The Daniel Ball
United States Supreme Court
77 U.S. (10 Wall.) 557 (1871)
Relevant factsFree
The Daniel Ball (defendant), a steamship, operated exclusively on Michigan's Grand River, carrying passengers and merchandise between Grand Rapids and Grand Haven, without the federal license and safety inspection required by U.S. law. The government (plaintiff) sued for a $500 statutory fine; the district court dismissed the suit, but the circuit court reversed.
IssueFree
Whether a vessel operating entirely within a single state's waters is engaged in interstate commerce, and operating on navigable waters of the United States, if it carries goods bound to or from other states.