Licha v. Northern Pacific Railway Co.

276 N.W. 813, 201 Minn. 427, 1937 Minn. LEXIS 895
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedDecember 24, 1937
DocketNo. 31,170.
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 276 N.W. 813 (Licha v. Northern Pacific Railway Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Licha v. Northern Pacific Railway Co., 276 N.W. 813, 201 Minn. 427, 1937 Minn. LEXIS 895 (Mich. 1937).

Opinions

Peterson, Justice.

Action for personal injuries in which the court granted defendants’ motion for judgment on the pleadings and plaintiff’s opening statement. Plaintiff moved for a new trial, which was denied, and appeals.

It appears that plaintiff was a passenger in an automobile driven by another, which ivas traveling in an easterly direction on Maryland street in the city of St. Paul at about 3:15 o’clock a. m. on the morning of December 35, 1935. There were six people in the car. The defendant’s tracks lie in a rather deep valley, into which Maryland street descends from an elevation on the west, first crossing the tracks of the Soo Line railroad and proceeding thence downhill. Just before the street crosses defendant’s tracks there is a slight rise so that defendant’s tracks are situated in such a position that the lights of an automobile do not shine on a train if there be one *429 on the crossing. The night in question was dark and exceptionally foggy. The city of St. Paul maintains an electric light at the intersection, which was extinguished at about 2:30 o’clock a. m. On the driver’s right-hand side of the road at a point about 30 feet west from the nearest rail and about 19 feet to the right from the center of the road was located a post on which were placed two cross boards to indicate a railroad crossing and a reflector type signal which read “Stop.” The post and sign complied with the requirements of the railroad and warehouse commission. The driver could not see the post by reason of its location and the darkness and fog with which it was surrounded, nor the train and tracks by reason of the grade of Maryland street descending to within a short distance of the tracks, the rise just before reaching the tracks, and the intense darkness and fog. The fog was of such density that the light from the lamps on the automobile was unable to pierce the same. The automobile was proceeding at between 15 and 25 miles per hour. Maryland street is one of the principal thoroughfares of the city of St. Paul, rather heavily traveled. Other than the post and train on the tracks, there was no warning to approaching travelers. By reason of the conditions there prevailing, plaintiff claims that the crossing was extra-hazardous and that it was the duty of the defendant to exercise care commensurate with the conditions there then existing, and to give some additional warning to those approaching the crossing. Defendant’s contention is that (1) by the installation of the post and sign in compliance with the regulations of the railroad and warehouse commission it was relieved of the duty to give any other warning at the crossing, and (2) that the proximate cause of the accident was not any act or omission of the defendant.

The question in this case is whether or not a railroad may be required to take precautions in the management and operation of the road with respect to the public safety in addition to those required by statute or order of the railroad and warehouse commission. Defendant contends that this case is ruled by Olson v. C. G. W. R. Co. 193 Minn. 533, 259 N. W. 70, 72, which was decided by a divided court, Mr. Justice Loring writing a dissenting opinion in *430 which Mr. Chief Justice Devaney and Mr. Justice Hilton concurred. If that decision stands, defendant’s contention must be sustained. Before examining that decision, it is well to know what the rule in cases of this kind is, without regard to it. The dissenting opinion in the Olson case adequately deals with the question. This question has been discussed in so many cases that it is impossible to review all of them without unduly extending this opinion. The rule was well settled in Minnesota prior to Olson v. C. G. W. R. Co. supra, that a railroad is bound to take such precautions in the management and operation of the railroad as the public safety requires, though they may be. in addition to those required by statute or order of the railroad and warehouse commission or though there be no statute or order upon the subject. 5 Dunnell, Minn. Dig. (2 ed. & Supps. 1932, 1934, 1937) § 8174, cases cited in note 56. This is the universal rule. Note, 71 A. L. R. 369, et seq., where it is said:

“It is generally held that the statutory requirements for safety devices at crossings merely prescribe the minimum of care, and, when the crossing is dangerous and prudence demands it, additional safety devices must be provided to the extent necessary to meet the situation.”

The United States Supreme Court firmly established the rule by taking the lead in Grand Trunk Ry. Co. v. Ives, 144 U. S. 408, 12 S. Ct. 679, 684, 36 L. ed. 485, and the courts of Alabama, District of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Connecticut have followed the rule. Connecticut was out of line in Dyson v. New York & N. E. R. Co. 57 Conn. 9, 17 A. 137, 14 A. S. R. 82, but because its rule was erroneous it was abandoned, and that state adopted the majority rule in Pratt, Read & Co. v. New York, N. H. & H. R. Co. 102 Conn. 735, 130 A. 102; see Elukowich v. New York, N. H. & H. R. Co. (D. C.) 291 F. 574. Minnesota, since the decision in the Olson case, is now out of line with the current of authority. In Grand Trunk Ry. Co. v. Ives, supra, the court said [144 U. S. 420]:

*431 “It is also held, in many of the States (in fact, the rule is well nigh, if not quite, universal), that a railroad company, under certain circumstances, will not he held free from negligence, even though it may have complied literally with the terms of a statute prescribing certain signals to be given, and other precautions to be taken by it, for the safety of the traveling public at crossings.”

The authorities are uniform in support of the rule: 22 R. C. L. p. 998, § 226; 52 C. J. p. 178, § 1773; note, 60 A. L. R. 1110; 2 Thompson, Negligence, § 1555; 2 Shearman & Redfield, Negligence (6 ed.) § 463a; Wharton, Law of Negligence (2 ed.) § 799. The reason for the rule is plain. In the absence of statute, a railroad is bound to exercise due care in the management and operation of the road. Shaber v. St. P. M. & M. Ry. Co. 28 Minn. 103, 9 N. W. 575; Zenner v. G. N. Ry. Co. 135 Minn. 37, 159 N. W. 1087; Gowan v. McAdoo, 143 Minn. 227, 173 N. W. 440, 442; Crosby v. G. N. Ry. Co. 187 Minn. 263, 245 N. W. 31. Statutes have been enacted requiring railroads to perform specific acts or take specific precautions for the public safety. One statute after another has been enacted, adding to the number of specific requirements. The purpose of these statutes is to increase, not decrease, public safety, by additional requirements imposed upon railroads. They supplement and do not repeal existing law. They amend existing law only by the addition of specific and minimum requirements. By specific requirements for safety at crossings, which deal with the matter of 'safety only in particular respects, it is not the intention to do away with the exercise of due care in all other respects. In the Shaber case, 28 Minn. 103, 9 N. W. 575, 577, Mr. Chief Justice Gilfillan well said, 28 Minn. 107:

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Bluebook (online)
276 N.W. 813, 201 Minn. 427, 1937 Minn. LEXIS 895, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/licha-v-northern-pacific-railway-co-minn-1937.