City of Detroit v. C. H. Little Co.

109 N.W. 671, 146 Mich. 373, 1906 Mich. LEXIS 911
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 13, 1906
DocketDocket No. 40
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 109 N.W. 671 (City of Detroit v. C. H. Little Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Detroit v. C. H. Little Co., 109 N.W. 671, 146 Mich. 373, 1906 Mich. LEXIS 911 (Mich. 1906).

Opinion

Blair, J.

On July 3, 1903, the city of Detroit entered into an agreement with the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Company and other railway companies for the separation of grades at the intersections of the several streets in the district between Woodward and [375]*375Michigan avenues, inclusive, with the rights of way of said companies. On November 3, 1903, the common council, by resolution, declared it necessary for the public benefit to make the separation of grades in accordance with the plan prescribed in the agreement. On December 16th, the city filed its petition as commencement of judicial proceedings for the separation of grades in accordance with the provisions of chapter 102, 2 Comp. Laws. Respondent was not mentioned in the proceedings, but, on its petition, was permitted to implead and present its claim for damages.

On the 19th of April, 1901, respondent entered into a lease with the Lake Shore Company, for the term of one year, covering a strip of land of 50 feet frontage on the south side of Michigan avenue by 220 feet depth upon the right of way of said company. The company’s warehouse fronted on Michigan avenue with its east side on the west line of Clark avenue. The lease provided for annual renewals, and was renewed on April 19, 1903. The lease provided that it might be terminated by the lessor at any time upon 60 days’ notice, and further provided that the lands leased should be held “ by said second party for the purpose only of receiving, storing, handling and shipping sewer pipe, cement or other freight coming to or shipped by the said second party over the railway of the said first party.”

The work of separating the grades at intersections of the Michigan Central right of way, some 600 feet east of respondent’s premises, was begun prior to respondent’s removal of its buildings and property, and Michigan avenue from Clark and Scotten avenues east was practically impassable at that time. The work adjacent to respondent’s premises under the Lake Shore contract was not begun, however, till September 22,1903, several weeks after such removal. A further statement of facts will be found in City of Detroit v. C. H. Little Co., 141 Mich. 637, in which case this court reversed the judgment of the recorder’s court rendered upon the first trial of this matter. [376]*376A second trial has been had, resulting in a verdict and judgment for respondent of $474.76, and both parties have appealed to this court.

Counsel for the city insist that a verdict should have been directed in favor of the city for the reasons:

“(1) The statute does not contemplate an award of damages to a steam railroad, and, since in case of injury to a leasehold interest the damages are to be apportioned, the legislature has failed to provide damages for injury to the interest of a tenant of a railroad right of way.

“ (2) The measure of damages is the value of the term less the .rent reserved and there was no evidence of the value of the term.

“(3) The lease was against public policy, invalid, and respondent could obtain no rights under it.”

1. This point is disposed-of by our previous decision.

2. The court did not err in refusing to adopt as the measure of damages the value of the term less the rent reserved. Grand Rapids, etc., R. Co. v. Weiden, 70 Mich. 390; Grand Rapids, etc., R. Co. v. Chesebro, 74 Mich. 466; Commissioners of Parks & Boulevards of Detroit v. Railroad Co., 91 Mich. 291; Same v. Moesta, 91 Mich. 149, 154; City of Detroit v. Brennan & Co., 93 Mich. 338.

3. This point is disposed of by Michigan Cent. R. Co. v. Bullard, 120 Mich. 416.

It was also contended by petitioner that, since respondent voluntarily moved its buildings before judicial proceedings were instituted to determine the necessity for the proposed separation of grades, it could recover no damages for such removal. Petitioner, having permitte’d the work of tearing up the streets to be begun and the streets to be rendered impassable before taking the necessary legal proceedings, is not in a position to object that respondent, in-good faith, treated its unlawful proceedings as lawful and moved his buildings to lessen the damages.

Respondent contends that the court erred:

‘ ‘ (1) In refusing to receive evidence of an alleged ad[377]*377mission of the amount of respondent’s damages by petitioner’s attorney on the former trial.

“ (2) In permitting improper arguments tobe addressed to the jury by counsel for petitioner.

“ (3) In leaving the question to the jury whether or not the respondent was compelled to move by reason of the separation of grades.

‘ ‘ (4) In refusing to grant a new trial for the reason, among others, that the jury did not follow the uncontroverted testimony as to the amount of respondent’s damages.”

1. This point is disposed of by our previous decision. The admission was made for the purpose of expediting the trial, and was, in effect, that respondent’s witnesses, if called, would testify that the damages amounted to $1,807.40. The evidence was properly rejected.

2. We do not think the arguments of petitioner’s counsel, of which complaint is made, if erroneous, could have prejudiced the jury so far as respondent’s damages are concerned, in view of the charge of the court upon that subject, which respondent’s counsel concede was correct. We do not think that verdicts should be set aside in such proceedings upon the ground of improper argument as to the damages recoverable where the court has carefully given to the jury the proper rules for their guidance, and instructed them to disregard the argument principally complained of, as in this case, unless it seems probable that such arguments affected the verdict.

3. Among other things, the court instructed the jury as follows:

“You are to say whether or not, as reasonable men, they were compelled to move by reason of the separation of grades. If they were compelled to move their warehouse, by reason of the separation of grades, you are to say, as reasonable men, under the evidence, what damage, what cost they were put to by reason of their mo ving. Now, it is the claim of the petitioner here that there was no necessity imposed upon them by reason of the separation of grades to move at all from the old site; that is to say, they could have remained where they were and accommodated themselves upon the old site, to the new situation, and go on [378]*378doing business there just the same. That is a proper element for you to consider in your award of damages, whether or not they were under the necessity of moving on account of the separation of grades, or of moving entirely to meet the expanding and growing needs of their business. What the statute contemplates is that they shall be justly compensated for any injury they may have received by reason of the separation of the grades, and by reason of nothing else than that.”

Respondent’s counsel contend.that the testimony of their witness Tucker, that “they were handicapped for room on the south side,” etc., is only subject to the interpretation that such testimony related to the situation as it would exist after the excavation in front of the premises and with the building moved back on Clark avenue. We do not regard this as a necessary view .of the testimony.

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Bluebook (online)
109 N.W. 671, 146 Mich. 373, 1906 Mich. LEXIS 911, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-detroit-v-c-h-little-co-mich-1906.