although the pumping of sugar had long since ceased, and your petitioner was badly scalded and burned, which caused hijn great bodily injury and pain, maiming and disfiguring him for life, and rendering him less able to earn a living for himself and family, and causing him great mental and physical pain, whereby ho has been disabled from that day to the present, and will continue 10 be so for the balance of his life, or for a long time to come. That your petitioner was using dne diligence and care on his part, and that the defendant company could have prevented the said disaster by the employment of a competent and trustworthy engineer, and by the use of proper appliances for the giving notice by the engineer to the occupants of the upper slory, where your petitioner was engaged, either by messenger, bell, or speaking tube, which they neglected and failed to do. That it is the legal duty of tile* defendant company to maintain and employ competent foremen, workmen, and engineers to superintend, manage, and care for and direct their work, and thus prevent the disaster which occurred to your petitioner, and which they failed to do. That your petitioner was lawfully compelled and directed to be in the place where he was injured, and had no notice or warning of the danger, and same was caused by the gross neglect of duty on their part by not having the proper appliances and competent, faithful, and trustworthy workmen and employes.”

Defendant excepted to said petition, and tbe plaintiff amended as follows:

“The supplemental and amended petition of Arthur Robinson Tatum with respect shows: That in conformity with the order of the honorable judge presiding in the above-mentioned court, petitioner reiterates all the allegations of his said original petition filed herein, except in so1 far as the same is altered by this .amended petition; and alleges further that the said Arthur K. Tatum was employed as a laborer by the said American Sugar-Itefining Company, to work at their refinery, situated in this city; and ihat under said employment he was caused to work in the fifth story of said refinery, and was required to watch and care for large tanks used for ike purpose of receiving sugar, which was to he pumped up from the first floor into said tanks, which pumping was to he done by moans of machinery operated by steam power, and which machinery was run by an engineer stationed on the ground floor of sa.id refinery. That it is the custom and usage of said refinery that, immediately after the . said tanks are sufficiently filled with sugar, warning is given to the occupants and workmen on the said fifth door, where said tanks were situated. That the pipe which conveys the sugar to said tanks is blown out by injecting a strong force of steam, which warning prevents the occupants of said floor from being within close proximity to< said pipe, their business requiring them otherwise to he engaged within close proximity to said pipe. That it is necessary that said pipe he cleaned l>y injecting a force of steam immediately after said pumping ceases, otherwise same would corrode, and would become clogged.' That on the date mentioned, long after said pumping had ceased, and contrary to the custom and usage of said refinery, the said refinery, through an incompetent, irresponsible, and untrustworthy person employed by them as an engineer in charge of said machinery, and without any warning or notice whatsoever to your petitioner, who was engaged in his usual employment of stirring the contents of said tanks, a strong force of steam was suddenly sent through said pipe, terribly scalding and burning your petitioner, which caused him great bodily injury and pain, and maiming and disfiguring him for life, and rendering him less able to earn a living for himself and family, and causing him great mental and physical pain, whereby he has been disabled from that day to the present, and will continue to he so for the balance of his life, or for a long time to come. That your petitioner, at the time he received the injury aforesaid, was engaged in his usual employment in said refinery, using due diligence and care on his part. Petitioner further avers that the said dis[516]*516aster was caused solely by the neglect and gross carelessness of the said American Sugar-Refining Company, and that they could have prevented the said disaster if they had used due diligence and care in the employment of a competent and trustworthy engineer, and by the use of proper appliances for the-giving notice to the occupants of the upper story, where your petitioner was engaged, either by messenger or bell or spealdng tube, all of which they neglected and failed to do. Tour petitioner alleges that by reason of the said carelessness and neglectful acts of the said American Sugar-Refining Company aforesaid he has been damaged in the full sum of .five thousand dollars ($5,000.00).”

Tbe defendant below excepted further, as follows:

“And now comes defendant, and also excepts to the ‘supplemental and amended petition’ of plaintiff, as well as to the original petition, and says: (1) That said petition, in its allegations, as well as in connection with said original, is too vague and contradictory in its allegations to demand an answer, or enable defendant to safely answer the same.

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Related

Rust v. United Waterworks Co.
70 F. 129 (Eighth Circuit, 1895)

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Bluebook (online)
60 F. 514, 9 C.C.A. 121, 1893 U.S. App. LEXIS 2369, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/american-sugar-refining-co-v-tatum-ca5-1893.