Bosworth v. Nelson

158 S.E. 306, 172 Ga. 612, 1931 Ga. LEXIS 158
Supreme Court of Georgia·Decided April 16, 1931·No. No. 8076·Published·Cited by 26 cases

Opinion

Russell, C. J.

This is the second appearance of this case in this court. In the original litigation in the lower court, Nelson applied for an injunction restraining Bosworth from interfering with' his boating and fishing privileges on certain described waters. He alleged, among other things, that the sale of permits to swim in these waters, and diving and swimming thereon, was being-exercised in a boisterous and clamorous manner, and interfered with his quiet and peaceful use and enjoyment of his boating and fishing-privileges. Bosworth v. Nelson, 170 Ga. 279 (152 S. E. 575). Upon the trial now under review, the evidence ivas not dissimilar to that considered upon the interlocutory hearing. At the conclusion of the evidence the trial judge directed a verdict for the plaintiff, and granted a permanent injunction “'enjoining the said Bos-Avorth, in the operation of his amusement resort Lakeworth, from engaging in the business of fishing or boating on the ponded waters [614] on the particular 146.4 acres of land described in deed from Fannie I. Nelson and T. M. Nelson to Albany Power & Manufacturing Co., dated November 18, 1909, recorded in deed book 17, page 104; and also the deed between the same parties, dated August 18, 1903, recorded in deed book 13, page 351, clerk’s office superior court, Dougherty County, Georgia; and permanent injunction is hereby decreed against said L. B. Bosworth, in the operation of his amusement resort Lakeworth, from engaging in said business of fishing or boating on said waters.” It was further decreed, upon the verdict, that Bosworth should not be restrained or enjoined from the operation of his swimming or bathing rights, whatever they may be, at Lakeworth resort. Bosworth excepted to the judgment and decree in so far as it relates to the exclusive fishing and boating rights of Nelson. The motion for new trial contains the usual general grounds, and by amendment there was added a fourth ground, as follows : “Because upon the trial of said case the court erred in directing a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, T. M. Nelson, and against the defendant, L. B. Bosworth, as to the exclusive fishing and boating rights on the waters on lands described in plaintiff’s petition, and permanently enjoining defendant, L. B. Bosworth, in the operation of his amusement resort Lakeworth, from any further interference therewith, to which ruling and decision and action of the judge thereon exceptions pendente lite have also been filed in this case.” As will be seen, the fourth ground is insufficient to raise the point that the court erred in directing the verdict, since the movant does not contend or point out that the court erred because there were issues of fact which should have been submitted to a jury and evidence which would have authorized the jury to find a different verdict than that directed by the court. This assignment of error is insufficient to present anything more for the consideration of this court than the usual general ground that the verdict is contrary to the evidence. Hamlin v. Johns, 166 Ga. 880 (144 S. E. 659), and cit.

Since the question as to whether the court erred in directing the verdict is not before us, and since upon a review of the evidence it can not be said that the verdict was not authorized by the evidence, the issue before this court is purely one of law. After careful consideration, it appears that the decision in the present case is controlled by the prior ruling of this court in Bosworth v. Nelson, [615] supra. In fact, learned counsel for plaintiff in error practically concedes in his argument that the right of Nelson to the exclusive fishing privileges claimed by him has been finally determined adversely to the plaintiff in error. We are of the opinion that the prior decision of this court, as a matter of course, includes the boating privileges. It is immaterial that the boating privileges may not be of the same nature as profit á prendre, and do not relate to profits to be derived from the soil. However, the same instrument which conferred upon Nelson the fishing privileges, however they may be denominated, and regardless of their classification in legal terminology, also conferred at the same time the exclusive boating privileges covering the same territory and of the same extent as his fishing privileges. What, then, were the boating privileges retained or assigned to Nelson? “Boating,” as used in or conferred upon the reservation by Nelson, acquires its significance from the circumstances of the case, and the peculiar nature of the contract. The usual rules applicable to navigable streams throw ño light upon the meaning of the word “boating” in the connection with which it is employed, because by every rule the water accumulated and permanently held by the erection of the dam of the Albany Power Company was wholly artificial. Prior to the sale by Nelson and his mother it was land, and not water, that was the subject of bargain and sale, though' the land was traversed by Kinchafoonee, Muekalee, and Muchafoonee creeks. None of these streams was navigable, and navigation was not the purpose of the erection of the dam, and the overflow of the land which was conveyed by Nelson, and which was the main consideration inducing the purchase of the land by the vendee, was merely the result foreseen which would be affected by the erection of the dam. In other words, in this particular case, for the purpose of overflow, the original purchasers of the land from Nelson and his mother, as well as that later purchased from Nelson himself alone, bought the land for the very purpose of overflowing it by the pond which the dam would create. These purchasers were willing to sell the fishing and boating privileges upon this pond. These rights did not in any way affect the title in the fee to the subjacent soil, or impose any liability on the purchasers for damages arising from flooding the land. The purchasers got all the interest in the land which the Nelsons ever had, except the right of the Nelsons to fish and boat [616] on the two tracts of land specifically described, together containing 146.4 acres.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Bosworth v. Nelson, 158 S.E. 306, 172 Ga. 612, 1931 Ga. LEXIS 158 (Ga. 1931).

158 S.E. 306 (Bosworth v. Nelson) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Givens v. Ichauway, Inc.
493 S.E.2d 148 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1997)
Georgia Power Company v. Charles F. Baker
830 F.2d 163 (Eleventh Circuit, 1987)
Lanier v. Ocean Pond Fishing Club, Inc.
322 S.E.2d 494 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1984)
Bowman v. Bowman
55 S.E.2d 298 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1949)
Cantrell v. Byars
19 S.E.2d 44 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1942)
Jones v. Dean
3 S.E.2d 894 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1939)
Mullis v. McCook
194 S.E. 171 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1937)
Lee v. Holman
193 S.E. 68 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1937)
Jackson v. Crutchfield
191 S.E. 468 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1937)
Jobson v. Caldwell
187 S.E. 117 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1936)
Clark v. Calhoun National Bank
187 S.E. 304 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1936)
Lloyd & Elliot Inc. v. Baxley Furniture Co.
185 S.E. 585 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1936)
Meunier v. Beck & Gregg Hardware Co.
182 S.E. 58 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1935)
Jones v. Moore
181 S.E. 313 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1935)
Harrison v. Neel Gap Bus Line Inc.
179 S.E. 871 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1935)
Gilmore v. Continental Insurance
179 S.E. 150 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1935)
Cody v. Citizens & Southern National Bank
177 S.E. 513 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1934)
Miller v. Edwards
177 S.E. 758 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1934)
Manning v. Gettys
172 S.E. 571 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1934)
Clark v. Taylor
171 S.E. 308 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1933)