Stott

Appeal by defendant. Plaintiff was awarded judgment in the sum of five hundred dollars as damages which he alleged he had suffered because of. the burning of a lot of hay. The burning of the hay was caused by fire which originated on a pole belonging to the defendant corporation, which pole held wires carrying high voltage of electricity. Fire was communicated from the pole to some dry grass and spread for a distance of perhaps half a mile, finally igniting the hay of the plaintiff. The fire was caused at the pole by a short circuit. Two insulators, which sustained one of the wires, which wire was carrying thirty-three thousand volts of current, broke down, and the current, in its course to the ground and in overcoming the resistance offered by the pole, ignited the top of the latter. The wire did not fall to the ground, but remained suspended. Sparks from the burning pole were blown to the dry grass, with the result first indicated. The record shows no dispute to have been made as to the facts. Plaintiff on his part opened his case by showing the bare facts as to the causing of the fire and the amount of damage done. He called, as one of his witnesses, the superintendent of the…