Felton v. City of Great Falls

• Decision Date: 01 May 1946
• Docket Number: 8614.
• Parties: FELTON et al. v. CITY OF GREAT FALLS et al.
• Court: Montana Supreme Court

169 P.2d 229

118 Mont. 586

FELTON et al. v. CITY OF GREAT FALLS et al.

No. 8614.

Supreme Court of Montana

May 1, 1946

Appeal from District Court, Eighth Judicial District, Cascade County; C. F. Holt, Judge.

Action by Pruden Felton, Sr., and Sallie B. Felton against the City of Great Falls, Montana, and others for the death of plaintiffs' daughter, Annie Felton. From a judgment for the defendant city, the plaintiffs appeal.

Reversed and remanded with directions.

Graybill & Bradford, of Great Falls, P.J. Gilfeather, of Helena, and H. Norskog, of Great Falls, for appellants.

Speer & Hoffman, of Great Falls, for respondent.

ADAIR Justice.

This is an action against the City of Great Falls, a municipal corporation, for special and general damages for the death of plaintiffs' daughter. The trial court sustained a general demurrer to the complaint and thereafter entered judgment for the defendant city. The appeal is from the judgment.

The complaint charges the defendant City of Great Falls with negligence in the maintenance and operation of its public swimming pool resulting in death by drowning of plaintiffs' daughter, Annie Felton.

The powers granted to a municipal corporation are of two classes, namely: (1) Public or governmental, and (2) proprietary or quasi private. State ex rel. City of Missoula v. Holmes, 100 Mont. 256, 274, 47 P.2d 624, 100 A.L.R. 581.

The question presented is whether in maintaining and operating its public swimming pool the City of Great Falls acted as a proprietor or as a government.

The defendant contends that the maintenance and operation by a municipal corporation of a public swimming pool is a governmental function for the negligent performance of which the municipality is immune from liability, and cites as controlling herein Perkins v. Trask, 95 Mont. 1, 23 P.2d 982 and Rhoades v. School District No. 9, 115 Mont. 352, 142 P.2d 890, 160 A.L.R. 1. These cases involved the tort liability of school districts. 'As a general proposition, a school district, being merely an agency of the state, is not, in the absence of statute imposing such liability, liable for torts committed by its trustees or employees.' 47 Am.Jur., title 'Schools,' § 56, p 334.

In Heiser v. Severy, Mont., 158 P.2d 501, 160 A.L.R. 319 the Montana State Fish and Game Commission was held to be a state agency under the control of the state and therefore immune from liability in an action ex delicto.

In Coldwater v. State Highway Commission, Mont., 162 P.2d 772, the state highway commission was held to be an agency of the state and, as such, immune from liability in an action ex delicto.

'A municipal corporation must be distinguished, on the one hand from other governmental bodies which although municipal are not corporations, and, on the other hand, from corporations which although public are not municipal.' 37 Am.Jur title 'Municipal Corporations,' section 6. p. 623. 'A city or town is a true municipal corporation; whereas * * * school districts are bodies corporate. They are not municipal corporations, but rather political subdivisions.' State v. Holmes, supra [100 Mont. 274, 47 P.2d 628].

A municipal corporation has a dual nature or capacity, one public and the other private, and exercises correspondingly twofold functions and duties. 38 Am.Jur., title 'Municipal Corporations,' section 572, p. 261. 'In its governmental or public character, the corporation is made, by the state, one of its instruments, or the local depository of certain limited and prescribed political powers, to be exercised for the public good in behalf of the state rather than for itself. But in its proprietary or private character, the theory is that the powers are supposed not to be conferred primarily or chiefly from considerations connected with the government of the state at large, but for the private advantage of the compact community which is incorporated as a distinct legal personality or corporate individual; and as to such powers, and to property acquired and contracts made thereunder, the corporation is frequently regarded as having the rights and obligations of a private, rather than those of a public corporation.' 37 Am.Jur., title 'Municipal Corporations,' section 114, p. 727.

