Universal Portland Cement Co. v. Spirakis

137 N.E. 276, 79 Ind. App. 17, 1922 Ind. App. LEXIS 195
Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided November 21, 1922·No. No. 11,425·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

Batman, C. J.

This is an appeal from an award of compensation in favor of appellees, arising from the death of Nick Spirakis, an employe of appellant. It is based on a claim that there is no evidence to sustain the finding that said employe “received a personal injury by an accident arising out of and in the course of his employment, resulting in his death.” The undisputed evidence which appears as a stipulation establishes the following facts, pertinent to the question submitted for our determination: On the day said Nick Spirakis met his death, he was an employe of appellant, and had been so engaged for several months prior thereto. He worked in appellant’s plant on said day, and met his death by accident on his way to board a train, after he had quit his work, under the circumstances hereinafter stated. The New York Central Railroad Company’s tracks run in an easterly and westerly direction near appellant’s factory, which is situated on the north side thereof. Prior to the accident in question, said company had granted to appellant and its servants the right to use a private crossing, running from its premises across said railroad tracks. After said grant, all of appellant’s employes used said private roadway over said tracks in going to and from their work, as there was no other means of ingress or egress to and from the buildings of appellant’s factory, which are located about one hundred feet north of. the north right of way line fence of said company. There is a line of railroad, owned by another company, between said factory buildings and said fence. The space between said fence and the north line of rails of the New York Central Railroad Company is about fifty feet in width. The tracks of said company at such place consist of a low speed track on the north, two main tracks in the center, and a low-speed track on the south. Prior to the accident resulting in the death of Nick Spirakis, [20] said New York Central Railroad Company, at the request of appellant, had erected a station on its own premises, about twenty-five feet west of said private crossing, for the use of appellant’s employes, and others having business with it, which station is maintained by said railroad company, and is listed by it as a regular stop. Appellant had theretofore entered into an agreement with said company to hold it harmless, and to indemnify it against loss, on account of accidents happening to the employes of appellant, and others, crossing said railroad tracks upon said crossing. The trains of said company took on and delivered mail at said station for appellant and its employes, and a substation of the Gary post office was maintained on the grounds of appellant for the distribution of mail to it and its employes. There was no means of ingress or egress to or from said railroad station, except over the private crossing of appellant. Various trains of said railroad company stopped at this crossing to receive and discharge employes of appellant, and those having busi-' ness with it at its factory. Said employes, in boarding said trains and alighting therefrom, did not always get on or off on the board walk across said tracks, and did not always use said walk in crossing the same. At times, when convenient, they would pass on either side of said walk, for the reason that hot more than one step of a car could be stopped at said board crossing, and such method of travel was the usual and customary one. Approximately 1,500 men worked in appellant’s factory each day. A large number of them used the trains of said railroad company in coming to and going from their work, and some went over a private road of appellant for a distance of two miles to Indiana Harbor. The said Nick Spirakis lived at Gary, Indiana, and used said trains in going to and coming from his work at appellant’s factory, as was the custom, of a large number of [21] the employes working thereat. He paid his own fare to said railroad company in making such trips. Appellant kept a watchman at the crossing in question to take up receipts from trucks entering and leaving its factory, to put mail on the trains, as hereinbefore mentioned, and to watch for the approach of trains. At the time of the accident, resulting in the death of said Nick Spirakis, he had left his work at appellant’s factory, and had been waiting in said station of said railroad company for a train on which to take passage, from ten to fifteen minutes. At the time he received his said injuries he was passing from said station in a southeasterly direction, across said tracks, to get on an eastbound passenger train of said railroad company, which was the first passenger train to Gary, Indiana, where he lived, passing after he quit work. When he reached a point about ten feet west of the wooden private crossing over the tracks of said .railroad company, he was struck and killed by a west-bound train thereof, passing over its track farthest north. Prior to the time said decedent started to cross said tracks, said watchman notified appellant’s employes, who were waiting to take passage on said east-bound train, of its approach by announcing, “East-bound passenger train.” A large number of such employes were waiting for this train, and crossed over the tracks and got on the same; but said decedent did not succeed in doing so, but was killed while attempting to cross the track between said station and said train, which train he usually took, and was attempting to take for his home, at the time he received his fatal injuries.

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Universal Portland Cement Co. v. Spirakis, 137 N.E. 276, 79 Ind. App. 17, 1922 Ind. App. LEXIS 195 (Ind. Ct. App. 1922).

137 N.E. 276 (Universal Portland Cement Co. v. Spirakis) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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