Steed v. Rio Grande Western Ry. Co.
Steed v. Rio Grande Western Ry. Co.
Opinion of the Court
after stating the facts, delivered the opinion of the court.
Appellant .requested the court to peremptorily instruct the jury to return a verdict in favor of defendant, which request was denied. The error predicated upon the refusal of the court to give this instruction is the only one assigned and relied upon by appellant for a reversal of the case. No testimony was offered by the railway company to rebut the evidence introduced by plaintiff showing negligence on the part of the company because of its failure to give the usual and customary warnings and signals as the train on the morning in question approached the crossing immediately preceding the collision which resulted in the injuries to plaintiff here-inbefore mentioned, but it relies solely upon the alleged contributory negligence of plaintiff to exonerate it from liability. Counsel for defendant in their brief say: “The rule is settled beyond dispute that it is the duty of the traveler upon a public highway, when approaching a railroad crossing, to look and listen in both directions for an approaching train, and if he fails’to discharge this duty he is conclusively presumed to be guilty of contributory negligence.” And they cite many cases in support of this doctrine. Conceding this to be the rule, can it be said, in face of the record in this case, that the plaintiff failed in any respect to strictly observe and follow this rule? Plaintiff testified that as he
There is evidence in the record which, if true, shows that at the time plaintiff was crossing the track his horses had' slackened their gait and “were almost to a standstill,” and, in his anxiety “to get over,” he diverted his attention from the railroad track to his team, and at this juncture the collision occurred. A witness who saw the collision testified on this point in part as follows: “I saw the plaintiff as he was crossing the track. ... I saw his horses when they came upon the track. I was on a load of hay about one-fourth mile northeast of there. . . .1 noticed him go upon the track about time the train came from the cut. I saw his horses just as they come up onto the track, and then I heard a yell and a crash.” There is evidence in the record which shows that the picket fence mentioned in the foregoing statement of facts tended to obstruct plaintiff’s view of the track to the south as he was nearing the crossing on the occasion referred to. Quoting, in part, his own testimony ■ on this’ point, he says, referring to the fence: “Well, it is some obstruction to the
“When a given state of facts is such that reasonable men may fairly differ upon the question as to whether there was negligence or not, the determination of the matter is for the jury. It is only where the facts are such that reasonable men must draw the same conclusion from them that the question is ever considered as one of law for the court.” (Grand Trunk Ry. Co. v. Ives, 144 U. S. 408, 12 Sup. Ct. 679, 36 L. Ed. 485; Railroad Co. v. McDade, 135 U. S. 554, 10 Sup. Ct. 1044, 34 L. Ed. 235; Linden v. Mining Co., 20 Utah 134, 58 Pac. 355; Holland v. Oregon Short Line R. R. Co., 26 Utah 209, 72 Pac. 940.)
We are of the opinion, and so hold, that the question of contributory negligence was properly submitted to the jury, and that the court did not err in refusing to give the peremptory instruction asked for by defendant. (Bitner v. Utah Cen. Ry. Co., 4 Utah 502, 11 Pac. 620; Olsen v. O. S. L. & U. N. Ry. Co., 9 Utah 129, 33 Pac. 623; Smith v. Rio Grande Western Ry. Co., 9 Utah 141, 33 Pac. 626; Leak v. Railway Co., 9 Utah 246, 33 Pac. 1045; Dederichs v. S. L. C. Ry. Co., 13 Utah 34, 44 Pac. 649; Peck v. Oregon Short Line Ry. Co., 25 Utah 21, 69 Pac. 153.)
The judgment is affirmed, with costs.-
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STEED v. RIO GRANDE WESTERN RY. CO.
- Status
- Published