The Malola

214 F. 308, 1914 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1809
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedMay 18, 1914
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 214 F. 308 (The Malola) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
The Malola, 214 F. 308, 1914 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1809 (W.D. Wash. 1914).

Opinion

CUSHMAN, District Judge.

In October, 1910, a libel for $1,223.15 herein was filed for materials and labor furnished at the Port of Seattle in repairing, altering, equipping, and furnishing the respondent, Malola. The Pacific Net & Twine Company, of the s'ame place, filed a claim as owner. Mrs. E. E. Van Hook, also of Seattle, filed a claim as owner, likewise, alleging that, though she had, in October, 1910, given a bill of sale to the Pacific Net & Twine Company, such conveyance was in effect a mortgage.

The answers of both claimants admit that libelant, at the request of the claimant Van Hook, did a small part of what is claimed in the libel, but deny the amount and value thereof. They deny that the work and material were furnished on the credit of the Malola. and allege that claimant Van Hook contracted, in 1910, for libelant to, within 30 days, repair and overhaul a gas engine in the Malola, together with machinery attached thereto, and place them in good, first-class, seaworthy condition, for $218.

They further allege: That libelant delivered the boat July 1st, instead of May 30th, as agreed; that, by this delay, said claimant lost the use of the boat for the month of June. That the repairs were not properly made, whereby the engine broke down July 4th on the way to the fishing banks, and, upon returning to Seattle, the engine was found to be in such condition that it could not be repaired. That Van Hook contracted with one Randles, July 15th, to replace the old engine with a new one. That libelant agreed with Randles to install the new engine, looking only to Randles for payment, which work it so did, except as to labor performed by it for the Troyer-Fox Company, who furnished the engine to Randles. That thereafter this agreement was modified, whereby libelant agreed to look to the Troyer-Fox Company, solely, for its pay for all work in connection with installing the new engine. That, while repairing the old engine, libelant had furnished [310]*310extras for Van Hook, in amount not exceeding $75, which have not been paid; but the answer of Van Hook offers to allow this amount in reduction of her cross-libel for damages. That $300 of the amount claimed by libelant was for labor performed upon the old engine after its removal, and upon the new engine before it entered the Malola and while such engines were upon land. That this part of the claim is not maritime and there can be no lien therefor. That libelant agreed with Randles to wait for its pay 30 days after the completion of the work, but that, in violation of such agreement, this suit was brought before the expiration of the time agreed.

Mrs. E. Van Hook has also filed a cross-libel to recover $1,330 from libelant on account of the loss of the use' of the Malola in the halibut fisheries during the months of June, July, August, and September, 1910; and for the further sum of $248.18. These items are claimed as losses and damages caused by the delay and failure of libelant to perform its contract for the repair and overhauling of the old engine. The claim of $248.18 was reduced upon the trial, by cross-libelant, to $138.

Libelant, as cross-respondent, answering the cross-libel, admits that, at the time alleged, it contracted to repair the old gasoline engine and place the same in first-class condition, as far as its condition would permit; but, categorically, denies all of the other allegations of the cross-libel inconsistent with its asserted claim. It alleges that the engine broke down when the Malola had gotten 35 miles from Seattle, that it was defectively built, and that a new engine was necessary. It further alleges that the cross-libelant, for the repair of the old engine, agreed to pay the reasonable value of the work and material, which amounted to $443.15, of which $120 was paid; that the vessel was delivered to cross-libelant, who approved the bill for the work and material ; that, owing to an incompetent engineer, the vessel became temporarily out of commission on the way to the fishing banks; but that she returned to, Seattle under her own power, with an engineer furnished by cross-respondent; that all the further work of removing the old engine and installing the new was at the request of cross-libel-ant, through her agent, the reasonable valúe of which was $1,135.54, of which $200 has been paid and $35.54 waived; that the charges were satisfactory to, and the bill therefor approved by, cross-libelant.

[1] Sanders, the attorney and agent of claimant Van Hook, ordered the first work done,' superintended it, and approved the account therefor. This admitted approval of libelant’s account, after the breaking down of the old engine — rendered for $343.15 on account of repairs to the old engine and machinery, without other evidence, is sufficient to overcome claimants’ contention that the contract was for a certain sum, to wit, $218.

Claimants seek to avoid the effect of this approval, and assert now that libelant was negligent in installing the engine; that libelant’s accounts were irregularly kept; and that Sanders, the agent of claimant Van Hook, in getting the repairs done, did not know, at the time of approving the account, of libelant’s negligence.

No items of libelant’s account in this matter are shown’ to have been [311]*311wrongly included in the approved statement. Sanders for the owner superintended the work of installing the engine, and he accompanied the vessel upon the cruise on which the engine broke down. He paid the account in part and approved a statement thereof after the vessel’s return to Seattle.

The old engine was taken out and a credit of only $200 allowed therefor. A new engine was purchased to replace it for $2,500. Libel-ant — who had repaired the old engine — was afterwards engaged to do the work of installing the new one. Complaint was not made of negligence until after suit was brought. No effort was made to have the old engine further repaired by libelant, or others; or the question of the advisability of such repairs taken up with it, or submitted to others engaged in such business. These facts, as well -as the approval of the account and part payment, with the other testimony in the case, show that the trouble with the engine was rather on account of its age and inherent unfitness, and not because of any negligence upon libelant’s part in repairing it, which caused its failure to work satisfactorily.

The evidence is conflicting concerning whether the agreement was to finish these repairs by May 30, 1910, as alleged by claimants, or not. The court finds that claimants have not sustained the burden of proving this allegation, or that, if there was delay, it was the fault of libel-ant. The question of damage on account of libelant’s alleged delay will therefore not be considered.

[2] The Act of June 23, 1910, provides:

“That any person furnishing repairs, supplies, or other necessaries, including the use of dry dock or marine railway, to a vessel, whether foreign or domestic, upon the order of the owner or owners of such vessel, or of a person by him or them authorized, shall have a maritime lien on the vessel which may be enforced by a proceeding in rem, and it shall not be necessary to allege or prove that credit was given to the vessel.
“Sec. 2.

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Bluebook (online)
214 F. 308, 1914 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1809, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/the-malola-wawd-1914.