WAREHOUSEMAN. One engaged in the business of receiving and storing goods and mer chandise for compensation. The United States Supreme Court has held that the business of warehousemen may under special circumstances become affected with a public use and thus be come a public calling subject to regulation by State legislation. In some States statutes have been enacted making some classes of warehouse men public warehousemen with rights and ob ligations substantially like those of innkeepers and common carriers. They are bound to re ceive all goods tendered for storage at a reason able charge so long as they have capacity to store them, but they may require the bailor to pay the charge in advance and are also generally given a statutory lien. Upon receipt of the goods it is customary for the warehouseman to deliver to the bailor a written receipt for them. This receipt is freely assignable and the assignor may transfer all his interest or right in the goods by assignment and delivery of the warehouse re ceipt. It is not, however. in the absence of statute negotiable in the sense that a bill or note is negotiable. One may become a warehouse man as an incident to other which he is conducting. Thus the common carriers who
receive goods for storage, before they are under any duty to transport them are liable as ware housemen and not as common carriers, and upon the expiration of a reasonable time after ar rival of the goods at the end of the route com mon carriers are held generally to be liable for the goods only as warehousemen. In the same manner those who are engaged in business as factors and wharfingers may be liable as ware housemen for the merchandise which they hold for others.
Those warehouses designated by the Treasurer of the 'United States as depositories for imported goods until payment of customs duties, the owner or importer giving a bond for the payment of duties, are known as bonded warehouses. Bonded warehouses are private enterprises conducted under the direct supervision of a Government storekeeper. but it is held that the Government assumes no duty as bailee or warehouseman, the sole liability being assumed by the ware houseman. See BAILMENT; CARRIER• COMMON; LIEN: SAFES AND SAFE DEPOSIT VAULTS.