In view of the dual nature or capacity of municipal corporations decisions such as Perkins v. Trask, supra, Rhoades v. School District No. 9, supra, and Bartell v. School District No. 28, 114 Mont. 451, 137 P.2d 422, involving the tort liability of school districts or their trustees or employees rather than the tort liability of municipal corporations, cannot be considered as controlling in this case.

On the question before us there are two conflicting lines of decisions.

The so-called Massachusetts line of cases holds that the maintenance and operation of a public swimming pool by a municipal corporation is a governmental function for the negligent performance of which the municipality is immune from liability. See Bolster v. City of Lawrence, 1917, 225 Mass. 387, 114 N.E. 722, L.R.A.1917B, 1285; Curran v. Boston, 1890, 151 Mass. 505, 24 N.E. 781, 8 L.R.A. 243, 21 Am.St.Rep. 465; Harkinson v. City of Manchester, 1939, 90 N.H. 554, 5 A.2d 721; City of Evansville v. Blue, 1937, 212 Ind. 130, 8 N.E.2d 224; Kellar v. City of Los Angeles, 1919, 179 Cal. 605, 178 P. 505; Benton v. City of Santa Monica, 1930, 106 Cal.App. 339, 289 P. 203; Crone v. City of El Cajon, 1933, 133 Cal.App. 624, 24 P.2d 846; Hannon v. City of Waterbury, 1927, 106 Conn. 13, 136 A. 876, 57 A.L.R. 402; Hoffman v. City of Bristol, 1931, 113 Conn. 386, 155 A. 499, 75 A.L.R. 1191; Carta v. City of Norwalk, 1929, 108 Conn. 697, 145 A. 158; Reid v. City of Atlanta, 1929, 39 Ga.App. 519, 147 S.E. 789; Petty v. City of Atlanta, 1929, 40 Ga.App. 63, 148 S.E. 747; Hendricks v. Urbana Park District, 1932, 263 Ill.App. 102; Love v. Glencoe Park District, 1933, 270 Ill.App. 117; Gebhardt v. Village of La Grange Park, 1933, 354 Ill. 234, 188 N.E. 372; Prickett v. City of Hillsboro, 1944, 323 Ill.App. 235, 55 N.E.2d 306; Mocha v. Cedar Rapids, 1927, 204 Iowa 51, 214 N.W. 587; Warren v. Topeka, 1928, 125 Kan. 524, 265 P. 78, 57 A.L.R. 555; Sroufe v. Garden City, 1938, 148 Kan. 874, 84 P.2d 845; Shoemaker v. City of Parsons, 1941, 154 Kan. 387, 118 P.2d 508; Board of Council of City of Danville v. Vanarsdale, 1934, 256 Ky. 503, 76 S.W.2d 237; Goudeau v. Indemnity Co. of N. A., 1941, La.App., 200 So. 493; Mayor & City Council of Baltimore v. State, 1937, 173 Md. 267, 195 A. 571; Heino v. Grand Rapids, 1918, 202 Mich. 363, 168 N.W. 512, L.R.A.1918F, 528; St. John v. City of St. Paul, 1929, 179 Minn. 12, 228 N.W. 170; Toft v. City of Lincoln, 1933, 125 Neb. 498, 250 N.W. 748; Caughlan v. City of Omaha, 1919, 103 Neb. 726, 174 N.W. 220; Selden v. City of Cuyahoga Falls, 1937, 132 Ohio St. 223, 6 N.E.2d 976; Mola v. Metropolitan Park District of City of Tacoma, 1935, 181 Wash. 177, 42 P.2d 435; Gensch v. City of Milwaukee, 179 Wis. 95, 190 N.W. 843; Virovatz v. City of Cudahy, 1933, 211 Wis. 357, 247 N.W. 341.

