Doellner v. Tynan

38 How. Pr. 176
CourtThe Superior Court of New York City
DecidedApril 15, 1869
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 38 How. Pr. 176 (Doellner v. Tynan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering The Superior Court of New York City primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Doellner v. Tynan, 38 How. Pr. 176 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1869).

Opinion

Monell, J.

I am not justified by the evidence in this case, in finding that the value of the real estate of the plaintiff has been depreciated by the defendant’s business. For the purposes of a residence for a private family, there can be no doubt its value has been materially lessened; but in the market, for a business not materially affected by the annoyances which proceed from the defendant’s shop, or for any other suitable purpose, the weight of the evidence shows that the value of the property has rather increased than depreciated since the erection of the defendant’s building. But I am justified in finding, and I have found, that the plaintiff’s business has been in some measure interrupted and disturbed, and the enjoyment of his premises as a residence for himself and family in some degree impaired by the business carried on by the defendant in the adjoining building.

[180]*180It is well settled that if any trade or business, otherwise lawful, is carried on in such a manner, as to render the enjoyment of life and property uncomfortable, it is a nuisance. It is not required that the trade or business should be detrimental to life or health, or that it should injuriously affect the value of adjacent, property. It is enough, if it can be seen, that its beneficial use for the purposes to which it has been devoted, has been impaired, and its comfortable enjoyment interrupted or destroyed. The rule of the common law, that a man shall so use his own as not to interfere with others, extends to every act as well as to every use, and the mere lawfulness of a trade or calling will not excuse ■or justify the destruction of, or interference with, the comfortable enjoyment of his property by another.

This general doctrine has been applied to a variety of businesses, which were lawful mthemselves, but which tendered the residences of others unfit for comfortable habitations, such as a smith’s forge (Besby agt. Gill, Lutw. 69); swine-sty (Aldred’s case, 9 Reps., 59 a.) lime-kiln (Ibid, per Gray, C. J.); and tallow-furnace.

In Fish agt. Dodge (4 Denio, 311), the business of finishing steam-boilers, whereby the occupant of an adjoining house was disturbed by the noise and dust, was held to be a nuisance. So, a coal-yard in a city, from which, offensive dust and smut arose, and was diffused into the premises of neighboring inhabitants, was held to be a nuisance within a covenant against ie anything offensive to the neighboring inhabitants” (Barrow agt. Richard, 8 Paige, 351). A slaughter-house was declared to be prima facie a nuisance (Cathie agt. Valentine, 9 Paige, 575). It was there repeated, that it was not necessary that the trade or business should endanger health; but it was sufficient if it was oppressive to the senses, rendering the enjoyment of life and property uncomfortable. And in this court (McKeon agt. See, 4 Robt., 449, where all the cases are carefully collected) it was held, that the carrying on of the business of sawing blocks [181]*181of marble, 'by saws and machinery propelled by steam-power, the vibration and jar produced by which, was injurious to the adjacent property, was a nuisance. In that case it was shown, that the defendant’s business was lawful ■ and publicly beneficial, and conducted with every reasonable precaution, as to the character of his building and machinery and mode of using them to prevent unnecessary injury to the plaintiff, and the decision was put on the ground that u the right of jarring a neighbor’s house, by the motion of a ■steam engine, upon one’s own premises, cannot depend at all upon the utility and lawfulness of the purpose for which such motion is employed, or of its final results. The intermediate injury, before such results are obtained, wrought upon another’s property or enjoyment of life, makes such employment unlawful.” And so Norcross agt. Thoms (51 Maine, 503).

The annoyance and the disturbance of comfort and the enjoyment of property, however, must be substantial and real. The law will not regard trifling inconveniences. Therefore, noxidus vapors arising on another’s land must be such as visibly to diminish the value of adjacent property, or the comfort and enjoyment of it (Bamford agt. Turnley, 3 B. & S. 66 ; Tipping agt. St. Helen’s Smelting Co., 4 Id. 608, 616, 1,093).

From the cases which have been cited, and many others which might be, it appears to be well established that any lawful business or trade may be a nuisance, if it is conducted in a manner which is injurious to the comfortable enjoyment of another man’s property. It need not be detrimental to health, or endanger life; nor is it necessary that it should directly depreciate the value of property. If in the manner and for the purposes such property may be used, its enjoyment is so interfered with as to destroy or greatly impair its comfortable use, it is a nuisance against which the law will protect the injured.

In this case the grounds of complaint are, that the com[182]*182fortable enjoyment of the plaintiff’s property is, to an injurious degree, affected by the vibration and jar produced 'by the hammering of iron and the working of machinery; by the- dust and cinders which arise from the forges and chimneys; by the smoke from burning hoofs ot horses; by the collection of wagons and horses in the immediate vicinity; the stamping of horses, and the filth produced while standing outside. There are also other grounds alleged, namely, that the building of the plaintiff is receiving constant injury, and his business interrupted by the same causes.

But while I have been compelled by the evidence to find that all these alleged causes of annoyance to the plaintiff do exist, and that they proceed from the defendant’s premises, and from the manner of conducting his business, yet there are other considerations and principles which have, in my j udgment, a controlling influence upon this case.

The business of blacksmithing and horse-shoeing is a lawful business, and is not per se a nuisance (Ray agt. Lynes, 10 Ala. R. 63). It is of great benefit, utility, and convenience to the public, and may rightfully be carried on for private emolument, provided it be done in a proper and convenient place. Comyn says (Comyn Dig. tit. Action upon the Case for a nuisance, C.), an action “ does not lie for a reasonable use of my right, though it be to the annoyance of another; as if a butcher, brewer, etc., use his trade in a convenient place, though it be to the annoyance of his neighbor.”

The case of Hale agt. Barlow (4 C. B., N. S. 334), was an action at law for damages. The defendant had erected a brick-kiln on his own land, in front of the plaintiff’s house, wherein he burned large quantities of brick, causing noxious and unwholesome vapors to arise, injuring the plaintiff’s premises, rendering his dwelling uncomfortable, unhealthy, and unfit for habitation. Justice Byles, in charging the jury, said, “it is not everybody whose enjoyment of life [183]

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Bluebook (online)
38 How. Pr. 176, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/doellner-v-tynan-nysuperctnyc-1869.