Inhabitants of Hyde Park v. Gay

• Decision Date: 07 September 1876
• Parties: Inhabitants of Hyde Park v. Phineas E. Gay
• Court: United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court

120 Mass. 589

Inhabitants of Hyde Park v. Phineas E. Gay

Supreme Court of Massachusetts

September 7, 1876

[Syllabus Material]

Norfolk. Tort for running over and destroying fire hose laid across a railroad track. Trial in the Superior Court, before Bacon, J., who allowed a bill of exceptions in substance as follows:

About half past two o'clock on Sunday morning, September 27 1874, a fire broke out in a building at Hyde Park, about seventy feet westerly of the line of the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad. Neponset River ran one hundred feet easterly of the railroad, and the fire department of the town stationed two steam fire-engines on the bank of the river and carried four lines of hose across the track of the railroad to the burning building. The place where the lines of hose were laid across the track was a few feet northerly of the railroad station, and there were platforms on each side of the track, about eighteen inches high, so that the lines of hose were supported by the platforms, and were not on the track.

The defendant was the owner of a locomotive engine and of gravel cars, and had an agreement with trustees, who were in the possession and management of the railroad, by which he was authorized, at certain rates, to transport gravel in his own cars over the railroad, at such times as it could be done without interfering with the regular trains, the defendant employing all the men to run his trains, and agreeing to indemnify the trustees against any damage to third parties that might be done by his trains. From about seven o'clock, Saturday evening, September 26, to about six o'clock the next morning, the defendant had the use of the track, free from all other trains.

During the progress of the fire, and about ten minutes past three o'clock on Sunday morning, a locomotive engine and train of loaded gravel cars belonging to the defendant, and under the management of his men, passing from his gravel pits in Dedham to the city of Boston, struck the lines of hose, swept them along and broke them, and did some other damage.

The station agent of the trustees at Hyde Park had nothing to do with the defendant or his trains; but inquiry was made of the station agent, soon after the fire broke out, and he informed the chief of police, and others, that there was no train to pass over the road before six o'clock in the morning. There was conflicting evidence as to whom, and how, signals were given to warn any train that might be approaching that there was an obstruction on the track. But the defendant contended and offered evidence tending to show that the only signal which could be seen on board the train was a light near the station, making the signal in use on the railroad to indicate that everything was all right and to go ahead. The fire was kept down, and confined to the inside of the building, so that it could not be seen outside. There was no moon, but the evidence was conflicting as to the degree of darkness, and as to mist or fog in the air.

The defendant requested the judge to instruct the jury as follows: "1. That the defendant, at the time of the acts complained of, had the same right to the possession and use of the railroad, at the place where the lines of hose were laid across it, that landowners have to their lands, so far as the plaintiff in this case is concerned.

"2. That the fact that it was about three o'clock, on Sunday morning, that the accident happened, does not make the rights of the parties any different from what they would have been if it had happened at the same hour on any other morning.

"3. That it was the duty of the persons having charge of the hose across the track to post danger signals in each direction, at a sufficient distance, to give any train that might approach notice of danger, and if there was time to post such signals and the duty was neglected, and the accident happened in consequence, the plaintiff cannot recover.

"4. That the plaintiff must show that the managers of the train had sufficient notice given them that the lines of hose were across the track, or that there was danger, in season to stop the train. That if the signal given was the usual signal used upon this railroad, that everything was all right and to go ahead, it cannot be held that it was a signal to stop, or of danger, unless the managers of the train understood it to be such.

"5. That the station agent at Hyde Park was not the agent of the defendant, and that the defendant is not responsible for any information he may have given.

"6. That under the circumstances of this case the defendant is not liable,...