Collins v. Northern Anthracite Coal Co.
Collins v. Northern Anthracite Coal Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
This was an action of trespass brought by Patrick Collins against the defendant company to recover damages for personal injuries alleged to have resulted from negligence of the defendant. After the suit was brought plaintiff died, and Mary C. Collins, his administratrix, was substituted as plaintiff. It appears from the evidence that Patrick Collins was employed by the defendant as a coal miner. While engaged in a mine of the defendant on March 6, 1909, he was seriously injured by a fall of coal or rock, and in consequence of such injuries died on March 20, 1912. The specific negligence with which the defendant was charged was failure to deliver necessary props to sustain the roof of the chamber, where Collins was working, after he had given notice to the superintendent that such props were needed, and that the mine foreman had neglected to supply them although requested to do so. The Act of June 2, 1891, P. L. 176, Art. XI, Secs. 1 to 3, inclusive, provides that it shall be the duty of the mine owner to prepare such props and deliver them to the workmen as near to their working place as they can be conveyed, in ordinary mine cars; and provides that a failure to do so shall be taken to be negligence per se in an action for the recovery of damages for accidents resulting from the insufficient propping of such mine through failure to furnish the necessary props. The testimony on the part of plaintiff tended to show that Collins had not been working for six or seven days before the day he was hurt, and that the day before he quit working he placed on the slate at the head of the shaft, the number of his chamber, and the number of props he wanted, and indicated the length required. He stated that he had also put an order on the slate some two days before that, but the props were not delivered to him. Accord
If there was a failure to furnish props, and if this failure was the fault of the mine foreman alone, there could not be a recovery from the mine owner. In Reeder v. Coal Co., 231 Pa. 563, Mr. Justice Elkin said (p. 575): “It has been held in a long line of cases that the
But it is pointed out that in Section 2, Article XI, Act of June 2, 1891, P. L. 176, it is provided that a workman in want of props shall notify the mine foreman of the fact, and “in case of danger from loose roof or sides, he shall not continue to cut or load coal until the said props and timbers have been properly furnished and the place made secure.” And it is contended that in this instance Collins was guilty of contributory negligence in cutting and loading coal before the props for which he had asked were received. But under the testimony, the court could not pronounce upon this question as matter of law. The prohibition of the statute is against working in case of danger. The evidence shows that before he began work on the morning of the accident Collins took a pick and sounded the roof to see if it was safe. It appeared to him to be safe enough to work under, and with this conclusion his helper seems to have agreed, although the result showed that it was a mistake. But the question of danger under the circumstances was one of fact for the jury. The trial judge instructed the jury that if the situation was so openly and plainly dangerous that a man of common prudence would not have worked under the roof until the props had been placed, then Collins was guilty of contributory negligence and could not recover. No question is raised as to the sufficiency of the charge, or as to the admission or exclusion of evidence. We agree with the court below, that the case was for the jury, and that binding instructions in favor of the defendant could not properly have been given.
The assignments of error are overruled, and the judgment is affirmed.
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- Negligence — Mines and mining — Master and servant — Relative duties of mine owner and mine foreman — Act of June %, 1891, P. L. 176 — Contributory negligence. 1. A mine owner is not liable for the negligent acts of a mine foreman, committed in the discharge of duties imposed upon him by law, and in and about those workings over which he exercises supervision, but he is liable for the failure of duties laid upon him by statute, and particularly where there is evidence that the mine superintendent, an employee of the owner, has been notified of a failure to use proper precautions for the safety of the workmen, and has failed to remedy the danger. If any matter injuriously affecting the health or safety of the miners is brought to the attention of the owner, it is his duty to take proper steps to correct it. 2. The Act of June 2, 1891, P. L. 176, makes it the duty of the mine owner to provide the necessary props to sustain the roofs of the chambers of the mine, and to deliver them to the workmen as near to their working places as they can be conveyed in ordinary mine cars, and provides that a failure to do so shall be taken to be negligence per se, in an action for the recovery of damages for an accident resulting from the insufficient propping of the mine, through failure to furnish the necessary props. 3. Plaintiff, a miner employed in defendant’s mine, gave notice to the superintendent that props were needed to sustain the roof of the chamber in which he was working, and that the mine foreman had. neglected to supply them, although requested to do 'so. The superintendent promised him that they would be sent immediately. The props were not sent, and plaintiff, after sounding the roof on the morning of the accident and finding it safe as he thought, began work, when the roof fell in and crushed him. Held, the questions of the negligence of the defendant and the contributory negligence of the plaintiff were for the jury, and a verdict and judgment in favor of plaintiff was sustained.