Baker v. Columbia Gulf Transmission Co.

218 So. 2d 39, 31 Oil & Gas Rep. 532, 1969 Miss. LEXIS 1595
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 6, 1969
DocketNo. 45119
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 218 So. 2d 39 (Baker v. Columbia Gulf Transmission Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baker v. Columbia Gulf Transmission Co., 218 So. 2d 39, 31 Oil & Gas Rep. 532, 1969 Miss. LEXIS 1595 (Mich. 1969).

Opinion

GILLESPIE, Presiding Justice:

Horace Baker and others, (hereinafter plaintiffs) sued Columbia Gulf Transmission Company, (hereinafter Columbia) in the Circuit Court of Alcorn County for damages to plaintiffs’ land when Columbia constructed a pipe line. The trial court sustained a demurrer to the declaration and dismissed the suit with prejudice. Plaintiffs appeal.

On the 15th day of October, 1953, plaintiffs’ predecessor in title executed to Columbia’s predecessor a right of way agreement, which provided in part as follows:

1. Know all men by these presents: That the undersigned John Binzie & Will Binzie, both single persons, (hereinafter called GRANTOR, whether one or more), for and in consideration of One Dollar in hand paid, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, and the further consideration of One Dollar ($1.00) per linear rod to be paid before the first pipe line is laid, does hereby grant, bargain, sell, convey and warrant unto GULF INTERSTATE GAS COMPANY, (a Natural Gas Company under the Act of Congress of June 21, 1938, 15 U.S.C.A. 717), a Delaware Corporation, its successors and assigns (hereinafter called GRANTEE), a right of way and easement to construct, lay, operate, maintain, alter, repair, remove, change the size of and replace pipe lines and appurtenances (including without limitation Cathodic Protection equipment) thereto for the transportation of oil, gas, petroleum products or any other liquids, gases or substances which can be transported through pipe lines, the Grantee to have the right to select, change, or alter the routes under, upon, over and through the property situated in the County of Alcorn, State of Mississippi, described as follows: [description omitted]

2. By the terms of this agreement, Grantee has the right to lay, construct, maintain, operate, alter, repair, remove, change the size of, and replace at any time or from time to time one or more additional lines of pipe and appurtenances thereto, said additional lines not to necessarily parallel any existing line laid under the terms of this agreement. Provided however, that for each additional line laid after the first line is laid hereunder, Grantee shall pay Grantor, his heirs or assigns, One Dollar ($1.00) per lineal rod of additional pipe [41]*41line laid under, upon, over or through said hereinabove described property.

3. The said Grantor is to fully use and enjoy said premises except for the purposes herein granted to the said Grantee and provided the said Grantor shall not construct or permit to be constructed any house, structures, or obstructions on or over or that will interfere with the construction, maintenance or operation of any pipe line or appurtenances constructed hereunder and will not change the grade of such pipe line.

4. Grantee hereby agrees to bury the pipe line to a sufficient depth so as not to interfere with cultivation of the soil and agrees to pay for any damage to growing crops and fences which may arise from the construction, maintenance and operation of said lines. Said damage, if not mutually agreed upon, shall be ascertained and determined by three disinterested persons one thereof to be appointed by said Grantor, one to be appointed by the Grantee, its successors or assigns, and the third to be chosen by the two persons appointed as aforesaid. The written award of such three persons shall be final and conclusive.

5. It is mutually understood and agreed that this agreement as written covers all the agreements and stipulations between the parties and that no representations or statements, oral or written, have been made modifying, adding to, or changing the terms thereof.

6. It is understood and agreed that the sum of _ Dollars per rod as damages in full will be paid to the Grantors herein by the Grantee herein before the said pipe line is laid and the Grantors herein hereby agree that said sum of _ Dollars per rod will be accepted by said Grantors as full and complete settlement for any and all damages (real or alleged) occasioned by the construction of said pipe line on and across the above described land.

In 1955 Columbia installed on plaintiffs’ lands a pipe line. In 1965 another pipe line was installed on plaintiffs’ lands and in so doing damaged the lands by destroying timber, pine seedlings and appropriating 12.85 acres of land.

Plaintiffs do not contest the right of Columbia to construct the second pipe line in 1965 but claim they are entitled to all damages resulting from such construction.

The question for our decision is whether the terms of the right of way agreement limit plaintiffs’ right to damages to that done to growing crops and fences. We hold it does not. The instrument requires Columbia to pay all damages occasioned by the construction of the additional pipe line in 1965 in addition to the stipulated $1.00 per rod per lineal foot.

Ordinarily deeds of conveyance are construed most strongly against the grant- or, but this is not the rule where the grantee prepared the instrument and uses it in printed form, such as the one now before the Court. Hamilton v. Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corp., 236 Miss. 429, 110 So.2d 612 (1959).

For purposes of easy reference the several paragraphs of the right of way deed have been assigned numbers.

It is the contention of Columbia that plaintiffs are not entitled to anything other than $1.00 per lineal rod for the construction of the additional pipe line in 1965 unless the construction damaged growing crops or fences. Columbia also contends that since the damages alleged by plaintiffs was to timber, pine seedlings, and to the appropriation of the land, the declaration stated no cause of action. Plaintiffs contend that the $1.00 per lineal rod provided for in paragraph 2 does not include payment for damages occasioned by construction of the second pipe line in 1965, and that the failure of the parties to fill in the blanks in paragraph 6 shows that there was never any agreement with reference to the damages to be paid for the construction of the second pipe line.

[42]*42Our conclusion is based on a careful study of the structure of the right of way agreement. Paragraph 1 contains the granting clause. Paragraph 2 gives Columbia the right to maintain, repair and change the size of pipes and to lay one or more additional lines upon payment of $1.-00 per lineal rod of additional pipe laid. Nothing has been said thus far concerning damages occasioned by construction, maintenance or operation. Paragraph 3 provides the extent of and limitations on grantor’s use of the property. In paragraph 4, in a single sentence, the grantee agrees (1) to bury the pipe lines a sufficient depth so as not to interfere with cultivation of the soil and (2) to pav for any damages to growing crops and fences which may arise from the construction, maintenance or operation of the lines. The second sentence provides for a method of ascertaining the amount of damages, absent an agreement as to amount. While construction is mentioned, it is our opinion the parties intended for the provisions regarding damages in paragraph 4 to apply primarily to damages arising from maintenance and operation after construction. Paragraph 6 is by its terms concerned with “all damages” occasioned, not by maintenance or operation, but solely from “construction.” The blanks in this paragraph were not filled. This indicates that the parties did not agree on a sum to place in the blanks.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
218 So. 2d 39, 31 Oil & Gas Rep. 532, 1969 Miss. LEXIS 1595, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/baker-v-columbia-gulf-transmission-co-miss-1969.