Englewood Connecting Railway Co. v. Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad

117 Ill. 611
CourtIllinois Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1886
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 117 Ill. 611 (Englewood Connecting Railway Co. v. Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Illinois Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Englewood Connecting Railway Co. v. Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, 117 Ill. 611 (Ill. 1886).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Craig

delivered the opinion of the Court:

This was a bill brought in the circuit court of Cook county, by the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Company, to enjoin the Englewood Connecting Railway Company from constructing its track across the track of the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Company, on Wallace street, in the town of Lake, in Cook county. .

The bill of complaint states, that on the 24th day of October, 1879, the complainant made and entered into a written lease with the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Company, under and by virtue of which complainant acquired the right to use the tracks of said Western Indiana, from Dalton to the terminus in the city of Chicago, for a period of nine hundred and ninety-nine years; that a supplemental lease was made on the 13th day of December, 1880; that the lease and supplemental lease were recorded in the recorder’s office of Cook county, Illinois, before the defendant was created; that the complainant has been in the use of said railroad track ever since the execution of said' lease. The defendant put in an answer to the bill, in which it alleged that it was a corporation, duly organized under the laws of the State of Illinois, with its principal office at Chicago; that it is empowered to construct a railroad from a point on the Chicago, Pittsburgh and St. Louis railway, in the town of Lake, between Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth streets, to a point on the Pittsburgh, Port Wayne and Chicago railway, in said town, between Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth streets, with the right to construct all side-tracks, etc., that its directors may determine upon. It is also set up in the answer, that defendant has the right to cross Wallace street; that respondent, on a certain date, filed in the county court its petition to condemn, against the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Company; that said petition was tried; that judgment fixing the damages due to the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Company in the sum of $>400., was entered and paid. The lease set up in the bill, and the condemnation proceedings set up in the answer, are made exhibits to the answer. The cause came on to be heard upon bill, amended bill, answer and exhibits, August 10, 1885, and, on motion of plaintiff in error here, the injunction was dissolved, and the bill was dismissed for the want of equity. The complainant appealed to the Appellate Court, where the decree of the circuit court was reversed, and the cause remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with the opinion. To reverse the decision of the Appellate Court, this writ of error was sued out by the defendant in the bill.

The first question for consideration is the motion of defendant in error to dismiss the writ of error for the alleged reason that the order of the Appellate Court is not such a final order as entitles plaintiff to appeal or have a writ of error. The only relief sought in the bill was an injunction, and when the circuit court dissolved the injunction, the complainant requested that the bill might be dismissed, which was done, for the reason, as we suppose, that no other relief was prayed for in the bill. Had there been any other ground of relief, of course the bill would have been retained, for the purpose of disposing of such matters. In the Appellate Court it was held that the complainant had property rights in the crossing, which had never been condemned, as against the complainant, and that it was entitled to an injunction, and that the court erred in dismissing the bill for want of equity. Then .followed the order reversing, and remanding for further proceedings not inconsistent with the opinion. When the case goes back, there is nothing for the circuit court to do but to enter a decree making the injunction perpetual. On bill, answer and exhibits, the circuit court held that complainant was not entitled to an injunction restraining the construction of the one railroad across the tracks of the other. The Appellate Court, on the same facts, on appeal, held that complainant was entitled to the injunction, and the cause was remanded. Obviously, when the case goes back, the duty of the circuit court would be to enter a decree in accordance with the decision of the Appellate Court. Under section 90 of the Practice act, an appeal or writ of error will lie from the Appellate to the Supreme Court, if the judgment, order or decree of the Appellate Court be such that no further proceedings can be had in the court below, except to carry into effect the mandate of the Appellate Court. That was the ease here. We think the case falls directly within the terms of the statute cited.

Buck v. County of Hamilton, 99 Ill. 507, has been cited and relied upon in support of the motion to dismiss. But there is no similarity between that case and the case before us. That Was an action at law, and when remanded would stand for a new trial before a jury; but here, the circuit court only had to obey the mandate of the Appellate Court, and render a decree in accordance therewith. This case maybe likened to International Bank v. Jenkins, 104 Ill. 143. The motion to dismiss will have to overruled.

As to the merits of the case, as presented by the record, but one question arises, and that is, whether the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Company acquired such an interest in the railroad track of the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Company, under the'lease, as to make it a necessary party to the proceeding to condemn, which was instituted by the plaintiff in error, against the Chicago and Western Indiana company. This question rests upon the construction which will have to be placed upon the lease under which the Chicago and Eastern Illinois company claims. The lease bears date October 24, 1879, between the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad, Company, party of the first part; and the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Company, party of the second part,-and recites, that-the road of 'the party of the second part has not been constructed to a point nearer the city of Chicago than Dalton; that the facilities acquired and being acquired by the party of the first part are adequate for the business of the party of the second part; that the said party of the second part, for and in consideration of the premises, “has granted, demised and leased, and by these presents does grant, demise and lease, unto the said party of the second part, the right and privilege of using and running locomotives, cars, and other rolling stock of said party of the second part, over and upon the main track or tracks of the railroad of the party of the first part, from Dalton to the passenger depot in the city of Chicago; and also the exclusive right and privilege of using, for the purposes of such traffic, freight buildings, ” etc., which are specifically specified in the lease. The lease is to run for a period of nine hundred and ninety-nine years-, and the amount to be paid for the privileges granted is set out therein. It also provides, that during the term, the party of the second part shall conduct the entire local business between Dalton and the, terminus in Chicago.

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Bluebook (online)
117 Ill. 611, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/englewood-connecting-railway-co-v-chicago-eastern-illinois-railroad-ill-1886.