Adams v. Snouffer

87 N.E.2d 484, 88 Ohio App. 79, 55 Ohio Law. Abs. 14, 44 Ohio Op. 17, 1949 Ohio App. LEXIS 568
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided June 9, 1949·No. 4239·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

OPINION

By HORNBECK, J.

The appeal is noted and has proceeded as upon questions of law and fact. However, assignments of error, which are appropriate only in appeals on questions of law, have also been filed. We do not consider the assignments of error as such but many of the fourteen grounds set out in the assignments of error are made the subject of consideration and argument in the briefs of the parties. In the main, we will consider them generally, and only specifically in the few instances where required.

The judgment to which the appeal is directed is an injunction against the operation of what the trial court found to- *16 be a nuisance in the conduct by the defendants of a stone quarry at the place described in the petition.

As the appeal is on questions of law and fact, it becomes our obligation to decide the issues de novo and to consider the testimony of the witnesses and their credibility as would a court of first instance.

In the Common Pleas Court the trial judge made separate findings of facts and conclusions of law. Appellants insist that the findings of fact are not supported and therefore the conclusions of law and the judgment are unsound. We have given close attention to the factual development because it is vital to the validity of any judgment. It is our conclusion that in all the material and controlling aspects the fourteen findings of fact are supported by the record and to that extent we reach the same conclusion as the trial judge in the Common Pleas Court. We are likewise of opinion that the facts as found sustain the conclusions of law and the judgment.

The question presented is twofold, namely, are the operations of the quarry by defendants, as conducted and to be conducted, if not restrained, a nuisance? and, if so, will the damage resulting to the plaintiffs be irreparable? That is to say, such as may not be compensated in money damages.

The first question is answered in the affirmative by the findings of fact.

It is urged by the appellants that the operation of a quarry is a public necessity. This may be conceded and if it further appeared that the product of the quarry could not be produced practically at any other location, another and different question would be presented than is found here. It neither appears that there is a scarcity of the material quarried by the defendant company nor that it is not available in other localities where it is practical to take it. The principle of law urged by defendants was not explored. Indeed objection was interposed to a question the answer to which would in probability have developed the issue. Brede v. Minn. Crushed Stone Company, 6 A. L. R. 1092.

Much of the briefs is devoted to the issue whether or not the plaintiffs suffered the injury to their properties and the inconvenience, annoyance and distress to their personal comfort in the use of their residences as contended and testified by several of them. On the one hand, the facts are developed by specific occurrences observed and noted by the plaintiffs or their witnesses. On the other, the testimony comes, in the main, from an expert and a vice president of defendant com *17 pany. Manifestly, expert testimony coming from a well-qualified source, as here, arrests the attention of the triers of the facts. But when conclusions are predicated largely upon theory and they are at variance with well substantiated facts, the former must give way to the latter. This is the .situation as developed.

Inasmuch as many of the operations incident to the conduct of defendant company’s business were carried on after the suit was instituted and the company put on notice, it is probable that it carried on its blasting, crushing of stone, movement of trucks, creation and dissemination of dust in a careful manner and to the least inconvenience, annoyance and distress to the plaintiffs. The fact that, notwithstanding this care, the plaintiffs have been seriously distressed in their everyday living by what must be termed very normal operations of the quarry, is convincing that the condition will generally get no better and because of a purpose to greatly enlarge the operations will continue to cause plaintiffs physical discomfort and property damage.

But it is urged that even though it be found that the operation of the business is a nuisance, it does not appear that the plaintiffs may not be compensated in money for any damage that they may suffer. To bar equitable relief the remedy at law must be full and adequate. It must be as practicable and as efficient to attain the ends of justice and its prompt administration as the remedy in equity. Salem Iron Company v. Hyland, 74 Oh St 160. Although the mere diminution in the value of property without irreparable mischief, will not authorize the granting of an injunction, Hassinger v. Kramer, 28 Oh Ap 449, a court of equity will interfere by injunction to stay any proceedings which go to the immediate, or tend to the ultimate destruction of property, or which make it less valuable or comfortable for use of the occupants. Perkins v. Rogg, 11 O. D. Rep. 585.

The result of the nuisance to the normal use and enjoyment of the properties of the plaintiffs is such that they, as persons of normal sensibilities, cannot continue to live in their homes with that assurance of reasonable quiet and comfort to which they are entitled and which they would enjoy but for the invasion of their rights by the defendants. It is this disturbance of their right of normal living in the community in which they reside which has been invaded and which is not susceptible of measurement in money damages. Such situations have been frequently recognized by courts of equity and remedies accorded. Jones v. Kelly Trust Com *18 pany, 18 S. W. (2d) 356; Landeman v. Lamb Construction Company, 297 S. W. 184, Stall v. Hillman, 16 O. N. P. N. S. 410; Hamilton Corp. v. Julian, et al. (Md.) 7 A. L. R. 746, Krocker v. Westmoreland Planing Mill Co. (Pa.) 23 A. L. R. 1404.

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Adams v. Snouffer, 87 N.E.2d 484, 88 Ohio App. 79, 55 Ohio Law. Abs. 14, 44 Ohio Op. 17, 1949 Ohio App. LEXIS 568 (Ohio Ct. App. 1949).

87 N.E.2d 484 (Adams v. Snouffer) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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