In the case of Cleveland Terminal and Valley Railroad Company v. Cleveland Steamship Company in 1907, the Supreme Court ruled on a dispute involving damages to a steamship that collided with a drawbridge operated by the railroad company. The steamship company argued that negligence on part of the bridge operator caused damage to their ship, while the railroad company countered that it was due to navigational errors made by those aboard the ship. The court held that both parties were at fault for not taking adequate precautions -the bridge operator should have opened up sooner upon seeing an approaching vessel and likewise, those navigating should have slowed down when they saw no indication from afar whether or not passage under bridge would be safe- thus leading them into contributory negligence doctrine where both are liable for their respective faults causing accident/damage. This decision set precedent in maritime law regarding shared responsibility between vessels and fixed objects like bridges.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Cleveland Terminal and Valley Railroad Company v. Cleveland Steamship Company argued that the majority's decision was incorrect because it failed to properly consider the rights and responsibilities of both parties involved. The dissenting justices believed that, as a common carrier, the railroad company had an obligation to provide reasonable facilities for receiving and forwarding freight from any source. They also held that if there were no contractual or statutory obligations requiring them to do so, they should at least be required by law not to discriminate against certain shippers or types of cargo. Furthermore, they disagreed with the majority's interpretation of "reasonable facilities," arguing instead that this term should include all necessary accommodations for loading and unloading cargo safely and efficiently - including docks owned by third parties like steamship companies. Therefore, according to these justices' view, refusing access on such grounds would constitute unreasonable discrimination under federal law.