Western Cabinet & Fixture Manufacturing Co. v. Davis

181 S.W. 273, 121 Ark. 370, 1915 Ark. LEXIS 502
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedDecember 13, 1915
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 181 S.W. 273 (Western Cabinet & Fixture Manufacturing Co. v. Davis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Western Cabinet & Fixture Manufacturing Co. v. Davis, 181 S.W. 273, 121 Ark. 370, 1915 Ark. LEXIS 502 (Ark. 1915).

Opinion

•Smith, J.

This suit was brought to enforce the payment of the balance alleged to be due upon a contract for the sale 'and installation of certain drug store fixtures and a soda fountain. The -contract price was $5,100 -of which 'all had been paid except the -sum of $2,311.26.

Attached to the complaint as -an exhibit thereto were the “¡Specifications for Set of Drug Fixtures and Soda Fountain.” These specifications described the various fixtures land the fountain. The specifications for the fountain gave the dimensions and, among -other things provided:

“Working apparatus to be -composed of two -German silver units, each to have 10 syrup pumps, 4 crushed fruit jars, 4 counter service goos-e necks, one of Which will be connected with city water, two ice cream cabinets, two cold storage compartments, two drain boards, two disher vats, two spoon vats, 4 refrigerator drawers, one chipped ice receptacle, one rinsing tank, and one tumbler washer brush., each of the above units to be our regular Western ‘30’ iceless.

These specifications, which were accepted by appellee, contained no express warranty other than that “all work to be done in a good and workmanlike manner. ’ ’

Appellee admitted the acceptance by him of the specifications set out and the installation of the fixtures, .and that there was due under the contract the sum sued for. He alleged the existence of an implied warranty as to the serviceability of the fountain, and the breach of this warranty, and he further alleged that the soda fountain was represented to be a, workable, practicable, and valuable soda fountain, whereas in truth and in fiaict it was not‘such a fountain, and that he was induced to isign the contract of purchase upon the representation that said fountain was of the value named in the contract, and he relied upon said representations', whereas said representations were untrue, and were known by appellant to be untrue at the time they were made, and that the fountain was not of that value, but wais worthless and without any value Whatever. There was a counter claim for the damages alleged to have been sustained as a result of the false representations and deceit practiced upon appellee and an enumeration of damages thus sustained which exceeded the price of all the fixtures. Various pleadings and motions were filed which we need not here set out.

Over appellant’s objections and exceptions evidence was offered in support of the allegation, that the fountain was not fit for the uses for which it was purchased. The evidence is in hopeless conflict, and we will not attempt to reconcile it, but will assume, as we áre required to do in testing its sufficiency, that the jury accepted the evidence offered in appellee’s behalf where it conflicted with that offered by appellant.

It was testified that an ieeless fountain was “a brine system for keeping the soda fountain cool is an ieeless fountain, and where you put ice on your coolers is an ice fountain. ’ ’

One of the principal witnesses in the ease was a Mr. Glenn, who was the originator of the principle sought to 'be put in operation in this fountain. Mr. Glenn negotiated the sale of this fountain 'to appellee, and testified generally 'that the fountain was what it purported to •be, iand was usable as isuch. On his cross-examination, however, he admitted that this system was an experiment, and that the fountain had not done what he thought it would do, and that in saying it was a usable fountain he meant that a person could go ¡ahead and use it by putting ice in the drinks if they were not drawn cold enough. It was admitted that the company which manufactured 'this fountain had only been so engaged for seven or eight months, and that while a number had ¡been sold they were not in general use. It was lalso shown that a patent had been applied for, but for some reason which is not made plain no patent was ever issued. It was •also shown that the company had ceased to manufacture the fountain, but this was explained by the statement that the 'Company’s plant had burned and competitors sold on such long terms of credit that it was not thought advisable to rebuild the plant. It was admitted that in 'appearance the fountain was all any one could ask, but it was claimed in effect that this was its chief virtue. It was shown that the fountain possessed the necessary receptacles for the fruits, flavors, condiments, ¡and other accessories, but it was also shown that it consumed an ¡abnormal quantity of ice and failed.to cool itself properly, as a result of which there was ian expensive loss of fruits amounting at times to as much as $10.00 a day on that account ¡alone. It was shown that certain coils were removed, ¡and appellant complains of this action and explains that these coils were 'an essential part of the plan of 'the fountain. But it was shown that a long continued effort had been made to operate the fountain with the coils retained, and a witness testified that every plumber in Fort 'Smith 'had worked with them .and the fountain, but finally the coils were removed for the reason that ‘ ‘ the materia! in the coils was such they could not be operated in the fountain without constant leaks. There was nothing like such leaks in the fountain today as there was a year 'ago, because moist of the coils have been removed.” Witnesses testified there was an odor about the fountain cánsed by leakage 'and the lack of refrigeration, and that its condition was unsanitary; that cold carbonated water could not be- drawn from it and that its refrigeration was a failure.

It was conceded that the fountain was not in existence at the time appellee signed the contract sued on. It is admitted, however, that he did isee ia ¡full-sized model of it before that time, 'and that he also saw similar fountains at the factory before his purchase, and appellee admitted that he saw certain fountains in operation in Kansas 'City, where the factory was located, but he says iat that time he had ¡already signed the contract. It is also admitted that after the fountain had been in' use for a period >of five months, appellee made a payment of $500 on account of the purchase money, but it was explained that this payment was made after assurance on appellant’s part that defects complained of would be remedied, and appellant requested that a fair opportunity be afforded for the fountain to prove its value.

A certain witness who claimed to be an expert testified that he had examined the fountain and had discovered certain structural defects which required remedying before the fountain could ibe regarded ¡as adapted to the use for which it was intended, ¡and he testified that the cost of this change in the system would ¡be $1,900.00. Appellee was permitted, over appellant’s objection, to state that he had expended $200 in repairs of various kinds on the fountain in the attempt to make it usable.

Exceptions were saved by appellant to the action of the court in ¡refusing to give various instructions asked by it, the effect of which was either to direct the jury to return a verdict in its favor, or to make declarations conforming to the statement of appellant’s contention which will be hereafter set out. And exceptions were also saved by appellant to all of tbe instructions 'given by the court. In addition, appellant excepted to the action of the court in refusing to allow it 'the right to open and close the argument.

The court gave the following instructions:

‘ ‘ 1.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
181 S.W. 273, 121 Ark. 370, 1915 Ark. LEXIS 502, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/western-cabinet-fixture-manufacturing-co-v-davis-ark-1915.