Miller Engineering Co. v. Louisiana Ry. & Nav. Co.

81 So. 314, 144 La. 786, 1919 La. LEXIS 1628
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedMarch 5, 1919
DocketNo. 21690
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 81 So. 314 (Miller Engineering Co. v. Louisiana Ry. & Nav. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miller Engineering Co. v. Louisiana Ry. & Nav. Co., 81 So. 314, 144 La. 786, 1919 La. LEXIS 1628 (La. 1919).

Opinion

PROVOSTY, J.

Were we to write an opinion in this case it would tend to the same conclusion, and follow the same line of argument, as the reasons for judgment of the learned trial judge. Therefore we spare ourselves that unnecessary trouble, and simply adopt as our own the said reasons for judgment, which are as follows:

“On August 4, 1915, relator tendered to respondent company 7 cars of stone and switching charges, and demanded that said company spot said cars on its track next to the bank of the river, in order that said cars would be conveniently unloaded on barges which relator had stationed in the river nearby, for the purpose of transporting said stone to a point up the river to be used in revetment work, in which relator is engaged.
“The stone had been shipped by relator from Winnfield to Shreveport, over the Louisiana & Arkansas Railway Company’s line, a competitor of respondent company, which also owns and operates a line of railway from Winnfield to Shreveport.
“The Louisiana & Arkansas Railway Company has no terminal facilities of its own in this city, but uses those of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company, whose switching tracks are designated as ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ and ‘D’ on blueprint filed in evidence by respondent, and marked Exhibit 1, and which are several hundred feet from the river bank.
“Relator claims that it was entitled to the switching services which it demanded of respondent company, because it would be more economical to relator in the delivery of its rock to its barges, and for the further reason that respondent company is a common carrier, and as such is under the legal duty to grant the switching privileges demanded. Relator also contends that respondent company has on numerous occasions spotted cars for relator and others on the track in question, and that its refusal to handle the cars in question for relator was an act of illegal and prejudicial discrimination.
“Respondent company declined to accede to the demand of relator, and 'denies that it has used or dedicated the track in question to the general public, and especially denies any discrimination in favor of others or against relator, and avers that any cars which may have been switched or unloaded on said track were so hauled in cases of emergency, or in serving the United States government, or in accommodating industries on said track, or in one or two instances through misapprehension of a subordinate of respondent company.
“Respondent specially avers that the track referred to by relator is a track built by it many years ago as a part of its terminal, and has [789]*789since then, and is now, continuously used by your respondent as a switch track, in connection with its warehouse, and is a team track for its yards, and it is absolutely necessary and indispensable to the proper conduct of its business and to accommodate industries located on said track.
“The track in red next to the river is the track in dispute in this ease. That portion of this track, from the center of Lake street to the two iron posts near platform, a distance of 300 feet, is used as a ‘team track.’ That portion of this track from these iron posts, indicated by a red arrow on blue print, to first yellow arrow, a distance of 87 feet, is used as an ‘industrial track’ by the Muller Storage & Texas Lumber Company, whose plant is located by the side of this track. That portion of this track from the center of Lake street to the bridge is used as a switching track in connection with the two ‘house’ or warehouse tracks, which diverge from this track and run in front of the L. R. & N. Co.’s freight depot.
“Relator cites as instances of the dedication to general use of this track the fact that respondent company, prior to its refusal to handle the cars in controversy, moved two cars of coal for it over this track, and later refused one car; also the case of a car of coal being put off for the government on this track, and unloaded on a boat in the river; also the case of the Texas Lumber Company having cars spotted there, and of an agreement being made for the spotting of tank cars in there; also the case of several carloads of piling being handled on this track for the Blodgett Construction Company.
“In this latter case the testimony of Mr. Blodgett shows that the handling of several cars of piling on this switch was a matter of special favor, and not demanded as a matter of right. It further shows that it was a case of emergency. The river was rapidly rising, and the false work of the traffic bridge, which was then under construction by this company, was endangered by the high water in the river, and there was urgent need for more piling to protect this false work. Blodgett’s testimony in this matter is fully corroborated by the testimony of Mr. Helm, the general manager and vice president of respondent company.
“As to the spotting of cars on this track by the Texas Lumber Company, the evidence shows that the plant in question is located on this switch, and part of the track was built by said company and part by respondent company. In other words, it is an ‘industry’ track constructed for the special use of the Texas Lumber Company. The only times the Texas Lumber Company has used any part of the track above their platform was when the high water in the river washed out a part of their industry track, and this company was then allowed the use of the 27 feet, part of which is above their platform. The original 90 feet 'of track built for this company was washed into the river, and 60 feet of this was reconstructed, so the present length of this industry track is 87 feet. The portion of the industry track above the platform in front of this company’s plant encroached upon the team track, but this end of the team track is inaccessible to teams and useless for that purpose, and was therefore given to the Texas Lumber Company in lieu of the 30 feet which had caved into the river.

[I] “As to the handling on this track of several carloads of coal for the United States government, Mr. Helm, the general manager of the respondent company, testified that government boats would land in the river near this track, and that the respondent company has sold to the government a good many cars of coal in years gone by, and that this coal was furnished out of respondent company’s own yard, except in one case, when respondent company had an order for a carload of coal for the government and did not have the car, and respondent company took the matter up with the Y. S. & P. Ry. Co., as the government was in a rush to get the coal, and the car was spotted on the track in question under these circumstances. In addition to this, section 22 of the Interstate Commerce Act (Act Feb. 4, 1887, c. 104, 24 Stat. 387 [U. S. Comp. St. § 8595]) expressly provides ‘that nothing in this act shall prevent the carriage, storage or handling of property free, or at reduced rates, for the United States, states or municipal governments.’

“Article 287 of the Constitution of 1913 contains similar provisions as to services to the state, or any parish, city, or town government to be rendered by common carriers.

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

Related

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway v. Abar
275 Cal. App. 2d 456 (California Court of Appeal, 1969)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
81 So. 314, 144 La. 786, 1919 La. LEXIS 1628, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miller-engineering-co-v-louisiana-ry-nav-co-la-1919.