Smith v. Illinois Power & Light Corp.

Plaintiff, a resident of East St. Louis, was a patron of defendant, Illinois Power and Light Corporation, which sold and distributed gas to the residents of said city. On March 31, 1936, defendant replaced the gas service pipe leading into plaintiff’s residence, and in doing so excavated a trench from the street main to the dwelling house, a distance of some 50 feet. The ditch was about 14 inches wide, with a depth varying from 18 inches at the porch to 3 feet at the street.

On the premises was a concrete walk leading to the street, and another one paralleling the porch and leading to the…