Lawhorn v. Denver & Rio Grande Railroad

130 P. 470, 42 Utah 244, 1913 Utah LEXIS 3
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 28, 1913
DocketNo. 2380
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 130 P. 470 (Lawhorn v. Denver & Rio Grande Railroad) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lawhorn v. Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, 130 P. 470, 42 Utah 244, 1913 Utah LEXIS 3 (Utah 1913).

Opinion

STEAUP, J.

This is an action to recover damages for injuries alleged to have been occasioned through the negligence of the defendant. The injury occurred in Bingham Canyon. There the defendant operated two lines of railroad, one along the bed of the canyon for the transportation of passengers and freight, called the low line; the other, called the high line, along the side of the canyon for the transportation of freight, mostly ore, from mines up the canyon to a place below, called Welby, a distance of about fourteen miles. The grade is very steep. Special ore cars of steel and hopper bottom, about thirty-six feet long, were used for this purpose. About twenty-eight •cars were generally operated in a train from Welby to the mine. The crew of each was composed of an engineer and a fireman on the engine, a head brakeman on the pilot, and a conductor and a brakeman in the caboose at the rear. The plaintiff, at the time of the accident, was nine years old. He lived in the canyon with his parents. The record recites that the plaintiff introduced evidence tending to show that, at and for a long time prior to the day in question, boys of various ages, and adults, almost daily jumped on the defendant’s trains and cars on the low line and the connecting track near the depot in the canyon, particularly during switching operations, and rode for shorter or longer distances, sometimes hanging on the sides of the cars, something riding on top, and sometimes on the footboard of the engine; so, too, on the high line, men and boys of various ages frequently boarded the defendant’s trains, going to and coming from the mines, and rode for longer or shorter distances; and that all this was done in plain sight of the train crews, for the most part on trains not intended for passengers, without molestation or objection or any effort on their part to put them off, and without demanding or collecting fare. On two occasions a. brakeman had invited two or three boys to ride in the caboose Avith him on the high line for a bunch of wild flowers which they had picked. The record further recites that there was no direct evidence that any officer or agent of the company, other than train operatives such as conductors, brakemen, [247]*247engineers, and firemen, bad permitted boys or men to ride; but tbe evidence was sucb (so recites the record) that a jury might find that such a practice was so general, notorious, and long continued that the defendant’s officers knew thereof, or ought to have known of it.

On the day of the accident, the plaintiff and five other boys, from eight to thirteen years of age, about two o’clock in the afternoon, started from near the depot in the canyon carrying two guns, intending to shoot squirrels and birds. They climbed the side of the mountain until they reached the high line. They then walked down that track shooting at squirrels and birds, and roamed about the country in the vicinity of the railroad. They kept on in this way till they came to a point on the high line called Midas, a passing track. There, at about four o’clock, they saw, about half a mile away, an ore train coming up the canyon from Welby to the mines. It consisted of an engine, twenty-eight empty ore cars, and a caboose at the rear. The engine was a Mallet engine, with a double set of driving wheels. Its tender was nearly as long as an ore car. The crew consisted of an engineer and fireman on the engine, a head brakeman on the pilot, and a conductor and rear brakeman in the caboose. When the boys saw the train coming, according to the testimony of some of them, one said, “Here comes the train. Let’s catch it. We’ll get home quicker.” According to others, one of them said, “Here comes a train. Let’s ask the engineer for a ride” — to which the others replied, “All right, that’s a go.”’ Ammon Lawhorn, the plaintiff’s brother, and Albert Eay, the-two oldest boys, each about thirteen years of age, then left the other four and walked farther down the track towards the train. It soon came along, going from six to nine miles an hour. The two boys were on the engineer’s side of the track. The engineer was in the cab, the fireman shoveling coal, the-head brakeman on the pilot of the engine, and the conductor and rear brakeman in the caboose. One of the boys hallooed to the engineer, as he came opposite them, “Give us a ride.” The engineer replied, “All right, there are plenty of ears in the train,” and pointed to the rear. They boarded the-[248]*248train, Ammon getting on tbe step near tbe front end, and Albert on tbe step near tbe rear end. of tbe same car, and rode either standing on tbe steps or sitting on tbe side of tbe ■car as they passed tbe other boys. Tbe two were in sight, but not in tbe bearing, of tbe others, when tbe two boarded tbe train. Tbe four, including tbe plaintiff, were also on tbe engineer’s side of tbe train as it proceeded up tbe canyon. Hefore it reached them, some discussion was had as to which of them should ask tbe engineer for a ride. It was decided that George Kav, twelve years old, should do so. When the -engine was opposite them, George, hallooed to the engineer and said, ‘’’Give us a ride.” Tbe engineer “nodded yes,” and pointed to the cars behind the engine, indicating that tbe boys might board tbe train. There was some conflict in tbe •evidence as to which car tbe plaintiff boarded. Some wit-, nesses testified that be got on tbe car immediately behind tbe car bis brother was on; others that he got on tbe sixth •or seventh car from tbe engine. There were two ladders on the outside of the cars, one near tbe front, and one near the rear, end. Tbe cars extended about two and one-half feet ■over tbe rails. Tbe plaintiff was a boy of average intelligence ■and strength for one of bis age. He attempted to mount tbe ladder near tbe front end of tbe car. He failed, and fell to tbe ground, clear of tbe rails and tbe car. He arose and tried to mount tbe rear ladder. One of tbe boys, George Kay, testified that between tbe two attempts be told tbe plaintiff not to get on, that it was dangerous, and that tbe plaintiff replied, “By gosh, I will get on. If Ammon gets home before I do and does tbe chores, I’ll get a licking.” This -conversation was denied by tbe plaintiff. Tbe plaintiff succeeded in climbing tbe ladder on tbe second attempt. He rode a car length or two, when be lost bis bold, as be was ■climbing over tbe side to reach tbe inside of tbe car, and fell to tbe ground between tbe end of tbe car be bad mounted and the one next behind it, and was run over and injured.

Tbe record further .recites that evidence was introduced by tbe plaintiff tending to show that shortly after tbe engineer passed tbe four boys, and just as tbe plaintiff attempted to [249]*249board the train the first time, the engineer looted back ont of tbe cab window at bim, and then, putting his head back in the cab jerked the train, thereby causing the plaintiff to fall the first time. The engineer then again looked back at him and grinned; that immediately thereafter the jerk was twice repeated, the last time just as the plaintiff was climbing oyer the side to reach the inside of the car; and that the jerk caused him to lose his hold and to fall to the ground between the ends of the cars. George Eay ran along the train until he caught up with Ammon Lawhom, and shouted that the plaintiff had been run over. Ammon jumped off and ran back. By that time the caboose had passed the plaintiff a car length or two. Ammon ran towards the caboose, shouting to .the men inside. The air brakes were applied and the train stopped. The plaintiff was placed in the caboose and taken to the depot, where he received medical attention.

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Related

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
130 P. 470, 42 Utah 244, 1913 Utah LEXIS 3, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lawhorn-v-denver-rio-grande-railroad-utah-1913.