Glover Machine Works v. Cooke-Jellico Coal Co.

191 S.W. 516, 173 Ky. 675, 1917 Ky. LEXIS 520
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedFebruary 6, 1917
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 191 S.W. 516 (Glover Machine Works v. Cooke-Jellico Coal Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Glover Machine Works v. Cooke-Jellico Coal Co., 191 S.W. 516, 173 Ky. 675, 1917 Ky. LEXIS 520 (Ky. Ct. App. 1917).

Opinion

Opinion of the Court by

Judge Thomas

Reversing.

The appellant (plaintiff) is a corporation, and is engaged in manufacturing locomotive engines and perhaps other machinery, and it is located at Marietta, Georgia. The appellee (defendant) is likewise a corporation, and operates a coal mine in Whitley county, Kentucky.

The distance from defendant’s mine entry to the railroad over which it shipped its output is between 2,500 and 3,000 feet; 1,500 feet of this distance is through a tunnel. It hauled its coal in small mine cars over a track running through the tunnel, the track being something near a two and a half per cent, grade from the mouth of the mine entry to a considerable distance into the tunnel. These cars were drawn by mules, and with a view of increasing its hauling capacity and thereby enlarging the output of its mines, the defendant conceived the idea of abandoning the use of mules and substituting therefor a locomotive steam engine.

While this plan was being considered, the defendant obtained a catalogue of the plaintiff, and in it was the advertisement of an engine measuring up to practically the kind defendant thought would meet its requirements. This, in the catalogue, is designated illustration number five. It had a 7x12 cylinder, which defendant thought was ‘too small, it desiring a cylinder 8x14. The weight of the engine illustrated in the catalogue was 18,000 pounds, and it showed that upon a level it had the capacity to pull, exclusive of its own weight, on a half per cent, grade, 585 tons; on a one per cent, grade, 254 tons; on a two per cent, grade, 160 tons; and a three per cent, grade, 89 tons. It was also what is known as a saddle-tank locomotive, which was [677]*677the kind defendant desired. This means that a receptacle for carrying the water is belted around the top of the boiler in a semi-circular shape, and it was represented to have a capacity for three hundred gallons. There were other representations made in the catalogue which are not necessary to here enumerate.

After considering the illustrated locomotive in the catalogue, defendant opened up negotiations by correspondence with the plaintiff, insisting that it desired the locomotive number 5 but with a cylinder 8x14, not to exceed 6% feet in width, and 5 feet high. Following some correspondence, the manager of defendant visited plaintiff’s plant at Marietta, Georgia, and fully explained precisely what was desired. He was there informed that plaintiff could construct the character of locomotive defendant needed for its particular purpose, and after returning home he gave an order to plaintiff for the remodeled number 5 locomotive which had been agreed upon. This ■ order was accepted by wire, which was immediately followed by a letter altering the specifications somewhat; one particular of which was the height of the engine which plaintiff desired to construct 5y2 feet, instead of 5 feet. To assure and guarantee against any mistakes, and to have a perfect understanding, defendant wired plaintiff to send a representative to its mine and look over the situation so as to fully inform himself and be prepared to construct the locomotive so that it would perform the duties for which it was being purchased. Following this, Mr. Glover, president of the plaintiff, visited defendant’s mine, and while there went entirely over the haul-way from the mine entry to the railroad, including that part of it running through the tunnel, and he then agreed that it was perfectly feasible to construct the character of locomotive which defendant desired. This visit was made on April 13, 1912, at which time the contract for the locomotive was approved in writing by the plaintiff, and was signed by the defendant, although it had been dated April 3, 1912, being the date upon which defendant wrote its letter authorizing plaintiff to construct the locomotive. The price agreed to be paid for it was $2,000.00, $250.00 of which was paid on the date of the order, $250.00 on the date of shipment, and three notes for $500.00 each, due in three, six and nine months executed for the balance, bearing date of the first order. The locomotive [678]*678was agreed to- be delivered within thirty days, but it was not done until July 4, 1912.

After the return of Mr. Clover from his visit to the mine, on April 13, he furnished to the defendant blue prints to assist it in enlarging the tunnel so as to receive the locomotive, and making other repairs to its track necessary for its operation. Defendant constructed a wooden engine of the same dimensions of the one it had ordered, which it used in fixing the tunnel, according to instructions given to it by plaintiff. Plaintiff was likewise furnished with the character • of coal cars used by the defendant, their height, etc., which it claimed was necessary to enable it to construct the locomotive so as to obtain the best results and give entire satisfaction.

After the locomotive was received it was installed, but it was soon discovered that it would not do the work for which it was purchased. It fell far short of hauling the tonnage it was represented to haul in the negotiations for its purchase. The tank had a capacity for only fifty gallons, instead of three hundred. The draft was so poor that a fire could not be started in the engine without a false chimney, which could not be used through the tunnel. Other parts of the engine, which it is not necessary to here enumerate, refused to work or to perform their functions, notwithstanding, according to ■‘‘he proof, a competent man was in charge of the locomotive. Complaints were promptly made, and promises of repair were received by defendant from plaintiff, until finally, at the request of plaintiff, defendant sent an expert to see if it was possible to remedy the defects. This expert remained at defendant’s mine but a short while, becoming convinced that it was impossible for him to remedy the defects so as to make the locomotive perform the work for which it was purchased, and he returned, leaving conditions as he found them. Correspondence regularly continued between the parties in regard to the matter until the first $500.00 note became due. Under promise of plaintiff to put the locomotive in the condition called for in the contract, that note was paid. Matters grew worse,’ instead of improving, and when the second note became due, plaintiff declined to pay it, and after the maturity of the third one this suit was filed on the two unpaid notes, amounting to $1,000.00.

[679]*679The answer, as finally amended, sought a cancellation or rescission of the contract upon the ground that in manufacturing and selling the * machinery to it by plaintiff, there was an implied warranty on its part that the locomotive would be suited for and would perform the work for which it was purchased; that there had been a total failure in this respect, and it sought to recover by way of counter-claim the $1,000.00 which it had paid, and $500.00 which it claimed to have spent in preparing the tunnel and its track for the use of the locomotive, which item it insisted was entirely unnecessary and of no use to it except in so far as it might be able to operate the locomotive.

A trial of the case resulted in a verdict for the defendant for the $1,000.00 which it had paid, and for the $500.00 claimed as damages, upon which judgment was rendered, the petition dismissed, and to reverse the judgment this appeal is prosecuted.

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Bluebook (online)
191 S.W. 516, 173 Ky. 675, 1917 Ky. LEXIS 520, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/glover-machine-works-v-cooke-jellico-coal-co-kyctapp-1917.