Roberts v. Roberts

27 S.W.2d 880, 1930 Tex. App. LEXIS 439
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 16, 1930
DocketNo. 3395.
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 27 S.W.2d 880 (Roberts v. Roberts) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Roberts v. Roberts, 27 S.W.2d 880, 1930 Tex. App. LEXIS 439 (Tex. Ct. App. 1930).

Opinion

JACKSON, J.

This suit was instituted in the district court of Briscoe county, Tex., by the plaintiffs, R. L. Roberts, M. C. Roberts, and R. F. Pruitt, composing the firm of Roberts Grain & Seed Company, against A. F. Roberts, doing business under -the trade-name of A. F. Roberts Construction Company.

The plaintiffs alleged that about May 21, 1928, they made an oral agreement with the defendant, by the terms of which he agreed to furnish the plans and specifications and the labor and material, and erect for the plaintiffs a grain elevator at Morse, Texas, for the sum of $7,300. That, under the terms of the agreement, the elevator was to be of sufficient size and erected so as to load out dry grain into cars to capacity without the aid or necessity of scooping the grain by hand.

That immediately after the oral agreement, the defendant prepared plans and specifications and a written contract, which were supposed to embody the terms and conditions of the oral agreement; that the defendant promptly presented written plans and specifications and also the written contract, to be executed by the parties; that plaintiffs, acting through M. C. Roberts, asked the defendant whether or not an elevator, constructed according to such plans and specifications and with the dimensions provided for, would load out dry grain into cars to capacity without scooping the grain by hand, and the defendant represented to plaintiffs that the elevator erected according to such plans and specifications and of the dimensions provided for, would, when completed, load out dry grain into cars to capacity without handling any of the grain with scoops. That the plaintiffs were without experience or knowledge, concerning plans and specifications, and did not know whether an elevator, constructed according to such plans and specifications, and the provisions of the written contract, would load grain into cars to capacity without using scoops, and therefore, believed and relied upon the representations and statements of the defendant, and signed the contract.

That the elevator constructed by the defendant at Morse, Tex., does not load dry grain into cars to capacity without the use of scoops.' But in order to operate said elevator and load grain in cars to capacity, plaintiffs are put to the necessity of hiring labor for scooping grain by hand.

That the defendant made these representations, which were false and fraudulent, before the written contract was executed, for the purpose of inducing, and which did induce the plaintiffs to sign the written contract for the erection of said elevator. That but for such false and fraudulent representations and statements, plaintiffs would not *882 Rave executed the contract. That such statements and representations were material, because the elevator, as constructed, is of much less value than it would have heen if it would load dry grain into cars to capacity without the cost necessitated by the use of scoops, and plaintiffs are not bound by the written contract, for the reason that they were induced to sign, and did sign, such contract, by the false and fraudulent representations of the defendant.

That at all times it was agreed 'that the elevator should be constructed in a workmanlike manner, and, when finished, should he delivered in first-class running order and would be a complete and modern elevator plant.

That prior to .the execution of said contract and before the construction of said elevator began, plaintiffs and defendant were negotiating relative to the erection of another grain elevator at Silverton, in Briscoe county, Tex., according to the same plans and specifications. That such negotiations resulted in a contract for the defendant to build for plaintiffs the elevator at Silverton, and this contract was given as a part of the consideration for the guarantee by defendant that the elevator at Morse, Tex., would load dry •grain into cars to capacity without scooping ■by hand. That the plaintiffs relied upon such guarantee in closing .the contract for the •elevator at Silverton, and they would not have given the defendant the contract for the Silverton elevator, hut for such guarantee.

Plaintiffs alleged that they have paid the 'entire consideration to the defendant for the ■erection and construction of the grain elevator at Morse, Tex. That, at the .time such’ payment was made, they did not know that the elevator would not load grain into cars ■to capacity, and at the time of such payment ■the defendant again stated and represented that the elevator would, as contracted for, load grain into cars to capacity without the use of scoops, • and if it did not, defendant would remedy it.

Plaintiffs alleged that the defendant wholly ■failed, to erect said elevator so that it would load out grain into cars to capacity without the aid of scoops, and, by reason thereof, plaintiffs will be compelled to continuously •employ an extra hand to assist in loading •cars to their capacity, to plaintiffs’ damage in the sum of $2,500.

That it was agreed that the elevator, when completed would have a grain-handling capacity of 1,500 bushels per hour, but, as constructed, its capacity is only 1,000 bushels per hour, because it is equipped with grain buckets differing from those provided for in the plans and specifications, and that it will cost $250 to replace the small buckets with buckets of greater capacity.

That the concrete foundation under the scales was insufficient, to remedy which it will cost $50. That the concrete walls of the dump pit are of inferior material; have crumbled and fallen apart, and to replace such walls will require an expenditure of $100.

That the grain elevator at Morse, Tex., if completed in accordance with the agreement, would have been of the value of $7,300, but, as constructed and completed, its value does not exceed $4,400, and by reason of the incapacity to load cars to their capacity without the use of scoops, and the defects as alleged, plaintiffs have suffered damages in the sum of $2,900.

The defendant answered by a genera! demurrer, numerous special exceptions, general denial, admitted that he entered into a written contract with plaintiffs to build the elevator at Morse, Tex., in accordance with certain plans and specifications, which were accepted and approved by the plaintiffs, hut denied that he guaranteed the elevator to load grain to capacity of cars or that such elevator would be a complete, modern elevator. That if the elevator does not load grain into cars to capacity without the aid of scoops, it was not the fault of defendant-, but the fault of the plaintiffs, who insisted on their own ideas for the construction of the elevator and would not permit the defendant to construct said elevator according to his desire. That the plaintiffs did not rely on the defendant, but insisted on dictating their plans and specifications and consulted and advised with some party unknown to the defendant, and demanded certain changes in the plans and specifications añd the size of the, spout and the height .of the elevator. That he carried out the contract and built the elevator according to the plans and specifications. That the material and work was inspected by the plaintiffs, as the work progressed, and the grain elevator, when completed, was accepted and paid for in full by the plaintiffs.

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Bluebook (online)
27 S.W.2d 880, 1930 Tex. App. LEXIS 439, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/roberts-v-roberts-texapp-1930.