Prichard v. Gas Co.

Citations

• 2 Pa. Super. 179
• 1896 Pa. Super. LEXIS 35

Syllabus

<p>Negligence — Gas companies — Standard of duty.</p> <p>While no absolute standard of duty in dealing with such agencies as natural or illuminating gas can be prescribed, every reasonable precaution suggested by experience and the known dangers of the subject ought to be taken.</p> <p>This will require in a gas company not only that its pipes and fittings should be of such material and workmanship and laid in the ground with such skill and care as to provide against the escape of gas therefrom when new, but that such system of inspection shall be maintained as would insure reasonable promptness in the detection of leaks that may occur from deterioration of the material in the pipes or from any other eause within the circumspection of men of ordinary skill in the business.</p> <p>Inspection — Province of court and jury.</p> <p>Where the evidence tended to show that a gas company, defendant in an action for personal injuries by reason of alleged negligence resulting in leakage of gas, had no system of inspection and waited for complaints before the inspection was ordered, that some of their pipes had been laid in cinder which was liable to corrode them, that they made only irregular and occasional examinations of the drips in the line of their pipes, while there was evidence that other gas companies kept men daily patroling the streets to specially look for leaks, held the question of negligence was for the jury.</p>