Alexson v. Pierce County

This appeal is from an order granting a new trial after verdict in favor of the defendants, in five actions involving similar issues and consolidated for trial.

The actions were brought by the plaintiffs to recover from the defendant, Pierce county, damages alleged to have accrued to their properties by a slide of earth, consequent upon the improvement by the county of one of its public roads.

The complaint alleged that the defendant carelessly and negligently built and paved a public highway on a hillside directly above the property of the plaintiffs; that the improvement was so made that it…