Wallis v. Chesney

GILES, District Judge.

The facts of this case are as follows: The coal was brought in a canal-boat from Pittston, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, on the canal to Port Deposit; and from that point the canal-boat was towed by a steamboat to Baltimore. It was brought on the canal about two hundred and fifty miles, and on tide-water about forty miles. Is the contract to carry this coal a maritime contract, over which this court has jurisdiction? I think not. The contract is entire, and four-fifths of the distance this coal was carried was on a canal, clearly beyond the jurisdiction of this court.…