George v. Spokane, Portland & Seattle Ry. Co.

265 P. 408, 124 Or. 598, 1928 Ore. LEXIS 92
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 6, 1928
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 265 P. 408 (George v. Spokane, Portland & Seattle Ry. Co.) 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
George v. Spokane, Portland & Seattle Ry. Co., 265 P. 408, 124 Or. 598, 1928 Ore. LEXIS 92 (Or. 1928).

Opinion

*603 BEAN, J.

There is practically no dispute in regard to the facts of this case. The question arises as to whether, upon the facts as stated, plaintiff is entitled to the full value of the goods shipped and not delivered, or is only entitled to the stipulated sum of ten cents per pound. The defendant assigns, among other things, the following:

“The court erred in overruling’ defendant’s motion to strike all of the testimony of the plaintiff tending to show a greater value of the shipment in question than the sum of $101.50.”

That the court erred in finding the actual and true value of the goods of plaintiff. The court erred in refusing to find, as a part of the findings of fact, as requested by defendant in writing to the effect, as follows:

The shipment of household goods of plaintiff was an interstate shipment and controlled by the act to regulate commerce approved February 4, 1887 (24 Stats, at Large, 379), as amended; that defendant had duly filed its schedules and tariffs approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Plaintiff’s shipment was delivered to defendant by a representative of the shipper, who for the purpose of securing the lower or reduced rate for such transportation agreed in writing to a released value of ten cents per pound for the household goods; that the plaintiff, through his representative, signed and accepted the bill of lading which contained the provision “while the rate is dependent on valuation, shippers are required to state specifically in writing the agreed or declared value of the property.” That the agreed or declared value of the property is stated by the shipper to be not exceeding ten cents per pound, and that such lower value, plus freight charges *604 if paid, shall he the maximum amount to be recovered, whether or not such loss or damage occurs from negligence. Defendant requested further instructions in conformity to the bill of lading’ issued by defendant and the act referred to regulating interstate freight rates; that the total weight of said shipment was 1,015 pounds, and under the act to regulate commerce and the terms and provisions of said tariffs and schedules plaintiff’s recovery herein cannot exceed the sum of $101.50.

The findings of the trial court are supported by the testimony. We read the testimony as an aid in understanding the finding’s and not to change the same on account of any conflict in the testimony. Indeed, we find no such substantial conflict. Aside from this the case is controlled by federal law. The shipment was an interstate ■ shipment. The schedule of tariffs filed by the railroad company with the Interstate Commerce Commission, stipulated that when so agreed at the time of the shipment the value of the property might be declared and limited for the purposes of the shipment and as the basis of a lower freight rate. Was such a stipulation made? The plaintiff H. H. George preceded the shipment of his household goods and went to Portland, Oregon, where he was engaged in teaching. He requested his wife to ship the goods. Mrs. George, who at the time was at Pullman, Washington, phoned to her sister, Miss Jennie Y. Prfce, at Spokane, Washington, to have the household goods shipped to H. H. George, Portland, Oregon. Miss Price in turn requested Ralph Coughlin, owner of the City Transfer Company of Spokane, Washington, to take the goods from where they were stored, and deliver them to the S. P. & S. Ry. Company “for shipment to H. H. George at Portland.” The City Transfer Company sent its *605 employee, F. Darnell, to transport the goods to the freight depot of the defendant at Spokane. No further instructions were given in the matter.

The operator of the City Transfer Company, F. Darnell, received the goods and transported them to the freight depot of defendant and assisted the defendant’s agent in filling out the regular bill of lading for the shipment. After the list was corrected the released value clause was mentioned by the defendant’s agent to Darnell and inserted in the bill of lading, and the same was signed “City Transfer Company, by F. Darnell, Shipper,” and by the agent of defendant and delivered to Darnell for the plaintiff. There appears to be a chain of authorization from plaintiff to the City Transfer Company operated by Darnell. The goods were delivered to the defendant “for shipment” by plaintiff’s authority, and for no other purpose. The billing of the goods and fixing of the freight rate was apparently a part of the arrangement “for shipment” of the goods. The City Transfer Company had the express authority, or at least implied authority, of plaintiff to sign the bill of lading as a shipper. The plaintiff was presumed to know the tariff regulations, which were duly posted. By virtue of the arrangement he' had the opportunity of obtaining the benefit of the lower freight rate. He made no other request or suggestion, either by his agent or otherwise, but after the goods were shipped he waited for their arrival and delivery to him in Portland, Oregon. Plaintiff did not expect that the goods would remain at the depot of the defendant in Spokane until he, or anyone for him, gave any further directions or authorization for their shipment.

The shipment of household goods weighed 1,015 pounds. The freight rate accorded plaintiff *606 under the tariffs was $1.39% per cwt. The rate on household goods from Spokane to Portland, based upon a higher valuation of fifty cents and not exceeding $2 per cwt., would be double the lower rate or $2.79 per cwt. which would have been the rate on the goods at the valuation of $1,800 claimed by plaintiff in his complaint. "We must follow the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States in this case. It has been held by that court, in effect, that the federal rate regulating statutes are binding, as regards the character of the contract, under which an interstate shipment of goods is made, and no restriction on the authority of the person or transfer company who delivers the shipment to the carrier for the transportation, as to agreeing to a limitation of value and arranging for a low freight rate, can change this i’ule: Great Northern Ry. Co. v. O’Connor, 232 U. S. 508, 514 (58 L. Ed. 703, 34 Sup. Ct. Rep. 380, see, also, Rose’s U. S. Notes). In that case the owner of household goods employed a transfer company to deliver the property to the carrier, and instructed the transfer company not to agree to any limitation of value. The transfer company failed to observe these instructions and shipped at the reduced rate based upon a limited value for transportation purposes. Because of the supposed lack of authority to agree to the limited value, the state court gave plaintiff judgment for the full value of the goods. This was reversed by the Supreme Court of the United States, and its decision, we believe, controls the case at bar. The court at page 514 said:

“The plaintiff contended, however, that she had expected her goods to be transported as a separate consignment. But the transfer company had been intrusted with goods to be shipped by railway, and, nothing to the contrary appearing, the carrier had the *607

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Bluebook (online)
265 P. 408, 124 Or. 598, 1928 Ore. LEXIS 92, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/george-v-spokane-portland-seattle-ry-co-or-1928.