R. E. Davis Electric Co., Inc. v. Hopkins

64 P.2d 1317, 155 Or. 510, 1937 Ore. LEXIS 18
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 20, 1937
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 64 P.2d 1317 (R. E. Davis Electric Co., Inc. v. Hopkins) 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
R. E. Davis Electric Co., Inc. v. Hopkins, 64 P.2d 1317, 155 Or. 510, 1937 Ore. LEXIS 18 (Or. 1937).

Opinion

CAMPBELL, J.

On September 24, 1935, plaintiff filed its second amended complaint alleging that defendants were engaged as joint adventurers in certain logging operations in Skamania county, Washington; that said operations were conducted under the name of Hopkins & Clay; that on or about December 1, 1933 said defendants entered into a contract with plaintiff the pertinent parts of which are as follows:

“That the parties of the second part (plaintiff herein) are to furnish two 40 hp Double Drum Gasoline Driven logging hoists, and one Double Drum 100 hp Gasoline Driven Hoist, together with all necessary cables, blocks, sheaves, and chokers, for the logging of approximately one million board feet of logs, near *512 Hamilton Mountain, in the State of Washington. The parties of the second part are to transport the above mentioned hoists and equipment to and from this location near Hamilton Mountain; furnish all gasoline and oil required for their operation, together with three men who will be the logging hoist operators for the logging of approximately one million board feet of logs. The loading on trucks is to be done by the trucking men from a loading platform, to which we pull these logs. For this mentioned work, the parties of the first part are to pay the parties of the second part, the sum of four dollars and twenty-five cents ($4.25) per thousand board feet, if an average of twenty thousand board feet per eight-hour day can be logged; $4.00 per thousand board feet if an average of thirty thousand board feet per eight-hour day can be logged, and $3.75 per thousand board feet per eight-hour day if an average of forty thousand board feet can be logged. These averages to be based on weekly runs of actual operating days, after the machinery and equipment is set up, ready to run. And if over forty thousand board feet per eight hour day can be logged, a decrease of price will be paid in proportion to the above mentioned figures. The parties of the second part agree to log a minimum average of fifteen thousand board feet per day, based on weekly averages, after the machinery is set up, with all necessary help furnished by the parties of the first part, in connection with this setting up, except the three hoist engineers mentioned above. It is also agreed' that at least seven hundred fifty thousand board feet of logs are to be furnished at this location, and the payment of this logging to the parties of the second part is to be made when the parties of the first part receive their payment for these logs, and in any event, not later than thirty (30) days from time of shipment of each raft; otherwise this contract can be cancelled at the option of the parties of the second part, and all their expenses for transportation, placing of equipment, and a reasonable rental of the equipment will be paid by the parties of the first part. * * * All *513 labor in connection with the- setting of the cables, chokers, blocks, and moving hoists, to be furnished by the parties of the first part, except the climbing of trees, known as spar trees, for the fastening of high lead blocks and cables; this climbing is to be done by men furnished by the parties of the second part. All loading platforms and swamping roads or any other class of work other than the operation of the hoists, to be supplied by the parties of the first part. It is also agreed that the parties of the first part are to buck and fall sufficient trees cut into logs, to be ready for logging, to the extent of a minimum average of fifteen thousand board feet per day, averaged weekly.
All moneys received from the logs or piling logged from the above mentioned location, will be immediately turned over to Mr. Perry Abbott and disbursed by him immediately upon the receipt of the proceeds from each raft.”

Plaintiff alleges that it fulfilled its part of the contract in that all the crew, equipment and machinery agreed to be furnished by it under the contract was set up and on the premises ready for operation on January 31, 1934. (The date here alleged is in all probability a typographical error, as the original complaint and the first amended complaint allege the date of January 1,1934, and the testimony was received without objection that all the machinery and equipment were set up ready for operation between December 15 and 20, 1933.)

It further alleges it maintained such equipment and machinery on the premises from the date above alleged until March 28,1934, a period of 78 working days; that defendant failed to furnish a sufficient quantity of logs or to maintain a sufficient crew to carry on the logging successfully and keep the machinery and equipment in operation. On this cause of action it alleges that it logged 250,000 board feet of timber; that the *514 said timber was made into rafts and more than 30 days have elapsed since the sale thereof; that defendant furnished less than a minimum of 20,000 board feet of logs per day, and that the rate was $4.25 per thousand board feet, amounting to $1,062.50 for which it demands judgment.

For its second cause of action, it realleges the formal parts of the complaint and the execution and the formal parts of the contract and the breach of it by defendant, alleging that it provided sufficient machinery, equipment and crew to have logged the balance of the 750,000 board feet minimum to be logged in the contract, and that by reason of defendant’s failure to supply the minimum amount of logs specified in the contract to keep the machinery and equipment operating steadily it was damaged in the sum of $2,125.

Defendants Clay and Hopkins filed an answer admitting that they entered into the contract alleged in the plaintiff’s complaint, but that plaintiff failed to carry out its part of the contract in that the machinery and equipment furnished by plaintiff for the purpose for which it was required was wornout, delapitated and worthless, and alleged that they were damaged by reason of plaintiff’s failure to perform.

Defendants Perry L. Abbott and the Abbott Company, Inc., a corporation filed an answer consisting of a general denial.

The case came on for trial and, at the close of plaintiff’s case in chief, defendant Abbott and the Abbott Company, Inc., each moved for an involuntary nonsuit on the ground that there was no evidence tending to prove that either of those defendants were joint adventurers in the business with the other defendants. These motions were denied and exceptions saved.

*515 At the close of all the testimony, defendant Perry L. Abbott requested the court to instruct the jury to return a verdict in favor of defendant Perry L. Abbott, which request was refused. A similar instruction was requested and given in behalf of the Abbott Company, Inc., and a verdict so returned and judgment entered thereon.

The case was then submitted to the jury who returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff on its first cause of action in the sum of $1,062.50, and on its second cause of action in the sum of $2,025 against defendants Hopkins and Clay and Abbott, and judgment entered thereon. Defendant Abbott appeals.

The bill of exceptions presents several alleged errors, but the real questions in this case are: First: Is there any evidence to support a verdict against Perry L.

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

Related

Apex Metal Stamping Co. v. Alexander & Sawyer, Inc.
138 A.2d 568 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1958)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
64 P.2d 1317, 155 Or. 510, 1937 Ore. LEXIS 18, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/r-e-davis-electric-co-inc-v-hopkins-or-1937.