Cordrey v. Steamship

201 P. 202, 102 Or. 636
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 4, 1922
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 201 P. 202 (Cordrey v. Steamship) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cordrey v. Steamship, 201 P. 202, 102 Or. 636 (Or. 1922).

Opinions

BURNETT, C. J.

We deduce from the bill of exceptions substantially this state of facts: The vessel in question had arrived in Portland with a cargo of cement consigned to local parties. The consignee or someone operating for him on the land telephoned to the longshoremen’s union for a number of stevedores to assist in unloading the cargo. Several men, including the plaintiff, were sent by the union to the dock. On arriving there someone acting as mate of the vessel directed the plaintiff with others to remain on the dock for service there while the rest were-taken into the hold of the vessel. The plaintiff took an ordinary hand-truck and was engaged in receiving from the sling of the vessel truck-loads of cement. The ship’s tackle by means of pulleys and ropes took a number of sacks of cement in a sling from the hold of the vessel, hoisted it up and swung [639]*639it out over the dock, lowering it upon the trucks. While the plaintiff was waiting to receive a load in this manner, the sling broke before the load reached the dock, and the sacks of cement falling upon the truck threw the plaintiff over upon his back, by which he suffered the injuries complained of.

Section 10281, Or. L., provides that:

“Every boat or vessel navigating the water of this state or constructed in this state shall be liable and subject to a lien * * for damages or injuries done to persons or property by such boat or vessel. * * ”

After providing for the priority of liens, the statute in Section 10283 declares that:

“Any person having a demand as aforesaid, instead of proceeding for the recovery thereof against the master, owner, agent, or consignee of the boat or vessel, may, at his option, commence an action against such boat or vessel by name.”

We find this in Section 10284:

“Any person wishing to commence an action against a boat or vessel shall file his complaint against such boat or vessel by name with the clerk of the Circuit Court of the county in which such boat or vessel may lie or be. The complaint shall set forth the plaintiff’s demand in all its particuars, and on whose account the same accrued, and shall be verified by the plaintiff or some credible person for him.”

Section 10285 states:

“Whenever such complaint shall be filed, the clerk shall issue a warrant thereon, commanding the sheriff to seize the boat or vessel mentioned in the complaint, with her tackle, apparel, and furniture, and retain the same until discharged from such custody by due course of law.”

[640]*640Section 10286 is as follows:

“Upon the return of any warrant issued as prescribed in the last section, proceeding shall be had in the Circuit Court against the boat or vessel seized, in the same manner as if the action had been commenced against the person on whose account the demand accrued. ’ ’

In Section 10287 it is said:

“The master, owner, agent, or consignee of the boat or vessel may appear on behalf of such boat or vessel and answer the complaint.”

Section 10288 provides that:

“If in any action commenced under the provisions of this chapter the master, owner, agent or consignee shall not appear and answer the complaint, the plaintiff may proceed to take judgment in the same manner and under the same restrictions as in a civil action against a natural person; if an issue of fact be joined, the same proceeding shall be had as in other actions.”

There are other sections which provide for filing an undertaking or making a deposit in lieu thereof, for the discharge of the boat. The judgment prescribed in Section 10291 is to the effect that if judg’ment be rendered against the boat or vessel, the court shall make an order directed to the sheriff commanding him to sell the same for the satisfaction of the judgment.

The owner of the vessel, the Bee Steamship Company, appeared as claimant, traversed most of the complaint, denied the jurisdiction of the court over the controversy or over the steamship, and averred that the accident happened on account of the negligence of the plaintiff ■ himself; that he assumed the risks of the employment of which the liability to the injury complained of was one; that at the time of [641]*641the accident and for a long time prior thereto the steamship had been engaged in interstate commerce, and was discharging a, cargo which had been transported on the vessel from the State of California to the State of Oregon when the accident occurred. It is also said as a further affirmative defense that the plaintiff was employed by the Oregon Portland Cement Company, an Oregon corporation which was in actual possession of the dock upon which the cargo was being stored; and that the injury of the plaintiff was sustained while he was working for the Oregon Portland Cement Company, with the conclusion that the accident was to be governed only by what is known as the industrial accident law.

That portion of the answer averring contributory negligence is denied. The answer which sets up averments of risk is traversed as to the allegation of the foreign status of the claimant and its ownership of the “Bee” as well as to the averments that the plaintiff was an experienced man and informed of all of the incidents of the work and of the risks and dangers attached thereto. Otherwise, the new matter in the answer is not denied.

The principal effort of the claimant and owner of the vessel is to establish its contention that the state courts have no jurisdiction of the subject matter of the litigation. It maintains that only the federal courts of admiralty have any authority over the grievance complained of. It is true that under Section 2 of Article III of the United States Constitution it is said that:

“The judicial power shall extend to all cases in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which [642]*642shall he made, under their authority, * * and to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction.”

Federal legislation in pursuance of this provides that the District Courts shall have original jurisdiction of all suits of a civil nature at common law or in equity where the matter in controversy exceeds, exclusive of interest and costs, the sum and value of three thousand dollars, and arises under the laws or Constitution of the United States and treaties which are made or shall be made under their authority, or is between citizens of different states, and in all civil causes of admiralty or maritime jurisdiction, saving to suitors in all cases the right of a common-law remedy where the common law is competent to give it: Section 24 of the Judicial Code of the United States. A later amendment enacted October 6, 1917, by Congress, adds to the saving clause as follows: “ * * and to claimants the rights and remedies of the workmen’s compensation law of any state.” In this branch of the case, therefore, the crucial question is whether the grievance complained of is of admiralty cognizance, or whether it belongs to the state courts. In Philadelphia etc. R. R. Co. v. Philadelphia, Havre de Grace etc. Co., 23 How. 209 (16 L. Ed. 433), it is said:

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Bluebook (online)
201 P. 202, 102 Or. 636, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cordrey-v-steamship-or-1922.