Seaboard Air Line Railway v. Minor

This action is to recover damages for the burning of a sawmill and other property alleged to have been caused by fire that escaped from a passing locomotive due to the alleged negligence of the defendant railroad company in not providing proper machinery and appliances, in negligently allowing the fire to escape from the engine and in negligently allowing inflammable material to remain on or near the railroad track which it is alleged communicated fire dropped by the engine to the plaintiff’s property. At a former trial a judgment for the plaintiffs was reversed because the trial judge stated…