Alaska Treadwell Gold Min Co v. Whelan

• Decision Date: 18 October 1897
• Docket Number: No. 33,33
• Citation: 18 S.Ct. 40,168 U.S. 86,42 L.Ed. 390
• Parties: ALASKA TREADWELL GOLD MIN. CO. v. WHELAN
• Court: U.S. Supreme Court

168 U.S. 86

18 S.Ct. 40

42 L.Ed. 390

ALASKA TREADWELL GOLD MIN. CO.

v WHELAN.

No. 33.

October 18, 1897.

This was an action brought in the district court of the United States for the district of Alaska against a mining corporation by a workman in its employ. The complaint alleged: 'That on November 23, 1891, and for nearly six months prior thereto, this plaintiff was in the employ of said defendant, as a workman in the mine of said defendant, in breaking and preparing rock for the chutes, and doing other work, as ordered by the foreman of said defendant, one Samuel Finley, under whom this plaintiff worked, and from whom he received his orders; that on November 23, 1891, while this plaintiff was yet in the employ of said defendant, he was ordered by the foreman of said defendant company to break rock immediately above and over one of the chutes of the defendant company; that, in compliance with the orders of the foreman of said defendant, and as became his duty so to do, the plaintiff proceeded to his place immediately above and over said chute, and commenced to break said rock, as he had been ordered so to do; and that, while so engaged, and carefully and skillfully and without negligence performing his duties, as aforesaid, and without the knowledge of this plaintiff, and carelessly and negligently, the foreman of said defendant drew, or caused to be drawn, the gate at the mouth of said chute over which this plaintiff was working, thereby causing the rock at the head of said chute to be suddenly drawn in, carrying this plaintiff with it, through said chute, a distance about 30 feet, and completely covering him with great quantities of rock and d ebris,' thereby greatly injuring him.

At the trial, the plaintiff, being called as a witness in his own behalf, gave evidence tending to support the allegations in the complaint, and testified that on the night of November 23, 1891, he was sent by Samuel Finley, the boss in the pit, to the top of a chute, there to break rock and pound it fine enough to go through the chute, which connected with the tunnel through which the rock was shot into cars to be taken to the mill; that at the bottom of the chute was a gate, always closed until the chute was filled, and orders given to draw it; that Finley's custom was to come upon the top of the chute, to see if the rock was broken fine enough, and, if it was all right, to tell the men to come down, as he was going to draw; and that at the time in question, after putting the plaintiff and others to work at the chute, he never gave them any notice that he was going to draw.

Finley, being called as a witness for the defendant, testified that he did give notice to the men before drawing the chute. The defendant introduced evidence, which was uncontradicted, that its business was under the control of a general manager, and was divided into three departments,—the mine, the mill, and the chlorination works,—each of which departments had a foreman or superintendent under the general manager; that the mine department had three shifts or gangs of workmen,—two by day and one at night,—and that Finley was boss of the one at night.

There was conflicting evidence upon the question whether Finley had authority to engage...