American Storage & Moving Co. v. St. Louis Transit Co.
American Storage & Moving Co. v. St. Louis Transit Co.
Opinion of the Court
Action to recover damages to two horses, a set of harness, a moving van and a van load of furniture, caused by a collision between the van and one of defendant’s street cars, on Hamilton avenue, in the city of St. Louis, on the 26th day of March, 1904. The United Railways Company was joined as a defendant
On tbe part of tbe plaintiff, the evidence tends to show that it is engaged in tbe business of moving and storing furniture and household goods; that on March 26, 1904, one of its moving vans, loaded with furniture, was traveling south on the west track, on Hamilton avenue, wbicb runs north and south, at about nine o’clock p. m., when it was struck by a street car traveling in tbe same direction, with such force as to wreck .the van, malte kindling wood of tbe furniture and throw tbe horses on tbe street, injuring them and tearing up tbe harness. Plaintiff’s evidence is that the moon was shining and tbe street lamps at all tbe street crossings were lighted, affording sufficient light to have enabled tbe motorman to see tbe van for three or four hundred feet, if he bad looked. A number of witnesses for tbe plaintiff, in a position to bear, bad tbe gong been sounded, testified that it was not sounded, and two of them testified that tbe car was traveling at tbe very rapid rate of speed — one of them placing tbe speed at thirty miles an hour. The driver of tbe van testified be did not bear tbe car or gong and was unaware of tbe approach of tbe car until it struck tbe van; that be bad been traveling on the west track for four or five blocks and bad looked back several times, but did not see a ear approaching; that on account of the street being torn up and obstructions placed in it, be was compelled to drive on tbe railroad track.
Tbe defendant’s evidence tends to prove that tbe night was dark, and tbe street poorly lighted. Tbe motorman testified be did not see tbe van, although be kept a vigilant watch ahead, until bis car was within thirty-five or forty feet of it, too short a space in wbicb to stop
The negligence alleged in the petition was, running the car at a dangerous and reckless speed, and the failure of the motorman to sound the gong or give other warning of the approach of the car.
“3. If the jury believe from the evidence that the furniture van was being driven southwardly in the southbound car track, then the court instructs you that it was the duty of the driver of said van to exercise ordinary care to look and listen for the approach of a car thereon from the rear, and to avoid collision therewith. And if you find from the evidence that said driver failed to exercise such care, and that if he had done so he could have seen or heard the car in time to have avoided the collision then plaintiff is not entitled to recover, notwithstanding you may further find from the evidence that the motorman on said car failed to give warning of its approach by hell, gong or otherwise, and notwithstanding said car was running at a dangerous and reckless speed.”
And a driver of a wagon on a street railway track under such circumstances has a right to rely upon the sound of the gong to give him timely warning of the approach of the car, and the failure of the driver to look back is not such contributory negligence as to preclude the right to recover when defendant collided with the wagon.”
In Latson v. St. Louis Transit Co., 192 Mo. 449, 91 S. W. 109, the Supreme Court, on a staté of facts somewhat similar to the facts in the case in hand, held that a driver of a vehicle on a street railroad track, laid on a public street, has the right to presume that a motorman will so run his car that a collision will not occur with the vehicle, even though the driver does not do his duty. The instruction was opposed to these authorities and for this reason was properly refused.
The court refused the following- instruction asked - by defendant:
“4. If the jury believe from the evidence that the furniture van in question was being driven southwardly on the east side of the southbound car track, and that just before the southbound car had gotten to the van, the van turned suddenly toward or upon the -southbound track, and as it did so was struck by the car, then plaintiff is not entitled to recover.”
The evidence of defendant’s motorman was to the effect that the driver of the van turned off the east track
“Further answering, defendant states that the damage, if any,, to plaintiff’s team and wagon was caused by the negligence of plaintiff’s driver in negligently and carelessly driving on and negligently and carelessly remaining on the track directly in front of a moving, car.”
The instruction does not conform to the defendant’s plea of contributory negligence, and as defendant did not offer to amend its pleading to conform to the evidence of its motorman, the instruction sought to submit an issue not raised by the pleadings, and for this reason was properly refused.
No reversible error appearing, the judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- AMERICAN STORAGE & MOVING COMPANY v. ST. LOUIS TRANSIT COMPANY
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- 5 cases
- Status
- Published