Olson v. Oregon Short Line Railroad

68 P. 148, 24 Utah 460, 1902 Utah LEXIS 26
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 26, 1902
DocketNo. 1352,
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 68 P. 148 (Olson v. Oregon Short Line 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
Olson v. Oregon Short Line Railroad, 68 P. 148, 24 Utah 460, 1902 Utah LEXIS 26 (Utah 1902).

Opinion

MINER, O. T.,

after stating the facts, delivered the opinion of the court:

The respondents have filed a, motion to strike from the record the bill of exceptions and abstract in this case on the ground that the bill was not settled, allowed, signed, and 1 filed within ninety days after the ent^y of judgment, or notice thereof, after the determination of the motion -for a new trial, as provided by section 3286, Revised Statutes [466]*4661898. It is conceded that it was not settled within the ninety days allowed by the above section, but it is contended that the trial court extended the time for such settlement beyond the ninety days, in accordance with the practice and laws of the State. Section 3286, Eevised Statutes 1898, so fax .as we now deem it material, reads as follows: “ A. bill of exceptions shall in all cases be prepared, settled, signed, and filed within ninety days after the entry of judgment, or after notice of the same if the action were tried without a jury, or after the determination of a motion for a new trial.” If this and other provisions of the statute contained no limitation that would affect the clause quoted, the respondents5 contention might be considered tenable; but when we refer to other parts of the section we find that the appealing party has thirty days after judgment, or the determination of the motion denying a new trial, in which to prepare and serve the bill of exceptions. The opposite party has ten days thereafter in which to prepare and serve amendments thereto. The bill and amendments must within ten days thereafter be presented to the judge, upon five days’ notice, or by delivery to the clerk, for the judge, for settlement. When received by the clerk, he must immediately deliver them to the judge, if he be in the county. If he be absent from the county, and either party desires the papers to be forwarded to the judge, the clerk must, upon notice in writing from such party, immediately forward them to the judge by mail, or other safe channel. If not thus forwarded, the clerk must deliver them to the judge immediately after his return to the county. When received the judge fixes the time for settlement, and the parties are to be notified. Under this section it will be readily observed that if the judge is absent from the county on business pertaining to his office in his district for any considerable length of time, or if the papers are not'mailed, or he does not receive the papers, or becomes sick, the bill may not be settled within the ninety days allowed by this section. Section 3329, Revised Statutes 1898, [467]*467reads as follows: “When an act to be done as provided in this Code relates to tbe pleadings in tbe action, or tbe undertakings to be filed, or tbe justification of sureties, or tbe preparation of bills of exception or of amendments thereto, or to tbe service of notices other than of appeal, tbe time allowed by this Code may be extended, upon good cause shown, by tbe court in which tbe action is pending, or a judge thereof.” This provision is contained in a distinct, separate section, and authorizes tbe judge to extend tbe time for tbe preparation of bills of exceptions, without any limitation of time; and, if proper cause exists, such time may be extended beyond tbe ninety days referred to in tbe section first quoted — that is, tbe time allowed by tbe act for tbe preparation of bills of exception, or of amendments thereto, may be extended.by tbe judge, upon good cause shown. This construction is in conformity with section 2489, providing that proceedings under tbe statute shall be liberally construed, with a view to effect tbe object of tbe statute and promote justice. In this view of tbe case, tbe provisions of tbe statute referred to may be construed as directory, and tbe motion should be denied. Gorringe v. Read (decided at present term of this court), 24 Utah 455, 68 Pac. 147.

2. Tbe appellant contends that tbe court erred in permitting tbe testimony to be given with reference to tbe speed of tbe train at a public crossing. Tbe objection to tbe 2 admission of this testimony was too general. No specific ground of objection was stated to tbe court. This was not sufficient. 8 Enc. PL and Prac., 218, 219; 3 Jones, Ev., sec. 896; Snowden v. Coal Co., 16 Utah 372, 52 Pac. 599; Culmer v. Clift, 14 Utah 291, 47 Pac. 85; Crocker v. Carpenter, 98 Cal. 418, 33 Pac. 271. Tbe general rule to tbe effect that tbe objection must be specific is subject to tbe exception that, if tbe evidence is clearly inadmissible for any purpose, a general objection will be sufficient; but tbe evidence was not clearly inadmissible, under this exception to tbe rule. [468]*468Snowden v. Coal Co., 16 Utah 366, 52 Pac. 599. Treating tbe question upon tbe merits, we are satisfied that tbe 3 testimony was properly admitted. It will be remembered that tbe injury complained of occurred at a public crossing where over one hundred teams passed daily. Many bouses where people resided were built along tbe road near it, and tbe engineer knew it to be a public thoroughfare, and that it was used extensively. Tbe train bad tbe right of way, but tbe engineer was bound to give due and timely warning of its approach, so that passing teams might stop and allow it to pass. Tbe warning required to be given may not be due and timely if tbe speed of tbe train is such as to render tbe warning unavailing to passing teams. A speed of fifty miles an hour might not be unreasonable under some circumstances. Under others it might be dangerous thus to use tbe crossing. This would depend upon tbe warning given and the speed of tbe train. This speed at such a crossing as this one was shown to be should not be so great as to render useless tbe warning of tbe whistle and bell. Especially is this so when it appears, as in this case, that tbe accident occurred on a dark night, when a heavy wind and snow storm was in progress, which might prevent pedestrians from hearing the warning, and intervening trees and willows might prevent the train from being seen. The character of the crossing was an important circumstance to be taken into consideration in determining what rate of speed would be reasonable. The defendant was bound to use reasonable care to see that the train passed at a reasonable rate of speed, proportionate to the danger. The care should be measured by the apparent danger. A high rate of speed might be allowable in country districts where the crossings were not extensively used; but the same rate of speed might be dangerous to life and property in thickly inhabited country districts, and at public crossings where hundreds of teams are passing daily. The degree of care to be used’ by both parties was such as a prudent man [469]*469would exercise, under the circumstances of the case, in endeavoring fairly to perform his duty. As was said by Mr. Justice Bradley in Improvement Co. v. Steed, 95 U. S. 161, 24 L. Ed. 403: “The train has the preference and right of way, but it is bound to give due warning of its approach, so that the wagon may stop and allow it to pass, and to use every exertion to stop if the wagon is inevitably in the way. Such warning must be reasonable and timely. But what is reasonable and timely warning may depend on many circumstances. It can not be such if the speed of» the train is so great as to render it unavailing.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
68 P. 148, 24 Utah 460, 1902 Utah LEXIS 26, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/olson-v-oregon-short-line-railroad-utah-1902.