DALE v. RAILWAY CO. DOUGLAS, J. This was an action for damages to his leasehold alleged to have been sustained by the plaintiff on account of a trespass committed by the defendant in filling up a ditch while engaged in changing the grade of its roadbed near Silver Creek, in Burke County. This ditch or branch was a natural water course. The action was instituted on March 3, 1902, by the plaintiff, who alleged that he was a tenant in possession of the land under a lease for a term of two years from and after January 1, 1902, and that by reason of the obstruction of a ditch by the defendant in the winter of 1901 and 1902, the flow of the water from the leased premises was prevented, and the crops for the years 1902 and 1903 would be greatly lessened and reduced in amount, the plaintiff tenant being entitled under his contract of lease to one-third of the grain and one-half of the hay raised on said land. The landlord was not a party to the action. The defendant contended (1) That there were no damages as alleged; (2) that the work was done by Oliver & Co., independent contractors, and that if any damage was done, the said contractors were alone responsible therefor; (3) that in any event, no damage could be had against the defendant company accruing after the commencement of the action in March, 1902. The following were the issues and answers thereto: 1. Did the defendant, the Southern Railway Company, wrongfully and unlawfully trespass upon the premises and estates of the plaintiff, causing damage to the same? Yes. 2. What damage has the plaintiff suffered by the wrong and injury to time of action commenced? Five cents. 3. What is the entire damage the plaintiff has sustained by this wrong and injury? $250. The first exception was to the refusal of the court to grant a new trial. As we see no error in the conduct of the trial, this motion was properly refused. DALE v. RAILWAY CO. The contention of the defendant in the court below that the contractors, Oliver & Co., were alone responsible for the alleged injury, seems to have been abandoned in this court, as it was neither pressed in the argument nor alluded to in the defendant's brief. In any event it is unavailing, as Parsons, the defendant's witness and engineer in charge, testified that "the entire work was under the supervision of the Southern Railway engineer and done as he directed." As there was no evidence to the contrary, the plea of avoidance, whose burden was on the defendant, could not have been sustained. The only exceptions discussed in the defendant's brief are the third, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth. The sixth exception is to the refusal of the court to give the following prayer: "There is no evidence tending to show that the plaintiff sustained any damage prior to the third day of March, 1902, and you should therefore answer the third issue No." This instruction was properly refused, as the trespass would of itself have entitled the plaintiff to nominal damages. As the jury found only nominal damages, five cents, the defendant has no cause to complain. The other exceptions all depend directly or indirectly on the right of the plaintiff to recover for damages accruing after the commencement of the action. The defendant's brief seems to rely principally upon the dissenting opinion in the case of Beach v. Railroad, 120 N. C., 498. While that dissenting opinion contains some well-stated propositions of law, it does not sustain the defendant's contention. Even if it did it could scarcely be expected to outweigh the opinion of the court. The defendant further contended in the argument that the plaintiff could not maintain his action without the joinder of the tenant in fee. We see no merit in either contention. The Act of 1895 (Chapter 224) provides that in cases like that at bar "the jury shall assess the entire amount of damages which the party aggrieved is entitled to recover by reason of the DALE v. RAILWAY CO. trespass upon his property." The words "party aggrieved" clearly refer only to the plaintiff in the action. The object of the law is to prevent a multiplicity of suits by him, and not to deprive him of his lawful remedy, or to render a resort thereto both difficult and hazardous. He has suffered substantial damages to his crops and his leasehold, which are entirely severable from those of his landlord. Why should he be compelled to make everyone a party to the action who may have some vested or contingent interest in the fee when his claim is in no way adverse to them. The principle that the landlord and tenant may bring separate actions for injuries to their respective interests, has been recognized by this court at its present term. Williams v. Canal Co., 130 N. C., 746; Norris v. Canal Co., at this term. As the statute requires that all damages to which the plaintiff is entitled by virtue of the alleged trespass shall be assessed in this action they must necessarily include all those accruing up to the trial. Beach v. Railroad, 120 N. C., 498; Lassiter v. Railroad, 126 N. C., 509; Mullen v. Canal Co., 130 N. C., 496; Rice v. Railroad, 130 N. C., 375. We do not see any substantial difference in the allowance of permanent damages between cases where the subsequent damage naturally follows the previous injury, and those cases where recurring damages would necessarily result from a continuing trespass were it not for the acquisition of an easement. In both cases we think the statute contemplates the assessment of the entire damages. In the case at bar the plaintiff testifies that "The rock that did damage in ditches along the railroad was not put there till after the suit was brought." If this were an independent injury it might not be cognizable in the present action, but it seems but one of many similar acts constituting a continuing trespass, connected with the same general work upon the roadbed of the defendant, and contributing to the same common damage. HOWARD . RAILWAY CO. We think, therefore, that being part of the same general transaction complained of, it comes within the purview of the statute. The judgment of the court below is HOWARD v. SOUTHERN RAILWAY CO. (Filed May 26, 1903.) NEGLIGENCE-Contributory Negligence-Master and Servant-Railroads. Where an employee of a railroad company rides on the steps of a shanty car against the rules of the company, which rules he had seen, and is injured, the company is not liable, there being room for him inside the car and his duty not requiring him to be on the steps. Petition to rehear this case, reported in 131 N. C., 829. Petition dismissed. L. L. Witherspoon and S. J. Ervin, in opposition. W. C. Feimster and Armfield & Turner, for the petitioner. CONNOR, J. This cause was decided at the last term (131 N. C., 829) and disposed of by a per curiam opinion. Upon a petition to rehear the case was argued and full and exhaustive briefs filed by counsel. We have carefully considered the record and the briefs and are of the opinion that the case was propely decided at the last term of the court. Upon the plaintiff's evidence it appeared that he was an employee of the defendant and was travelling from Salisbury to Gold Hill on a freight train, consisting of six or more box cars and some shanty cars; that he was sitting on the steps of one of the shanty cars with his feet on the bottom steps of the car; that the defendant's servants had piled wood upon HOWARD v. RAILWAY Co. the side of the track about three feet high. There were benches inside the shanty car for the hands to sit upon, and there was no suggestion that it was necessary for the plaintiff to sit upon the platform. It also appeared that the company's rules against riding on the platform of passenger trains had been seen by the plaintiff. It appears that the plaintiff was sitting upon the steps for the purpose of seeing the country through which they were passing; his knees projected a few inches beyond the shanty car. The engine passed the cord wood safely, and the bottom of the box car was high enough to pass over the wood without touching it. It struck the step upon which the plaintiff was sitting. There was evidence that the plaintiff and other employees of the defendant were in the habit of riding on the shanty cars and on the platform and on the top of the cars or wherever they pleased. His Honor being of the opinion that upon the plaintiff's own testimony he was not entitled to recover, the plaintiff in deference thereto submitted to a non-suit. There can be no doubt in regard to the duty of the defendant to furnish its employees a safe place in which to travel to and from their place of employment, and it is clear upon the plaintiff's testimony that the defendant had furnished a car with sufficient room and accommodation for the plaintiff and the other hands. There was no necessity for the plaintiff to sit upon the steps of the car, nor was he there in the line, or the performance, of any duty. Certainly he was not entitled to demand any higher degree of care upon the part of the defendant than if he had been a passenger. The passenger, who needlessly exposes himself against the rules of the company and is injured under the circumstances testified to by the plaintiff, would not be entitled to recover; and this, upon the familiar principle that if one voluntarily puts himself in a place of danger and is injured in consequence thereof, he cannot claim damages. This principle |