Weigel v. City of Hastings

45 N.W. 694, 29 Neb. 379, 1890 Neb. LEXIS 262
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedApril 29, 1890
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 45 N.W. 694 (Weigel v. City of Hastings) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Weigel v. City of Hastings, 45 N.W. 694, 29 Neb. 379, 1890 Neb. LEXIS 262 (Neb. 1890).

Opinion

Maxwell, J.

This action was brought by the plaintiff against the defendant to recover damages for personal injuries sustained by her in consequence of the buggy in which she was riding being overturned in a.street of that city, caused by [380]*380obstructions in such street. On the trial of the cause the jury returned a verdict for the defendant, and a motion for a new tral being overruled, judgment was entered on the verdict.

The plaintiff alleges in her petition : “ That on the 24th day of June, 1887, and for a long time prior thereto, with full knowledge of all the facts that said defendant corporation negligently permitted dangerous and unguarded excavations to be made and remain, and timbers to be strewn upon the streets of said city within the corporate limits thereof, upon St. Joseph avenue and Second street, at or near the junction thereof, into which excavation and upon said timbers, without any fault or negligence upon her part, the wheels of the buggy in which the plaintiff was riding (as she had a lawful right to do upon said streets) fell, causing her to be violently thrown therefrom into said dangerous and unguarded excavations and upon said timbers, thereby dislocating one wrist, breaking one arm, breaking one toe, inflicting a serious contusion on her head, wrenching and straining her back, and otherwise bruising and injuring said plaintiff in her body and mind, to her damage in the sum of $2,500; that by reason and in consequence of the said fall and injuries aforesaid, plaintiff' was compelled to procure and did procure medical anjl surgical attendance, and in caring and nursing for said injuries, for which she was compelled to pay out and for said services the sum of $175.” There are other allegations to which it is unnecessary to refer.

The defendant in its answer alleges : That the only excavations existing and the only timbers strewn within the corporate limits of said defendant city, upon said St. Joseph avenue and Second street, ht or near the junction thereof, on the 24th day of June, 1887, as alleged in said petition, were timbers strewn and excavations made by the Hastings Improvement Company, a street railway company, then and heretofore existing under the laws of the state of [381]*381Nebraska, and theretofore granted a franchise for constructing and operating a system of street railways in said defendant city, and on said 24th day of June, 1887, and heretofore the owner of a street railway then in process of construction, under and by virtue of its franchise as aforesaid, on St. Joseph avenue and Second street, and at and near the junction thereof, in said defendant city, and the excavations so made and timbers so strewn, as hereinbefore set forth, were upon that portion of said avenue and said street where said company had located its track and were upon that portion of said streets which said company was and is required by the law to keep in repair and safe in all respects for the use of the traveling public.” It also pleads want of notice and alleges in substance that the accident was caused by the fault of the plaintiff, etc.

There is a reply, to which it is unnecessary to refe.r.

On the trial of the cause the court gave the following instruction: Subdivision 58 of sec. 52, ch. 14, page 218, Compiled Statutes of Nebraska, 1887, passed and .took effect March 30, 1887, reads as follows: ‘ The track of all railway companies, when located upon the streets and avenues of the city, shall be kept in repair and safe in all respects for the use of the traveling public, and such .companies shall be liable for all damages resulting by reason of neglect tó keep such tracks in repair, or for obstructing the streets or avenues of such cities. For injuries to persons or property arising wholly from the failure of such company to keep their tracks in proper repair and free from obstructions, such companies shall be liable, and the city shall be exempt from liability.’ Under this provision of the statute, if you find the injury complained of was occasioned wholly by the railroad, provided you find a railroad was located by law at the place where the alleged injury occurred you will find for defendant.” To the giving of the same, exceptions were duly taken, and said instruction is now assigned for error.

[382]*382In 1883 an act “to provide for the organization, government, and powers of cities of the second class having more than ten thousand inhabitants” was duly passed by the legislature and became a law. Section 31 of this act provides: “ The mayor and council shall have the care, supervision and control of all public highways, bridges, streets, alleys, public squares, and commons within the city, and shall cause the same to be kept open and in repair, and free from nuisances. But all public bridges, exceeding sixty feet in length, over any stream crossing a state or county highway, shall be constructed and kept in repair by the county.”

The third subdivision of section 52 authorizes the passage of ordinances “ To provide for the grading and repairs of any street, avenue, or “alley, and the construction of bridges, culverts, and sewers, and shall defray the repairs of the same out of the general fund of such city, not exceeding two mills of the levy for general purposes, but no street shall be graded except the same be ordered to be done by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the city council.”

The 30th subdivision of the same section grants the authority “To prevent and remove all encroachments into and upon all sidewalks, streets, avenues, alleys, and other city property; and to prevent and punish all horse racing, fast driving or riding, in the streets, highways, alleys, bridges, or places in the city, and all games, practices, or amusements therein, likely to result in damage to any person or property; to regulate, prevent, and punish the riding, driving, or passing of horses, mules, oxen, cattle, or other teams, or any vehicle drawn thereby, over, upon, or across sidewalks, or along any street of the city; to regulate and prevent the use of streets, sidewalks, and public grounds for signs, sign posts, awnings, telegraph, telephone, or other- poles, racks, bulletin boards, and the posting of handbills and advertisements; to regulate traffic and sales upon the streets, sidewalks, and public places; to punish and prohibit cruelty to animals; to regulate and [383]*383prevent the moving of buildings through or upon the streets.”

The 35th subdivision of the. same section grants the power “To open, widen, or otherwise improve or vacate any street, avenue, alley, or lane within the limits of the city, and also to create, open and improve any new street, avenue, alley, or lane; Provided, That all damages sustained by the citizens of the city, or the owners of the property therein, shall be ascertained in such manner as shall be provided by ordinance; Provided, further, That whenever any street, avenue, alley, or lane shall be vacated the same shall revert to the owners of the adjacent real estate, one-half on each side thereof.”

The 58th subdivision of sec. 52, art. 2, ch. 14, Comp. Stats., provides that “The city council shall have power to open, extend, widen, narrow, grade, curb, gutter, and pave, or otherwise improve and keep in good repair, or cause the same to be done, in any manner they may deem proper, any street, avenue, or alley within the limits of the city. * * Provided, also,

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Bluebook (online)
45 N.W. 694, 29 Neb. 379, 1890 Neb. LEXIS 262, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/weigel-v-city-of-hastings-neb-1890.