The so-called New York line of cases, on the other hand, holds that the maintenance and operation by a municipal corporation of a public swimming pool is a mere private or corporate function for the negligent performance of which the municipality is liable. See Pierce v. Village of Ravena, 1940, 174 Misc. 774, 22 N.Y.S.2d 32; Rafsky v. City of New York, 1939, 257 A.D. 855, 12 N.Y.S.2d 560; Curcio v. New York, 1937, 249 A.D. 844, 292 N.Y.S. 868; Brito v. City of New York, 1938, 254 A.D. 896, 5 N.Y.S.2d 519; MacGillicuddy v. City of New York, 1938, 255 A.D. 793, 7 N.Y.S.2d 71; Augustine v. Town of Brant, 1928, 249 N.Y. 198, 163 N.E. 732; Fedearowicz v. City of Amsterdam, 1944, 268 A.D. 803, 49 N.Y.S.2d 16; Ehrgott v. Mayor, etc. of City of New York, 1884, 96 N.Y. 264, 48 Am.Rep. 622; Martin v. City of Asbury Park, 1933, 111 N.J.L. 364, 168 A. 612; Pickett v. City of Jacksonville, 1945, 155 Fla. 439, 20 So.2d 484; Ide v. City of St. Cloud, 1942, 150 Fla. 806, 8 So.2d 924; Norberg v. Hagna, 1923, 46 S.D. 568, 195 N.W. 438, 29 A.L.R. 841; Norberg v. Watertown, 1928, 53 S.D. 600, 221 N.W. 700; Glirbas v. City of Sioux Falls, 1935, 64 S.D. 45, 264 N.W. 196; City of Belton v. Ellis, Tex.Civ.App., 1923, 254 S.W. 1023; Ronsley v. City of Ft. Worth, Tex.Civ.App., 1940, 140 S.W.2d 257; Burton v. Salt Lake City, 1927, 69 Utah 186, 253 P. 443, 51 A.L.R. 364; Warden v. City of Grafton, 1925, 99 W.Va. 249, 128 S.E. 375, 42 A.L.R. 259; Ashworth v. City of Clarksburg, 1937, 118 W.Va. 476, 190 S.E. 763; Hoggard v. City of Richmond, 1939, 172 Va. 145, 200 S.E. 610, 120 A.L.R. 1368; Capp v. City of St. Louis, 1913, 251 Mo. 345, 158 S.W. 616, 46 L.R.A., N.S., 731, Ann.Cas.1915C, 245; Nation v. City of St. Joseph, Mo.App., 1928, 5 S.W.2d 1106; Thayer v. City of St. Joseph, 1932, 227 Mo.App. 623, 54 S.W.2d 442; Barthold v. City of Philadelphia, 1893, 154 Pa. 109, 26 A. 304; Liguori v. City of Philadelphia, 1945, 351 Pa. 494, 41 A.2d 563; Longmont v. Swearingen, 1927, 81 Colo. 246, 254 P. 1000; Canon City v. Cox, 1913, 55 Colo. 264, 133 P. 1040; City of Denver v. Spencer, 1905, 34 Colo. 270, 82 P. 590, 2 L.R.A., N.S., 147, 114 Am.St.Rep. 158, 7 Ann.Cas. 1042.

See also Burton v. Salt Lake City, 60 Utah 186, 253 P 443, 51 A.L.R. 370; Hannon v. Waterbury, 106 Conn. 13, 136 A. 876, 57 A.L.R. 406; Hoggard v. City of Richmond, 172 Va. 145, 200 S.E. 610, 120 A.L.R. 1368; Emmons v. City of Virginia, 152 Minn. 295, 188 N.W. 561, 29 A.L.R. 363; Warden v. Grafton, 99 W.Va. 249, 128 S.E. 375, 42 A.L.R. 263; Hoffman v. City of Bristol, 113 Conn. 386, 155 A. 499, 75 A.L.R. 1196; 99 A.L.R. 686; City of Mangum v. Brownlee, 181 Okl. 515, 75 P.2d 174, 3 N.C.C.A.,N.S., 419; Melendez v. City of Los Angeles, 8 Cal.2d 741, 68 P.2d 971, 2...