Ft. Worth & D. C. Ry. Co. v. Firestone
Ft. Worth & D. C. Ry. Co. v. Firestone
Opinion of the Court
John H. Firestone instituted this suit against the Ft. Worth & Denver City Railway Company for damages done to plaintiff’s land by reason of injury to the roots and turf of grass caused by fire alleged to have been negligently started by the railway company, and also for the value of the grass burned. From a judgment in favor of the plaintiff, defendant has appealed.
“The market value of the land was damaged from $4 to $5 per acre by reason of injury and damage done to the turf and grass roots.”
One objection to this testimony was that the witness was not sufficiently qualified to give the opinion by reason of the fact that he had not seen the land before the fire. While it is true that the witness did so testify, yet it appears he was thoroughly familiar with the market value of lands in that vicinity and of that character, and that he saw and examined the land immediately after the fire, which, we think, was a sufficient predicate for the admission of the testimony.
The testimony referred to was the only evidence introduced to prove depreciation in the value of the land on account of injury to the turf, and, upon the theory that such testimony was not admissible, the same familiar rule for estimating such damages is made the basis of the further contention that there was error in the refusal of a special peremptory instruction requested by the defendant that no damages could be allowed by reason of injury to the grass roots and turf. That assignment is overruled, for the reasons stated already.
“The foregoing charge was requested after the court read his main charge to the jury and before the conclusion of the opening argument by plaintiff. Befused. W. T. Allen, County Judge.”
Several of plaintiff’s witnesses, including himself, testified that there has been continued droughts in the vicinity of plaintiff’s land for several years, and that the grass had been very short on account thereof. In the charge given by the court to the jury injury to the turf by reason of the fire was the only basis submitted for allowing plaintiff damages for depreciation in the market value of his land. Aside from the suggestion of appellee that the requested instruction was not presented at the proper time, we are of the opinion that its refusal did not constitute reversible error, since there is nothing in the record to indicate that the jury went beyond the court’s instruction and allowed damages to the turf caused by drought and hot weather, and not by fire. Bule 62a (149 S. W. x).
The judgment is affirmed.
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