v.
The Merchants' Despatch Transportation Co.
[*274] The plaintiff contends that, at the time the property in question was delivered at St. John’s Park depot, an absolute unconditional contract was entered into to transport the same to Iowa City, and that this contract cannot be modified by the bill of lading subsequently issued. There is a conflict in the evidence as to the character of the shipping receipt executed at the time plaintiff’s consignors delivered the merchandise to the defendant. The evidence introduced by defendant shows it to have been in the following form:
“ MERCHANTS’ DESPATCH TRANSPORTATION CO.”
Mark Packages “Merchants’ Despatch.”
Deliver at our Depot. )
St. John’s Platform, 1st Laight Street.
(For Bills of Lading apply at office, 535 Broadway.
New York, October 3d, 1871.
Received, in apparent good order, by Merchants' Despatch Transportation Company, of Robert S. Bowne & Co., the following packages, to be forwarded subject to the conditions contained in the Bills of Lading of this Company, to the point to which Bill of Lading would bo given:
MARKS AND CONSIGNEE S NAME.
J. Wilde,
Iowa City,
Iowa.
“Merchants’ Despatch.”
One Case Smoking Tobacco.
Goods for the Fast Train must be delivered before í o'clock, P. M.
A finding that the receipt was in the form above set out would be entirely supported by the evidence, and as the court submitted no finding of facts, we must, in support of the general finding for defendant, presume that the court found the receipt to be in the form claimed by defendant. This receipt in express language negatives the idea that the contract was an unconditional one to transport to Iowa City. It advises the consignor where to apply for bills of lading, and provides that the merchandise is to be forwarded subject to the condi [*275] tions contained in the bills of lading, to the point to which bill of lading would be given. The consignors were notified that the contract was not the one which the law would imply from the simple delivery and receipt of the merchandise, but that it was to be such an one as should afterward be embodied in a printed and written bill of lading. The consignors might have procured the bill of lading before the goods were shipped, or might have directed that the goods be not moved until the bill of lading had been procured. Then, if the terms contained in the bill of lading were unsatisfactory or were not assented to, they might refuse to make the shipment. But having permitted the goods to go forward under an agreement that the terms of shipment should be contained in a bill of lading, they, and the consignees whose agents for this purpose they are, must be bound by whatever terms are in good faith inserted in the bill of lading. There is here no evidence of bad faith. The bill of lading is proved to be in the form that defendants had for some time been in the habit of employing. The case of Bostinck, v. The Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Co., 45 N. Y., 712, relied upon by appellant as on all fours with the present case, differs in a most essential particular. In that. case- the goods were delivered under a verbal contract for shipment. There was no agreement or understanding that the terms of shipment were to be embraced in a bill of lading. In this case the receipt given is itself in the nature of a contract that the terms of shipment shall be' such as may thereafter be incorporated into a bill of lading to be executed.
Affirmed.