Illinois Central R. R. Co. v. Commonwealth
Illinois Central R. R. Co. v. Commonwealth
Opinion of the Court
Opinion of the court by
Affirming.
Appellant was indicted in the Grayson Circuit Court for failing to give the signals required by section 786 of the Kentucky Statutes of the approach of its south-bound passenger train to the place where its track crosses the public highway known as the “Leitchfield and Hartford Road.” The trial resulted in a verdict against appellant, and this appeal is prosecuted from the judgment rendered pursuant thereto, and involves the construction of the section of the statute on which the indictment is predicated, which read's as follows: • “Every company shall provide each locomotive engine passing upon its road with a bell of ordinary size, and steam whistle, and such bell shall be rung or whistle sounded outside of incorporated
It is the contention of appellant that the statute does not require that the crossing signal should be given for this crossing on trains coming from the north, as the fifty rods before the crossing is reached is within the limits of an incorporated city. We do not think that the statute is susceptible of this construction. It provides that the bell shall be rung or whistle sounded at a distance of at least fifty rods from the place where the railroad crosses a public highway upon the same level at every crossing outside of incorporated cities and towns. Whether the engine when it arrives at the 50-rod limit is inside or outside of the limits of the town is immaterial. The fact determining 'the duty of the railroad company is the location of the crossing. Section 773 of the Kentucky Statutes provides that signal boards shall be erected and constantly maintained at each public highway where it
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.