Wright v. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co.
Wright v. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
After the reargument in this case, we have carefully reexamined the record and are satisfied with the following language in the former opinion (94 Neb. 317) for the reasons there given: “A rule that a switch engine may run through the yards, on the main line, not under.control, but at a high rate of speed, when its crew all know that there is an ‘extra’ on the main line passing-through the yards, would be a barbarous rule; and, if the rules of a railway company permit such a practice, it should be held liable for injuries to employees on the extra who are injured while such extra is being operated in compliance with the rules of the company, viz., under full control. If the reasonableness of a rule is for the court, and not for the jury, the court should in such a case instruct the jury that such a ruléis unreasonable. Submitting the question to the jury in such a case could not, therefore, prejudice defendant.” The decedent was running his engine under full control, within the meaning- of the rule of the company. There was no express rule as to the speed allowed to the switch engine. Of course, the law requires that such engine should not be run at an unreasonable rate of speed under the circumstances. The engineer of the switch engine must have had a clear view of the approaching engine for at least 420- feet, and it was run at least 370 feet of this distance before the collision occurred. It could have been stopped within a distance of 60 feet unless running at a greater speed than 20 miles an hour; and, knowing, as the crew of the switch engine did, that No. 1468 was in the yards, to run at a greater speed than 20 miles an hour in such a locality and under such
Rehearing denied.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
1. I feel that I am in duty bound to dissent from the majority opinion. We cannot too zealously protect the rights of litigants. As I look upon it, the errors of the
2. The ■ defendant requested the giving of instruction No. 13. ( As requested it contained the following: “And if you find from the evidence that at or immediately before the accident, when the engines first came in sight of each ■other, the said Otto O. Wright was running his engine at a rate of speed so as not to be under full control, and that this was the proximate cause of the injury, then you are instructed that plaintiffs cannot recover.” This involved the idea that, if the decedent was himself negligent and by his negligence contributed to his death, the plaintiffs may not recover. This ought to be the law. I believe it to be the law, and that the trial court should have ob
3. A careful reading of the evidence may justify the conclusion that the deceased was not running his engine at an excessive rate of speed immediately before the accident occurred, but such examination as I have given to the testimony quoted in the briefs has created the impression in my mind that he was running his engine at the rate of ten miles an hour, or thereabouts, and that rate seems too fast to run in a cut over a curve where the Tiew was obstructed, as it was in this case. I think that the deceased was negligent in maintaining a greater rate of speed than the conditions permitted and that he thereby contributed to the causes which produced his death. It is not enough that the case was submitted to a jury. There should be evidence sufficient to bear examination by an impartial, intelligent and discriminating mind, which should find therein facts and reason sufficient to sustain the verdict. If the deceased by his conduct brought about the danger which caused his destruction, the railway' company ought not to be compelled to pay.
4. But whatever may be the finding concerning the rate of speed, it is apparent from an examination of the testimony of the witnesses that the deceased disregarded the rule which required him to run his engine “under full control.” John Bell, a locomotive engineer for 13 years, had run from Fairbury to Council Bluffs. He testified: “Q. In passing around and over that curve, Mr. Bell, what is the highest amount of speed that could be obtained and be under control?” He answered: “Not over five miles an hour.” Engineer Hall testified: “The maximum speed at which an engine could run around and through that curve at Holdrege street, being under full control, would not be over four or five miles an hour at ■any point in that curve.” W. B. Oakford, the road foreman of equipment, who had had 18 or 19 years experience as an engineer, testified: “The man who is supposed to run ‘under full control’ would have to go in that cut and around that curve at the rate of from three to five
The engineer who was killed apparently took his life in his hands when .he went in that cut so fast that he would be unable to stop within the distance that he could see. He was not, according to the testimony of these witnesses, going “under full control.” If he went to his death because of his fearless recklessness, the railway company ought not to pay.
5. The deceased operated an “extra.” It was an inferior train expected to run “under full control.” It was to find the main track occupied. It was to be able to stop within the distance that the vision of the engineer showed the track to be clear. That is what is meant by “under full control.” The tidal court submitted to the jury-whether the company’s rules with respect to the operation and control of its engines and trains, including its switch engines in the Lincoln yards, were reasonably sufficient for the protection of its employees. The question was not tried like any other issue of fact. The rules being proved,
6. In the original majority opinion there is the following : “ ‘Q,. Have you any rule applying to switch engines about running under control? A. No, sir.’ It will be seen, therefore, that in the defendant’s yard the switch engine was a free-lance as against all except first-class trains.” The opinion emphasizes the fact that under the rules the switch engine did not have to run “under full control,” while the engine attached to the train was required to do so. The opinion seems to regard this as restrictive and irksome. It is further said in the original majority opinion: “If the reasonableness of a rule is for the court, and not for the jury, the court should in such a case instruct the jury that such a rule is unreasonable. Submitting- the question to the jury in such a case could not, therefore, prejudice defendant.” The contention. is that neglect of the court to discharge its duty and at the same time violating- and neglecting a duty that is incumbent upon it, and requesting- the jury to do something it has no authority to do, is without prejudice. The contention is to the effect that a wrong conception of its duty by the court and a wrong exercise of that duty hurts nobody. The original majority opinion seems to the writer
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Lizzie L. Wright v. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company
- Status
- Published