In re New York Central & Hudson River Railroad

77 N.Y. 248
New York Court of Appeals·Decided May 20, 1879·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

Miller, J.

Various objections are urged against the right of the petitioners to acquire the land sought to be appropriated by them for the purposes of their railroad.

A point is made that the premises intended to be taken constitute a tract of land which is intersected by streets and avenues, without the control of which the plans of the petitioners cannot be carried out; and that the order appealed from does not give them such control. It is true, that the order appealed from, which condemns the land and directs the commissioners to appraise the same, provides that it shall not “ affect any rights or interests which the mayor,” etc., “ of the city of Now York may have in or to any streets or avenues embraced within the limits,” etc., of the land described ; but such reservation cannot be considered either as an evasion of the requirements of the statutes relating to the acquisition of streets or avenues for railroad purposes, or as preventing a future acquisition of a right to use and control the same for the purposes of the road. It can only be regarded as a proper protection of the rights and interests of the city until the same are lawfully acquired from the corporation by due course of law. Such a provision in the order in no way conflicts, we think, with the right to acquire the land of the appellants in the first instance, as it may be assumed that such right to the use of the streets and avenues will be afterwards acquired ; [254] and to guard against any failure in this respect, it may be made a condition of the final order herein that this shall be done before the lands become vested in the petitioners. There is no rule which requires that under the circumstances presented, where different rights are essential in order to acquire an interest in and for railroad purposes, that the acquisition of one interest should precede the other, or that proceedings should be had to acquire each of them at the same time. The provisions of the general railroad act (2 E. S. [6th ed.], 533, § 39, sub. 5) are not inconsistent in any respect with the order granted; and conceding that the assent of the corporation of the city of New York may be required to authorize the construction of the new tracks, that consent is not necessarily preliminary to the acquisition of the land of the appellants and may, we think, be lawfully obtained after the right to such land has been acquired. ■ The second section of chap. 198, S. L. of 1876 has no application to this proceeding, but applies only to a case where the land itself is required by the railroad company for its roadway, as authorized by § 4, chap. 282, S. L. of 1854, which is distinct from proceedings to acquire land “for the purposes of its, incorporation,” under § 13 of chap. 140 of S. L. of 1850. By chap. 237, S. L. of 1869, streets in a city or village may be taken by a corporation for the construction of the road, as provided in § 28, sub. 5. chap. 140, S. L. of 1850. The present proceedings are had under § 14 of chap. 140, supra, which requires service of the petition and notice of its presentation upon all parties interested, and no additional notice is required by publication where personal service is provided for. The act of 1876, chap. 198, § 2, which requires publication in two newspapers, only applies when the owners of “ adjoining lands on the line of a street ” have the fee and this right is sought to be extinguished. The petitioners do not seek in this application, nor could they acquire title to land forming a part of the streets and avenues in question, for the reason that they ■belong to,the ¿ity, for the benefit of the public at large, and [255] cannot be condemed: (People v. Kerr, 27 N. Y., 188; Towle v. Remsen, 70 id., 303; S. L. of 1865, 551.) There is, therefore, no force in the suggestion last considered. Such is the case more especially, for, as we have seen, the rights of the city are expressly excepted from the operation of the order made in this proceeding.

So far as the rights of owners of land adjacent to the streets and avenues are concerned, they have no direct interest in the question which arises in reference to the same, for the grants under which they hold the land under water expressly declare that they shall forever thereafter continue and remain public streets and avenues. The petitioners can only acquire the rights of the owners of the premises under the grants to them; and such acquisition would be subject- to all the covenants, conditions and provisos which are stated and recited in the grant, and which constitute a material and important part of the same.

The claim that this proceeding is one for a change of terminus of the road, and hence the consent of two-thirds of the common council must be obtained, in pursuance of chapter 77 of the Laws of 1876, is not, we think, well founded. The papers show that it is for the purpose of obtaining additional and increased facilities for the transaction of business connected with the railroad; and although these facilities are demanded for railroad purposes at the end of its route, and very much enlarge -the area of territory necessary for tracks and other conveniences, they cannot be considered as the location and establishment of a new terminus, and are not within the provisions of law relating to that subject. But even if such was the fact, we are unable to see how the rights of the appellants are affected injuriously by a failure in the first instance to obtain the consent of the common council of the city of How York. Although finally essential, it is of no importance that it should be in advance of the proceeding against the appellants, for unless it be obtained, if required, the right of the petitioners would not be perfected and complete in conferring authority for the use of [256] the streets and avenues, or in obtaining the land sought to be acquired. The rights of the city certainly cannot be impaired or barred, without its consent or until "it has an opportunity to be heard. No injury can result to. the appellants, because the proceedings are instituted for the taking of their land anterior to the obtaining of a right to the use of the streets and avenues ; and it may be assumed that the city authorities will be vigilant and watchful in protecting their own rights, as well as those of. the public entrusted to their charge, and in preventing any appropriation of their interests by the railroad company, unless warranted by the facts presented and sanctioned by the due course of legal proceedings. In view of the considerations presented, there seems to be no impropriety nor legal obstacle or objection to a proceeding at once against the lands of the appellants without regard to the rights vested in the city.

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In re New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, 77 N.Y. 248 (N.Y. 1879).

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