Robinson v. Puget Electric Welding Co.

299 P. 405, 162 Wash. 626, 1931 Wash. LEXIS 1046
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1931
DocketNo. 22749. Department One.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 299 P. 405 (Robinson v. Puget Electric Welding Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robinson v. Puget Electric Welding Co., 299 P. 405, 162 Wash. 626, 1931 Wash. LEXIS 1046 (Wash. 1931).

Opinions

Parker, J.

The plaintiffs, using the name Eobinson Sales Company, and the defendant welding company, a corporation, entered into a contract, a portion of which is in writing reading as follows:

*627 “Puget Electric Welding Co. July 29, 1929.
301 Horton St.,
Seattle, Wash.
“Gentlemen:
“Confirming conversation, we propose to furnish and install at 301 Horton St., one General Electric Stationary Arc Welding Motor Generator Set and accessory equipment, as covered by the attached list. This equipment has been used previously and it is at present in storage in Salt Lake City.
“The equipment will be wired complete from entrance point, ready for power company connection to welding panels. All wiring and material furnished shall conform to the city ordinances and be left in first class operating condition.
“The complete price for this equipment installed as above, shall be $2,500.00, payable as follows:
“ $500.00 payable with order
“$500.00 upon arrival of equipment and after inspection, before removal from transportation company.
“$1,500.00 balance on promissory note payable $125.00 first of each month at the rate of 7% per an-num.
‘ ‘ Title of all equipment to remain in our name until completion of final payment.
“Yours very truly,
“Robinson Sales Company,
“By R. F. Robinson,
“ Accepted July 29, 1929,
Puget Electric Welding Co.'
“By A. O. Nordine,
“Sec’y Treas.”

Attached to this written portion of the contract is a list specifying one 800 ampere welding circuit, one 400 ampere welding circuit, and two 200 ampere welding circuits, but it does not, in terms, specify any stabilizing reactors.

On the same day, it was orally agreed between the parties, as a part of the contract, that, in addition to paying the $2,500, the welding company should convey *628 to the sales company a smaller used electric welding set, to be delivered to the sales company upon the larger set being properly installed in an efficient, first-class, workable condition. It was then further orally agreed between the parties that proper stabilizing reactors to complete and make the larger set efficiently workable would be installed by the sales company as a part of the set. This was a disputed question, but so found by the court on sufficient evidence.

The welding company executed a bill of sale for the smaller set to the sales company on the date of the written portion of the contract, on the same date executed and delivered to the sales company an installment promissory note for the principal sum of $1,500, on the same day paid to the sales company $500, and thereafter, upon the arrival of the set at Seattle paid an additional $500 to the sales company.

On November 10, 1929, the sales company, claiming to have installed the larger set, as contracted, commenced this action in the superior court for King county, praying for recovery from the welding company upon the $1,500 installment note, for recovery of the smaller set, and for “such other and further relief as to the court may seem just.” The welding company responded by denial of proper installing of the larger set by the sales company; and, by cross-complaint, prayed for rescission of the contract, cancellation of the bill of sale for the smaller set, cancellation of the $1,500 note, and recovery of the $1,000 paid upon the contract. The issues so made being of equitable cognizance, the cause proceeded to trial in the superior court sitting without a jury, resulting in findings and judgment, the latter reading as follows:

“Now, Therefore, it is hereby Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed :
“ (1) That plaintiffs have brought their action pre *629 maturely and no cause of action existed at the commencement of the within suit and their complaint is therefore dismissed, without prejudice, however, to plaintiffs’ right to proceed upon the maturity of their cause of action by the installation of stabilizing reactors upon the 400 ampere panel and upon the two 200 ampere panels of the General Electric Arc Welding Set which was heretofore sold to the defendant by the plaintiffs; and the plaintiffs are hereby granted a reasonable time in which to install the same, and upon their said installation the plaintiffs will have fully performed their contract. The defendant is further denied any damages by reason of the delay of the plaintiffs in installing the stabilizers up to this time.
“ (2) That the defendant’s cross-complaint requesting a rescission should be, and hereby is, denied, and the said cross-complaint dismissed.”

From this disposition of the cause in the superior court, the welding company has appealed to this court.

The principal controversy between the parties, up to the time of the rendering of the judgment, from which the sales company has not appealed, was as to whether or not the contract called for the installing by the sales company of stabilizing reactors, also called stabilizers. The set agreed to be installed consists, as we have noticed, of four parts, called circuits or panels; all four parts, if properly installed, being capable of simultaneous, efficient operation. The purpose of the stabilizers is to so control the flow of the electric current that all four parts may be used at the same time, each for a separate welding process, which cannot be done efficiently without stabilizers. The set arrived at Seattle near the last of August, 1929. The following of the trial court’s findings seem to be well supported by the evidence:

“IV. That it was the understanding and the agreement between the parties that the said welding set so to be sold and installed by the plaintiffs for the defendant was to be left in first class operating condition, so *630 that any number or all of its panels could be operated together at the same time, and not simply that one panel thereof could be operated alone.
“V.

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78 P.2d 181 (Washington Supreme Court, 1938)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
299 P. 405, 162 Wash. 626, 1931 Wash. LEXIS 1046, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robinson-v-puget-electric-welding-co-wash-1931.