Garner v. Chicago, R. I. & G. Ry. Co.

297 S.W. 1067
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 14, 1927
DocketNo. 2907.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 297 S.W. 1067 (Garner v. Chicago, R. I. & G. 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
Garner v. Chicago, R. I. & G. Ry. Co., 297 S.W. 1067 (Tex. Ct. App. 1927).

Opinion

RANDOLPH, J.

The appellants, as plaintiffs, by their amended original petition alleged as a cause of action against the defendant, appellee, first, a formal action of trespass to try title, and second, the following! allegations, constituting their grounds for, the issuing of an injunction against the defendant, to wit:

“Plaintiffs further show to the court that the defendant, the Chicago, Rock Island & Gulf Railway Company, is a railroad corporation organized and authorized to do business under and by virtue of the laws of the state of Texas, and by the Constitution and laws of the state of Texas is prohibited from taking possession of said property of these plaintiffs or other individuals, without compensation, and that said de-' fendant illegally and 'unlawfully took possession of said land and premises without the consent, acquiescence, or knowledge of these plaintiffs, or either of them. That the possession of said land and premises so taken by said defendants-was made at a time unknown to the plaintiffs herein, but long prior to the 1st day of September, 1926.
“Plaintiffs further show to the court that on or about the 1st day of September, 1926, plaintiffs were approached by one J. R. Gaut, W. A. Askew, and I. O. Wilson, who represented themselves to be a committee selected by certain persons constituting themselves a right of way committee for the defendant herein, for the purpose of securing a right of way for said defendant, railway company, to build and operate a line of railway in Potter county, Tex,, and out of the city of Amarillo in a northerly direction towards the town or city of Liberal, Kan.
“That said J. R. Gaut, W. A. Askew, and I. O. Wilson represented themselves to be authorized in behalf of said right of way committee of the city of Amarillo (the names and addresses of the- persons composing said right of way committee being unknown to plaintiffs herein), for the purpose of purchasing, appraising, and procuring the right of way for said defendant herein to build, construct, erect and place a railway line in Potter county, Tex., in a northerly direction towards Liberal, Kan., and that at the time said committee saw and discussed with these plaintiffs the purchase of said lands and premises hereinbefore described they contracted and agreed with plaintiffs herein to pay plaintiffs the sum of $24,300 therefor, and that the same would be paid through the First National Bank of Amarillo, Tex., upon these defendants placing deeds therein conveying said lands and premises above described to E. W. Hardin, trustee for said railway company, and said right of way committee.
“That about the time that said, committee discussed the purchase of said lands with these plaintiffs, they ascertained and learned that said defendant, railway company, had already possessed itself of said lands and premises and had placed embankments, ties, and rails thereon for the purpose of operating said railroad lines over, upon, and across said lands; that said plaintiffs had not consented to said defendant, railway company, taking possession of said lands, and said committee aforesaid requested these plaintiffs herein not to obstruct said railway company in such possession of said lands and premises, which said plaintiffs declined to assent to do, but advised said right of way committee that, if the payment for said lands was made within a reasonable time, they would not take drastic action to remove said defendant, railway company, therefrom.
“That in accordance with the contract made with the said J. R. Gaut, W. A. Askew, and I. O. Wilson, purporting to act for and in behalf of said right of way committee, which said right of way committee was acting for and is; behalf of said railway company, defendant, and said railway company, defendant, was accepting the benefits of the acts, purchases, and trades' of the said railway committee and of the said *1068 X R. Gant, W. A. Askew, and I. O. Wilson, with, full knowledge of their representations and promises, or, in the event they did not have knowledge thereof, said defendant was put upon notice in accepting said benefits of the representations, declarations and promises of said committee and of said right of way committee, or had such notice as would put a reasonably prudent person upon inquiry as to such representations, declarations, and promises, and if such inquiry had been made they would have ascertained that said lands had not been purchased from these plaintiffs, nor paid for, and that the representations and declarations made by said committee to purchase the same were not fulfilled or complied with.
“That under the terms of said proposed purchase by said committee for said right of way committee and for said defendant, deeds to said lands above described to the said E. W. Hardin were to be deposited with the First National Bank of Amarillo, together with a draft on said E. W. Hardin, trustee, c/o First National Bank, for the sum of $24,300, and said draft •was to be paid within 10 days thereafter, and if not paid plaintiffs were to withdraw their deeds and have the right to take possession -of their said lands and premises.
“That said plaintiffs deposited said draft with said First National Bank on or about the 1st day of September, 1926, together with good and sufficient deeds of conveyance conveying said lands and premises to the said E. W. Hardin, trustee, for the purpose of a right of way by said defendant, company, and the same remained with the said First National Bank for a long time after the 10th of September, 1926, and that plaintiffs demanded payment of said consideration on numerous occasions, and though often requested said defendant nor said committee ever paid the same or any portion thereof, and that plaintiffs thereafter withdrew said conveyances and declared said contract for the purchase thereof by said committee at an end.
“That said defendant, railway company,' has often been requested to pay the consideration for said lands and premises, but has failed and refused to pay the same or any part thereof. The plaintiffs are entitled to the possession and use of said premises and ar.e the owners in fee simple thereof, and that said defendant illegally and unlawfully entered into possession thereof and without semblance of any right thereto, and is now attempting to hold the same without any semblance of right thereto.
“Plaintiffs further show to the court that the defendant is obstructing, damaging, injuring, and materially depreciating the market value of said property by reason of placing thereon its railroad tracks, and digging ditches and barrow pits, and erecting embankments thereon, and covering said embarikments with stone, gravel, and other substances, depreciating the market value of said lands and premises for its natural and best use. Plaintiffs further show to the court that said damages - and injuries committed by the defendant create and have caused irreparable injury to the plaintiffs’ property and unless removed therefrom will greatly lessen and destroy its market value.

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Related

Alexander v. Fort Worth & D. S. P. Ry. Co.
10 S.W.2d 266 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1928)
Garner v. Chicago, R. I. & G. Ry. Co.
10 S.W.2d 132 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1928)

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Bluebook (online)
297 S.W. 1067, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/garner-v-chicago-r-i-g-ry-co-texapp-1927.