Ferguson Seed Farms, Inc. v. Fort Worth & D., S. P. Ry. Co.

69 S.W.2d 223
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 26, 1934
DocketNo. 4172.
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 69 S.W.2d 223 (Ferguson Seed Farms, Inc. v. Fort Worth & D., S. P. Ry. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ferguson Seed Farms, Inc. v. Fort Worth & D., S. P. Ry. Co., 69 S.W.2d 223 (Tex. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinion

HAUL, Chief Justice.

The appellant company filed this suit against the appellee railway company to recover $40,000 alleged to be the damages resulting to the appellant by reason oí the wrongful act of the railway company in constructing two tracts of railway, variously called switch tracks, spur tracks, and industrial tracks along Grove street in the city of Plainview, upon which street the appellant’s gin property was situated.

It is alleged that in June, 1928, appellee constructed one of the tracks along the west side of - Grove street immediately west of appellant’s gin. That no condemnation proceedings prior thereto had been instituted by the railway company for the purposes of authorizing it to construct said west side track, nor had condemnation proceedings been instituted since its construction. That thereafter, in October, 1928, the railway company constructed another spur.track along the east side of Grove street within a few feet of appellant’s gin, office building, scales, and gin yard. That about sixty days after work was commenced on the east side track, the railway company instituted condemnation proceedings for the purpose of obtaining the right to construct the east side track.

The petition then attacks the validity of the condemnation proceeding, alleging that it was void for several reasons which, in view of the disposition we make of the case, are immaterial and will not be discussed.

The appellant claimed other and definite damages in addition to those usually incident to the proper construction of a railway track, alleging that the railway company had consumed an unreasonable length of time in constructing the east side track; that it was constructed above the grade level of the street; that appellee had failed to restore the street to its former level, as required by R. S., art. 6320, causing water to .accumulate and stand on the street, rendering it difficult and dangerous for the customers who patronized the appellant’s gin to enter its premises, resulting in great loss of patronage. The prayer is that the railway company be required to remove its tracks from the street, that plaintiff recover its damages, interest, costs, and all legal and equitable relief to which it may be entitled.

The railway company answered by general denial, and pleaded specially that the,matters complained of in plaintiff’s petition had been adjudicated, in that the defendant had instituted condemnation proceedings against the plaintiff in the county court of Hale county, resulting in an award by the commissioners appointed by the county judge, that the award had been excepted to, the cause had been tried in the county court by a county judge other than the one who had appointed the commissioners, that a trial in the county court resulted in condemning the right of way upon which one of the tracks had been laid, that the issue of the disqualification of the former Judge Mayfield, who had appointed the commissioners, was determined in the county court suit, that there had been no appeal from that judgment, and further alleged that Pru-die R. McClelland, under whom the plaintiff claimed title, had reserved the right to build, construct, and operate railroads in said Grove street, and that appellant took its title subject to such reservation so made. That ap-pellee had the consent of and a franchise from the city of Plainview to build and operate the tracks in question.

The sole issue submitted to the jury was the difference in the market value of appellant’s *225 property immediately before and immediately after tbe construction of appellee’s track on tbe west side of Grove street. In response to tbe issue, tbe jury found in favor of plaintiff in tbe sum of $500, and judgment was entered accordingly.

'By its first proposition tbe appellant attacks tbe sufficiency of tbe condemnation proceedings, and by its second proposition asserts that tbe court erred in bolding that tbe judgment rendered in tbe county court of Hale county was valid and res juidicata as to all of tbe damages claimed by plaintiff in this suit.

In view of tbe disposition we make of tbe case, we deem it unnecessary to discuss tbe issues presented by these two propositions.

It appears that Mrs. Prudie E. Mc-Clelland and ber busband, as owners of the property which has been plotted into lots and blocks, in dedicating said property and tbe streets and alleys therein, used this language in tbe deed: “We do further dedicate all and each of tbe streets and alley ways as tbe same are indicated and shown upon tbe foregoing map, to which this dedication is attached, for the use of the public for foot travel and for wagon, buggy and other vehicle transportation, but we do expressly reserve all franchise and public utility rights to ourselves so that no person, corporation or con> pany shall hereafter, without our express permission, which permission must be evidenced by an instrument in writing, duly acknowledged and recorded in the deed records of Hale County, Texas, shall own or exercise any right or franchise upon any street so designated upon the above map or the ground of said Nob Hill, so that all rights and franchises to operate railways, street railways, electric light plants, electric light wires, water works, sewerage systems, telephone and telegraph lines and the wires thereof, and other public utilities, be and they are hereby completely and expressly reserved to us as though said streets had not been dedicated to public use in part.”

The land was tbe separate property of Mrs. McClelland, who died testate, appointing her daughter, Mrs. Annie 0. Lycan, executrix. It was shown that the will had been duly probated and empowered the executrix to “sell and dispose of any portion of my estate, either, real or personal, at public or private sale and in a manner as may to them seem best for tbe purpose of paying my just debts.” It was further shown that Mrs. Lycan, on the 15th day of June, 1931, as executrix, conveyed to the appellee herein: “The absolute right, privilege and franchise to construct, maintain and operate lines of railroad, railroad spur tracks and side tracks, in, along, through and over Grove Street, Sixth Street and Seventh Street in the town of Plainview, 1-Iale County, Texas, and especially to construct, maintain and operate spur and industrial railroad tracks along and or near the east side and along and or near the west side of said Grove street in the town of Plainview.”

The deed recites further that the executrix is making the conveyance for the purpose of paying the debts against the estate.

The railway company also introduced an ordinance of the city council of Plainview granting it a franchise to construct, maintain, and use its “industrial tracks, as many as two tracks on and in the. following described streets * * ⅜ Grove Street from Third Street to Seventh Street.”

No attack is made in this court upon the dedication deed, nor is the right of the executrix to convey to the railway company questioned.

The general rule is that a dedicator may impose such restrictions and reservations as he may see fit when dedicating his property to the use of the public subject to the limitation that the restriction or reservation be not repugnant to the dedication or contrary to public policy. Roaring Springs Townsite Co. v. Paducah Telegraph Co., 109 Tex. 452, 212 S. W. 147; Gibson v. Carroll (Tex. Civ. App.) 180 S. W. 630; 18 C. J. 70.

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Bluebook (online)
69 S.W.2d 223, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ferguson-seed-farms-inc-v-fort-worth-d-s-p-ry-co-texapp-1934.