by John Marshall Harlan

“ We must not be understood as holding that the railroad company in this case was under any legal obligation to furnish, or cause to be furnished, suitable and convenient appliances for receiving and delivering live-stock at every point on its line in the city of Covington where persons engaged in buying, selling, or shipping live-stock chose to establish stock-yards. In respect to the mere loading and unloading of live-stock, it is only required by the nature of its employment to furnish such facilities as are reasonably sufficient for the business at that city. ”

“ No obligation of the carrier, whether the freight consists of goods or live-stock, is more strictly enforced.' [1] The same principle necessarily applies to the receiving of live-stock by the carrier for transportation. The carrier must at all times be in proper condition both to receive from the shipper and to deliver to the consignee, according to the nature of the property to be transported, as well as to the necessities of the respective localities in which it is received and delivered. ”

“ In other words, the duty to receive, transport, and deliver live-stock will not be fully discharged unless the carrier makes such provision, at the place of loading, as will enable it to properly receive and load the stock, and such provision, at the place of unloading, as will enable it to properly deliver the stock to the consignee.
A railroad company, it is true, is not a carrier of live-stock with all the responsibilities that attend it as a carrier of goods. ”