Houston Packing Co. v. Cuero Cotton Oil & Mfg. Co.

255 S.W. 168
CourtTexas Commission of Appeals
DecidedOctober 31, 1923
DocketNo. 469-3846
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 255 S.W. 168 (Houston Packing Co. v. Cuero Cotton Oil & Mfg. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Commission of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Houston Packing Co. v. Cuero Cotton Oil & Mfg. Co., 255 S.W. 168 (Tex. Super. Ct. 1923).

Opinion

BISHOP, J.

The defendant in error, Cuero Cotton Oil & Manufacturing Company, filed 'suit in the district court of DeWitt county against plaintiff in error, Houston Packing Company, for damages for the alleged breach of a contract of sale of a tank car of cotton seed oil of date September 27, 1917. On trial judgment was rendered and entered for defendant in error for $1,711.60, and on appeal the judgment was affirmed by the Court of Civil Appeals in an opinion (241 S. W. 502) in which is given a full statement of the pleadings and facts. The case is before the Supreme Court on writ of error. Only such statement is made here as is necessary to a consideration of the sole question raised in the petition for the writ.

On the above-named date the plaintiff in error sold to defendant in error one tank car of 160 barrels’ capacity, prime crude cotton seed oil at $1.13 per gallon f. o. b. Texas common points, to be delivered during the month of January, 1918; the tank to be furnished by the buyer. Under the contract it was the duty “of the seller to notify buyer at least ten days previous to the expiration of the period in which tank cars might be forwarded in time to reach seller in time to admit of shipment of the oil within the contract period.” The contract miso provides that—

A “failure on the part of buyer to forward tank cars as required * .* * and give due notice of forwarding shall entitle the seller at his option to cancel the contract at the expiration of the contract time, by giving to the buyer telegraphic notice of cancellation.”

And also that—

“In case the seller elects to cancel, he must, after he acquired the right to cancel any .contract, or part thereof, immediately notify the buyer by wire of his intention to do so, it be.ing understood that the contract is in force until such notice .of cancellation has been given by the seller. * * * Failure to give such notice shall operate as a renewal of the contract and shall extend the time of. same as many .days as seller allows to lapse before giving notice.”

[169]*169Houston Packing Company, plaintiff in error, Raving on December 4, 1917, purchased a car of oil from Farmers’ Cotton Oil Company of Winnsboro, a Texas common point, to deliver to defendant in error in satisfaction of its contract of sale, on January 7, 1918, wrote defendant in error tendering this oil on its contract of September 27, 1917.

The defendant in error, the Cuero Company, sold a car of oil of like kind to Magnolia Provision Company of Houston, “and the Magnolia Company sold it to the Planters’ Oil Company of Waxahachie, who in turn sold it to Proctor & Gamble of Ohio.”

“On the 23d day of January, 1918, the packing company wrote a letter to the Farmers’ Cotton Oil Company of Winnsboro, a carbon copy of which was sent to the Cuero Company, which reads as follows:
“ ‘Houston, Tex., Jan. 23, 1918.
“ '‘Farmers’ Cotton Oil Company, Winns-boro, Texas — Gentlemen:, P. C. No. 1949 — S. C. No. 1791. We are in receipt of carbon copy of letter of Jan.- 21st, relative to one tank prime crude cotton seed oil which we bought from you through-Yepp contract dated Dec. 4th, and which We declared to the Cuero Cotton Oil & Mfg. Co., who in turn declared to Magnolia Prov. Co., and they to Planters’ at Waxahachie, who have it sold to Proctor & Gamble Co.
“ ‘If the procedure outlined by the Magnolia Prov. Co. is satisfactory to you, please advise us. It meets with our approval.
“ ‘Yours truly,
“ ‘Houston Packing Company.’
“On the 30th day of January, 1918, the Farmers’ Cotton Oil Company wrote the packing company as follows:
“ ‘Winnsboro, Tex., Jan. 30, 1918.
“ ‘Houston Packing Company, Houston, Texas — Gentlemen: Further referring to Yepp contract of Dec. 4, 1917, in which we sold you January oil at $1.25 per gal., and which seems to have been traded all around the world, we desire to advise that we made requisitions for this tank early in Jan. and have insisted that it be forwarded, and the last information that we had, it had been traded to Proctor & Gamble and that they would be unable to furnish Jan. tanks and was asking for extension which was impossible for us to grant as we have already been shut down for want of storage capacity but to our surprise we have received letter of instructions and number of tank •which seems to have been forwarded Jan. 24th to us, and which we feel cannot reach us during the life of this contract, however, if it should, we will load, and if not, under the interstate rules, said contract becomes null and void.
“ ‘Trusting that you will take this up at once with Proctor & Gamble Co., as they are not known to us in this connection, we are,
“ ‘Yours very truly,
“ ‘Farmers’ Cotton. Oil Company.’
“On the 1st day of February, 1918, the packing company wrote the Cuero Company as follows:
' “ ‘Houston, Tex., Feb. 1, 1918.
“ ‘Cuero Cotton Oil & Mfg. Co., Cuero, Texas — Gentlemen: P. C. No. 1949 — S. O. No. 1791. "We are to-day in receipt of letter from Farmers’ Cotton Oil Company Winnsboro, Texas, under date of Jan. 30th, as per copy attached, relative to one tank prime crude cotton seed oil which we declared to you on our sale to you on Sept. 27th, through E. H- Terrell & Co., and this is to give you official notice of the intention of Farmers’ Cotton Oil Company relative to the delivery of this oil.
“‘We would suggest that you advise Proctor & Gamble immediately, so as to avoid any unnecessary delay to the tanks, or further complications on this contract.
“ ‘Yours truly,
“ ‘Houston Packing Company.’ .
“On the same day, that is, February 1, 1918, the Cuero Company sent the packing company a telegram reading as follows:
“ ‘Cuero, Texas, 11:01 A. M., February 1, 1918.
“ ‘Houston Packing Company, Houston, Texas. Magnolia advises tank nineteen seventy-five forwarded Winnsboro by Proctor and Gamble on twenty-fourth.
“ ‘Cuero Cotton Oil & Mfg. Co.’
“After the receipt of the telegram next .above set out, the correspondence set out below followed: 1
“ ‘Houston, Texas, 2 — 4, 1918.
“ ‘Farmers’ Cotton Oil Co., Winnsboro, Texas. P. & G. tank.1975 forwarded January 24th for crude cotton seed oil our purchase December 4th, Yepp. Will you load tank on arrival as per contract. Obedient. [Signed] Houston Packing Company.’
“ ‘Winnsboro, Texas, 2:00 P. M., Feb. 6, 1918.
“ ‘To Houston Packing Co., Houston, Texas. Will not load tank except at market price to-, day. Farmers’ Cotton Oil Co.’
“ ‘Houston, Tex., 2/6/1918.
“ ‘Cuero Cotton Oil & Mfg. Co., Cuero, Texas. Farmers’ Winnsboro wire will not load P. & G. tank except at market price to-day.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Gable v. Frigidaire Corporation
121 S.W.2d 456 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1938)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
255 S.W. 168, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/houston-packing-co-v-cuero-cotton-oil-mfg-co-texcommnapp-1923.