General Telephone Co. v. United States

216 F. Supp. 388, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6303
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedApril 1, 1963
DocketNo. 62-479
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 216 F. Supp. 388 (General Telephone Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
General Telephone Co. v. United States, 216 F. Supp. 388, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6303 (S.D. Cal. 1963).

Opinion

CRARY, District Judge.

Plaintiff seeks reimbursement for costs of relocating certain telephone poles and lines, sometimes referred to as “facilities” or “plant”, from their old location on state highway No. 150 to a new location on the said state highway as relocated and realigned by the State of California.

By their amended Agreed Statement of Facts, the parties state the pertinent facts involved substantially as follows. Pursuant to § 7901 of the Public Utilities Code of the State of California, the plaintiff, prior to 1960, had placed certain of plaintiff’s facilities, consisting of telephone poles, cross arms, cable and other equipment, within state highway No. 150 between the cities of Lompoc and Surf in the State of California.

In May, 1960, the Division of Highways, State of California, notified the plaintiff of a proposed realignment of portions of state highway 150 where it abutted a Naval Missile Facility of defendant at Point Arguello, California. See letter dated May 26, 1960, Exhibit A to amended Agreed Statement of Facts hereafter referred to as “Agreed Facts.” In that letter plaintiff was advised, among other things, that certain of its facilities would be affected by the proposed highway construction and plaintiff was requested to prepare cost estimates “for relocating the balance .of your facilities to the new highway right of way [389]*389throughout the project. This request is being made as it is anticipated that your entire lead throughout the project will have to be placed along the new highway right of way to clear the old highway right of way, and the cost of this portion of the work will differ from the work being done for highway purposes.” The letter went on to request that plaintiff move its facilities to the highway as realigned not later than July 15, 1960.

On August 10, 1960, the defendant, by letter, (Exhibit B to plaintiff’s complaint) urgently requested that plaintiff remove its facilities promptly. In this letter plaintiff was advised that when the relocation work was completed the State of California would quit claim to the Government its interest in the affected portion of existing highway 150. The letter further stated, “There is at present, a doubt as to whether the franchise right enjoyed by utility companies in California highways is, in fact, a com-pensable interest. As long as this doubt remains, the Government cannot, of course, expend federal money on a non-compensable interest. * * * It is suggested that the lines be moved first and that the matter of compensation for the relocation be resolved thereafter.”

On September 12, 1960, defendant granted an easement to the State of California for road purposes over the land where the state highway 150 was to be relocated and realigned (Exhibit C to Agreed Facts). The grant of easement was executed upon the consideration that on completion of the relocation of the state highway, the state would execute a quit claim deed granting to the Government all of its right, title and interest in the old highway location.

On or about November, 1960, and commencing November 8th of that year, plaintiff relocated its facilities from the old highway to the new highway. On May 2, 1961, the defendant received plaintiff’s invoice in the amount of $9,-122.86 for the cost of the relocation work requested by defendant. It was agreed by the parties during oral argument that said amount was reasonable for the cost of such work.

On July 26, 1961, the California Highway Commission passed a resolution (Exhibit D to Agreed Facts) authorizing the quit claiming to defendant of its interests in said old highway. The resolution further provided that the Commission had approved “ * * * the manner and terms and conditions of the transaction * * * ”.

The State of California, on August 18, 1961, quit claimed to the United States all its right, title and interest in and to said old highway (Exhibit D to Agreed Facts). Said deed recited that it was subject to “special assessments, if any, restrictions, reservations, and easements of record.” The quit claim deed further provided that the state’s title and interest in the old highway location had been acquired for state highway purposes and was no longer necessary therefor and was not at the time of the quit claiming being used for highway uses or purposes.

As noted above, the moving of the plaintiff’s poles took place in November, 1960, approximately eight or nine months prior to the abandonment of the highway, depending on whether the resolution of the Highway Commission authorizing execution of the quit claim deed to defendant on July 26,1961, or the execution of the quit claim deed on or about August 18, 1961, is considered to be the date of abandonment of the old highway from which the poles were moved. At the time the poles were moved they were, of course, located on a highway and under the terms of § 7901 of the Public Utilities Code there was no obligation, as a matter of law, at that time at least, requiring plaintiff to move its poles other than the poles which would actually interfere with the highway as relocated and realigned.

The poles were moved at the urgent request of the Government and the move was made with the understanding on the part of both parties as stated in the Government’s letter to plaintiff (Exhibit B to plaintiff’s complaint) that there [390]*390was at that time a doubt as to the com-pensability to plaintiff of the franchise right it enjoyed on California highways and that if the plaintiff did move its lines that the matter of compensation for the relocation would be resolved thereafter.

The movement, of plaintiff’s facilities, the cost of which now concerns us, was to permit the expansion of defendant’s Naval Missile Facility at Point Arguello, California, and was not by reason of interference of the poles here involved with the use of the new location for highway purposes.

The case was submitted for decision on the above mentioned amended Agreed Statement of Facts, points and authorities filed by both sides, and after oral argument on March 25, 1963.

It appears to the court that the material issues involved are two in number:

1. Do the provisions of § 7901, Public Utilities Code of California, impose any obligation on plaintiff to move its telephone poles and attendant facilities in the instant circumstances at its own expense.

2. Is the Government obligated to pay the cost of moving plaintiff’s facilities to their present location on the highway as relocated by the state when the moving was at a time some eight or nine months before the old highway was abandoned.

§ 7901 provides:

“Construction of lines Telegraph or telephone corporations may construct lines of telegraph or telephone lines along and upon any public road or highway, along or across any of the waters or lands within this State, and may erect poles, posts, piers, or abutments for supporting the insulators, wires, and other necessary fixtures of their lines, in such manner and at such points as not to incommode the public use of the road or highway or interrupt the navigation of the waters.”

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679 F. Supp. 977 (N.D. California, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
216 F. Supp. 388, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6303, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/general-telephone-co-v-united-states-casd-1963.