United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Covington Stockyards Co. v. Keith, 139 U.S. 128 (1891)

Covington Stockyards Company v. Keith

No. 33

Submitted October 22, 1890

Decided March 2, 1891

139 U.S. 128

APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE UNITED

STATES FOR THE DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY

Syllabus

A railroad company, holding itself out as a carrier of livestock, is under a legal obligation, arising out of the nature of its employment, to provide suitable and necessary means and facilities for receiving livestock that may be offered for shipment over its road and connections, as well as for discharging such stock after it reaches the place to which it is consigned.

The duty to receive such stock cannot be efficiently discharged, at least in a town or city, without the aid of enclosed yards in which the stock offered for shipment can be received and handled with safety and without inconvenience to the public while being loaded upon the cars in which they are to be transported. And the duty of the carrier to deliver cannot be safely and effectively performed except in and through enclosed yards or lots convenient to the place of unloading.