Butcher v. St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Co.

This is an action for damages for the destruction of plaintiffs’ orchard alleged to have been caused by a fire set out by one of defendant’s locomotives. There was a verdict and judgment in favor of plaintiffs in the sum of $2000. Defendant has appealed.

The facts taken in their most favorable light to plaintiffs show that plaintiffs were the owners of a tract of land consisting of eighteen acres adjoining the town of Grandview in Jackson county; that on the southeast corner of the tract was situated a house and two barns; that the north part of the tract, consisting of ten acres under fence,…