Mannella v. Pittsburgh

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Stern,

Mike Mannella, plaintiff, entered into a written contract with the City of Pittsburgh, defendant, to lay a 36-inch waterpipe servicing the South Side district. To the extent of about 800 feet the line was to rest in a trench at the bottom of, and crossing, the Monongahela River. The work proceeded satisfactorily until the laying of the pipe under the river had been finished. In order to permit of an inspection the pipe was then partially drained by a siphoning operation, during the course of which it floated, buckled at the flanges, and broke. This made necessary a…