B. F. Sturtevant Co. v. Adolph Leitelt Iron Works

163 N.W. 13, 196 Mich. 552, 1917 Mich. LEXIS 817
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMay 31, 1917
DocketDocket No. 76
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 163 N.W. 13 (B. F. Sturtevant Co. v. Adolph Leitelt Iron Works) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
B. F. Sturtevant Co. v. Adolph Leitelt Iron Works, 163 N.W. 13, 196 Mich. 552, 1917 Mich. LEXIS 817 (Mich. 1917).

Opinion

Brooke, J.

(after stating the facts). The question is not a new one in this State. It has arisen several times under contracts containing varying provisions. The latest case upon the subject is Power Specialty Co. v. Michigan Power Co., 190 Mich. 699 (157 N. W. 408), where all the authorities are collected and discussed. That the question is-not without difficulty is indicated by the fact that both parties in the case at bar rely upon Power Specialty Co. v. Michigan Power Co., supra. Plaintiff’s counsel defines his position as follows:

“We, therefore, contend that the undisputed testimony discloses that the engineers who drew the specifications expressly inserted a clause requiring the manufacturer to install; that such a provision is customary, because only those specially skilled in the work can do it successfully; that there are companies who make a specialty of installing such systems, but none shown to be in Michigan; that the installation was only incidental to the main contract, because only costing 4.6 per cent, thereof. Such facts were most relevant to the issue, and should have been found.”

It is the claim of plaintiff that the testimony introduced on its behalf brings this case within that class of cases recognized in Browning v. City of Waycross, 233 U. S. 16 (34 Sup. Ct. 578), where a provision by the seller to install is essential to a sale “because of [556]*556some intrinsic or peculiar quality or inherent complexity of the article.”

It is the claim of the defendant that the testimony, which was all introduced by the plaintiff, shows the exact converse of this proposition. Upon this point John H. Kassa, the sales engineer of the plaintiff who made the contract in controversy here, testified as follows:

“Q. The fact was you both tried to sell to the Leitelt Iron Works for them to install, did you not?
“A. Yes.
“The Court: What is the answer?
“A. That is correct.
“Q. And the Leitelt Iron Works did not want to take up that end of it?
“A. That is true.
"Q. By their installing, it means their assuming all responsibility of the men and any injuries that might develop to the men, etc.?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Your company, if you can get a local concern to install, you desire to make a sale on that basis, if you can, do you not?
“A. We will if we can.
“Q. And if you can’t do it that way, you make the sale the other way, and your company install?
“A. Yes.”

Harry W. Paige, western manager for plaintiff, testified in part as follows:

“Q. State whether or not in this particular apparatus manufactured by the B. F. Sturtevant Company there is anything peculiar that requires, in order to make a sale of it, that the B. F. Sturtevant Company should erect it.
“A. There is; yes.
“Q. Explain to us in a general way in your own language, what that is and why it is.
“A. Well, the proper operation of the apparatus depends upon a correct installation and alignment. This is a special class of apparatus, and in this particular case the fan and the motor were being connected up [557]*557together and would have to be in alignment for correct operation. Usually the people who bid_ on this class of work are not familiar with the handling and lining up of such apparatus, and the manufacturer is required to at least furnish a superintendent and in most cases completely install on the foundation this portion of the apparatus.
“Q. In your experience in making sales in Southern Michigan, in Grand Rapids, state whether or not you find it necessary in order to make the sale to agree to install it.
“A. We do.
“Q. State whether or not it would be possible for a person who had no previous experience with the Sturtevant apparatus to install it correctly?
“A. Well, it is barely possible; I would not say it was impossible.”

On cross-examination the same witness testified:

“Q. Isn’t it a fact, Mr. Paige, that very often the apparatus of the Sturtevant Company is sold and delivered to the purchaser and erected by him?
“A. Occasionally, yes.
“Q. So that there is no special ability required other than good mechanical ability and good electrical ability to erect this ventilating system, is there?
“A. Yes; I would say there was.
“Q. What is it?
“A. Experience.
“Q. Mechanical ability is experience. A mechanic that has had experience in this sort of mechanical work?
“A. Certainly; any mechanic who has had experience in this particular sort of mechanical work can erect it.
‘IQ. One who has put in ventilating systems of other companies or who.has done work of that nature would be able to follow the drawings and put up this apparatus, would he not?
“A. If he had been competent with the other firm, yes.
“Q. In other words, it is not and does not require, to make a successful job, the presence of your own mechanics and your own superintendent, does it?
[558]*558“A. I could not answer that question without qualifying it.
“Q. People and customers do buy your apparatus and erect it themselves, do they not?
“A. Sometimes, yes.
“Q. And so far as you know, the operation of that apparatus, after it is erected, is just as successful as the apparatus erected by the B. F. Sturtevant Company, is it not?
“A. Not always.
“Q- Isn’t it as a general rule as successfully operated as the B. F. Sturtevant apparatus that is put up by their own men?
“A. No, sir.
“Q. Did you ever have any apparatus installed by the Sturtevant Company itself that did not operate properly?
“A. Yes, sir. •
“Q. That has also occurred with apparatus installed [by other people?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. So that the rule works both ways, doesn’t it?
“A.

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Bluebook (online)
163 N.W. 13, 196 Mich. 552, 1917 Mich. LEXIS 817, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/b-f-sturtevant-co-v-adolph-leitelt-iron-works-mich-1917.