Ingram Freezers v. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co.

464 S.W.2d 915, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2569
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 12, 1971
Docket17538
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 464 S.W.2d 915 (Ingram Freezers v. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 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
Ingram Freezers v. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., 464 S.W.2d 915, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2569 (Tex. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

BATEMAN, Justice.

This is a suit for damages for breach of contract. The plaintiffs were the appellant, Ingram Freezers, a partnership, and Prop, Inc. They alleged Prop, Inc. to be the owner, and Ingram Freezers the lessee, of the Third Unit of the Santa Fe Building in Dallas. They alleged that the defendant-appellee breached a contract to continue to furnish rail service to that building as long as the plaintiffs desired it. The case was tried before a jury, but when the plaintiffs rested the trial court granted appellee’s motion for instructed verdict, withdrew the cause from the jury and rendered judgment for appellee. Both plaintiffs attempted to appeal, but the appeal bond of Prop, Inc. was not timely filed and upon motion its appeal was dismissed by this court. Ingram Freezers, however, perfected its appeal. Its first two points of error on appeal complain rather broadly of the instructed verdict.

In determining whether it was proper for the court to instruct the verdict, we must view the evidence in the light most favorable to appellant and indulge against the instruction every inference that may *917 properly be drawn from the evidence and reverse the judgment if the record reflects any testimony of probative force in favor of appellant. Hughes v. J. Weingarten, Inc., 398 S.W.2d 440 (Tex.Civ.App., Beaumont 1965, writ ref’d n.r.e.). In reviewing the evidence we may not pass on the credibility of witnesses or the weight of their testimony, and if there is testimony of probative force in favor of appellant and against the instructed verdict, we may not affirm even though a judgment based upon such evidence would be against the overwhelming weight and preponderance of the evidence. Locke v. Thigpen, 353 S.W.2d 249 (Tex.Civ.App., Houston 1961, reversed on other grounds 363 S.W.2d 247).

Facts

It was stipulated that appellee Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company received all the assets of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Company and assumed all of its duties, liabilities and obligations as of August 1, 1965. They will be called herein “Santa Fe” as referring to either company. Appellant introduced in evidence numerous documents, but says in its brief that the principal instruments giving rise to the alleged contract for rail service are the deed from Santa Fe to the Dallas, Texas Corporation dated September 14, 1962, and a certain “clarification” agreement between them dated October 4, 1962. However, before reciting the pertinent parts of those instruments we think it would be well to give some of the background of ownership of these properties. Terminal Building Corporation of Texas formerly owned the Second, Third and Fourth Units of the Santa Fe Building, being three separate buildings situated north of Young Street. The one primarily involved in this suit is the Third Unit. An underground railroad track had been constructed under the buildings to provide a means of rail service to and from them. Santa Fe was the owner of the easement to use for track purposes the entire space under the said buildings, together with “the sole and exclusive use of all tracks serving the proposed buildings, whether constructed on, above or below the surface of the ground,” having excepted and reserved these rights when it conveyed the property in 1923 to Terminal Building Corporation. These tracks ran in a southerly direction from the three buildings to Young Street, passing under Young Street and then surfacing and being connected with a railroad spur track on the surface of the land south of the buildings, which spur track and the land upon which it was located were also owned by Santa Fe. That company also owned certain other land, buildings and railroad tracks lying south of Young Street and west of the spur track, all of which was known as Santa Fe’s Young Street Freight Terminal.

By the deed dated September 14, 1962, Terminal Building Corporation conveyed the Second, Third and Fourth Units of the Santa Fe Building and the land on which they were situated to Dallas, Texas Corporation, but in this deed the grantor expressly excepted and reserved the same exclusive rights and easements which had been reserved by Santa Fe in its 1923 deed to Terminal Building Corporation. By deed also dated September 14, 1962, Santa Fe conveyed to Dallas, Texas Corporation the same exclusive rights and easements, but subject to the following reservation:

“It is expressly understood and agreed that GULF, COLORADO AND SANTA FE RAILWAY COMPANY, Grant- or herein, reserves the sole and exclusive right of serving by rail from the said railroad tracks in said railway tunnel structure hereinabove referred to, or from any extension thereof or connection therewith, patrons who might desire railroad freight service and are located in those certain three multistory brick buildings commonly known as Santa Fe Units Nos. 2, 3 and 4 under which said railroad tracks now are located, or such patrons located upon any portion of the property which constitutes the real estate upon which said buildings are now located, together with the sole and exclusive *918 right of serving such patrons located on or in any other property of Grantee herein to which said railroad track extension or connection might be constructed. Grantor herein expressly agrees to maintain the railroad track structure which is hereby conveyed to Grantee herein. Provided, however, that in the event that rail services are no longer necessary, the said Grantee herein may remove said railroad tracks, the railway tunnel structure, and appurtenances thereto. If, at any time after such removal, if such is done, rail service is again needed to serve said patrons described above, then, in such event, the Grantee herein, by acceptance of this deed, agrees that said Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Company shall have the sole and exclusive right of serving such patrons above described.”

The instrument dated October 4, 1962, after reciting the giving of the deed dated September 14, 1962 and the desire of the parties to clarify “the right and reservation of said Railway Company to have" the sole and exclusive right of serving by rail from the railway tracks conveyed by said deed, or any extension thereof or connected therewith, patrons who might desire railroad freight service,” then provided:

“NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows:
(1) It is understood and agreed that DALLAS, TEXAS CORPORATION, its successors and assigns, shall have the sole prerogative and decision as to whether such rail services are to be continued or whether the same are necessary.
(2) In the event rail service is discontinued, if at some future time DALLAS, TEXAS CORPORATION, its successors or assigns, shall determine to again install rail service, GULF, COLORADO AND SANTA FE RAILWAY COMPANY shall have the sole and exclusive right of serving by rail from said railway tracks as the same are reconstructed, or any extension thereof or connection therewith, patrons who might desire rail freight service from or on said tracks.”

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
464 S.W.2d 915, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2569, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ingram-freezers-v-atchison-topeka-santa-fe-railway-co-texapp-1971.