Smith v. Crum Lynne Iron & Steel Co.

Citations

• 208 Pa. 462
• 57 A. 953
• 1904 Pa. LEXIS 786

Syllabus

<p>Corporation— Contract — Authority of superintendent — Compromise of claim.</p> <p>The superintendent of a steel company has no power to bind the corporation by a contract to pay to an injured employee what would practically be a pension to the employee during his life.</p> <p>In an action by an employee of a steel company against the company it appeared that the plaintiff had been injured while in the employ of the defendant. He claimed that in consideration of his agreeing not to sue the company for his injuries, the superintendent of the company had agreed to give him certain employment. In his statement he substantially averred that the superintendent had promised him work in such capacity as he had been working at the time of the injury, at which time he was working for $7.50 per week, although he had previously worked as a heater for a much larger sum; that defendant promised to pay him at the rate of $7.50 per week until he was able to go to heating again at full wages ; that until this time arrived, if it ever did arrive, this rate of pay was to continue; that whether he was fit for light employment, or for full work as a heater, was to be determined by a physician named ; that plaintiff offered and was willing to keep and perform his side of the contract, yet defendant broke its part of the contract and discharged plaintiff. Held, that the contract was too vague in its terms to be enforced.</p>