Leary v. Lehigh Valley Railroad

The plaintiff charges that the death of her intestate was caused by the negligence of the defendant. A nonsuit was directed by the trial court.

The plaintiff’s intestate was a fireman in the discharge of his duty as such upon the defendant’s locomotive engine Avhich was drawing a train of freight cars at the time in question. His death was the result of injuries received from the explosion of the boiler, which also caused the death of the engineer. There is no dispute about the facts. The boiler of the engine exploded because the water in it was permitted to get too low. The explosion was the necessary consequence of the cause which produced it. The engineer was a competent man for the position he occupied. The engine was in good condition for- service. And the only question is whether it was properly equipped with the means or ajiparatus to enable the engineer to gauge the water in the boiler. There were two injectors on the engine properly located for the purpose of taking water, when required, from the tank into the boiler. With the means for such supply no fault is found. Upon the boiler were gauge cocks accessible to the engineer by which he could test the height of the water in the boiler, and ascertain whether it contained an adequate quantity for the purpose of steam and safety. This he had failed to do at the time in question. The water had fallen about fourteen inches below the crown sheet, which became so heated that the stay bolts were ineffectual to hold it to its place, and the necessary consequence was the explosion. This would have been obviated by a supply of water sufficient to cover it. The crown sheet is said to have been twenty inches below the upper surface of the boiler. This condition of the water in the boiler was attributable to the failure of the engineer to use the means which he had of ascertaining the necessity of a further supply of water in the boiler and to furnish it by the use of the injectors. The try cocks were in good order. The time of the- explosion was on a December morning before daylight. The weather was very cold. And there is some evidence tending to prove that by the sound on opening the

It is insisted by the learned counsel for the plaintiff that it was the ■ duty of the defendant to furnish better facilities for the engineer to ascertain the stage of the water in the boiler; that there should have been provided a stationary light to enable him to see the valve or test cocks in the night-time, or that there should have been a glass gauge in like manner lighted; but more especially it is urged that there should have been in the crown sheet what is knoVn as a fusible plug. The duty of the defendant was such that it was required to use reasonable care in furnishing its employees witlr suitable implements, apparatus and machinery for the service in which they were engaged. This duty did not demand of it the supply of the very best means which could be devised. The requirement is satisfied when they are provided with appliances, which in that sense of the term are reasonably safe, in good condition and adequate to the purpose in view. And then the fact that the use of them is or becomes unsafe by want of due care on the part of the employees, does not charge the master with injurious consequences so occasioned to them from such use. (Stringham v. Hilton, 111 N. Y. 188 ; Kern v. De Castro & D. S. R. Co., 125 id. 50.)

It is sufficient that the apparatus is in good condition of repair and is such as is ordinarily or generally in use for the like purpose. (Hickey v. Taaffe, 105 N. Y. 26 .)

The application of these general principles to the present case would seem to relieve the defendant from the charge of negligence. While a well-sustained light upon the test valves would render it more convenient to discover in the night-time whether water is discharged from them when opened, the absence of light requires only more care to do so. The same may be said of a glass gauge exposed to light with the qualification that, as appears by the evidence, it might become clogged and unreliable. Then it would be worse than useless. And although a fusible plug in the crown sheet would by the melting of its filling make an opening for the passage of steam into the fire box and thus give warning, this might also have the

So far as appears by the evidence the fusible plug is not used on railroad locomotives. It is, however, used to some extent upon stationary engines and upon some in marine service other than war vessels. In the cases where so .used it may be done without danger and with less inconvenience.

The calamity in question must, therefore, be deemed the result of the negligence of the engineer, and not the co-operative negligence of him and the defendant. And as one of the hazards assumed by the plaintiff’s intestate when he entered into the defendant’s service was that arising from the negligence of his co-employees, the alleged cause of action is not supported.

The motion for the nonsuit was, therefore, properly granted; .■and the view here taken renders it unnecessary to consider any other ■exception, as none of the evidence excluded or stricken out could have had any essential bearing in support of the action.

The motion for a new trial should be denied and judgment ■directed for the defendant.

Dwight, P. J., Lewis and Haight, JJ., concurred.

Plaintiff’s motion for new trial denied, with costs, and judgment ordered for the defendant upon the nonsuit.