Mills & Allen v. Evans & McCutchin

100 Iowa 712
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided January 26, 1897·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

Robinson, J.

[714] 1 [713] I. The material facts of. this case as admitted by the parties and shown by the evidence are substantially as follows: At the time this action was commenced, the plaintiff and the defendants were engaged in the business of running boats for hire on a navigable body of water known as “Lake Okoboji.” The plaintiff had erected a pier, which extended from a point on the shore below high-water mark into the lake, in a northwesterly direction, a distance of seventy-four feet, but not so far as to interfere with navigation. It was ten feet wide, and had an approach eighty-four feet long and four feet wide. The pier and approach were built under a lease from W. B. Arnold, which contained the following: “Arnold’s Park, April 10, 1895. For and in consideration of two hundred dollars, in hand paid, I hereby lease unto Mills & Allen, the exclusive right to erect and maintain a dock on lot 18, * * * * known as ‘Arnold’s Park,’ and is to have the use of [714] said land in the interest of their steamboats, and for no other purpose whatever, for the term of two years. W. B. Arnold.” Arnold was the owner of the lot when the lease was made, and the approach to the pier extended from the lot, at high-water line, across the intervening beach to the pier. Upon the lot were located a summer hotel, several cottages, and a restaurant and pavilion. • A railway station is near the east boundary of the lot, and from that a driveway extends westward through the lot to the hotel, and thence westward, and then in a northwesterly direction, to the pavilion and the approach to the pier in question. From a point in the driveway near its east end a walk extends north to a pavilion and thence to Manhattan Beach dock, at which any one is permitted to land. For many years baggage had- been hauled from the station through this lot or park, and unloaded at different piers, including one Which had been maintained "near the one in controversy. The one so maintained was used by all persons who desired to use it, until the year 1895, when it was purchased by the plaintiff, and then removed, and the one in suit was built two or three rods from its site. The plaintiff claims the exclusive right to use the new pier, and shows that, until they were enjoined, the defendants used it for their own benefit, to solicit and receive passengers, and to land them, to the injury of the plaintiff. A temporary injunction, restraining the defendants from using the pier, was issued. The defendants, the Lawrence Brothers, have filed a disclaimer. The other defendants insist that the pier is for the public, and that they are entitled to use it with the plaintiff. The claim thus made is based upon several grounds, two of which are stated by the appellants, as follows: “(1) That the said dock has been held us a public dock for years; that its situation is such as. renders necessary the [715] maintenance of a public dock at that point, and that at the time of securing the temporary injunction herein, and ever since that time, it has been used as a public dock, and held out as one. (2) That a road established by prescription runs across the land owned by said Arnold, to the lake shore, reaching it immediately in front of the dock in question; that said dock is located below high-water mark, and the landing thereof is below high-water mark, and immediately out from the terminus of said road.” It is also insisted that the lease given by Arnold did not'give to the plaintiff any right to the shore below the high-water line.

2 8 It is admitted that the pier does not commence at any regularly established public highway, but it is insisted that it does commence in one established by prescription. The road was traveled regularly only during a portion of each summer, and then by consent of Arnold. At other times the road had been closed, and on several occasions within five or six years of the commencement of this action, had been obstructed by fences. We conclude that the evidence, fails to show-that the road had been made a public highway by dedication or prescription. The park or lot is public to the extent that it contains an hotel which is kept open for guests during the summer months, and when it is open the public may use the road and other ways through the park by the consent of the owner. The park is bounded on the northwest by the lake, from which-it is not separated by any highway, or other public grounds, and the lease of Arnold transferred to the plaintiff all the right to build and maintain a pier which he could have exercised as the owner of land bounded by a navigable lake. It is the law of this state that a riparian owner has “the right to construct, below high-water mark, bridges, piers and landing-places,” if he conforms to the [716] regulations of the state, and does not interfere with the right of navigation. Musser v. Hershey, 42 Iowa, 361; Renwick v. Railroad Co., 49 Iowa, 670. This is the general rule. Hanford v. Railroad Co., 43 Minn. 112 (42 N. W. Rep. 296), and (44 N. W. Rep. 1144), and cases therein cited; Yates v. Milwaukee, 10 Wallace, 503; 29 Am. & Eng. Enc. Law, 68. The title of the owner of land bounded by a lake, extends to the natural shore. Noyes v. Collins, 92 Iowa, 566 (61 N. W. Rep. 250); Diedrich v. Railway Co., 42 Wis. 262. The right of the owners of land upon navigable lakes to erect piers, docks, and other works necessary to a proper enjoyment of their property, which do not interfere with the paramount right of the public to navigate the water, is substantially the same as of those whose lands are upon navigable rivers. See Hanford v. Railroad Co., 43 Minn. 112 (42 N. W. Rep. 596), and (44 N. W. Rep. 1144); Land Co. v. Emerson, 38 Minn. 406 (38 N. W. Rep. 200); Dutton v. Strong, 1 Black, 31; Angell, Water Courses, section 42. The plaintiff therefore acquired the right to erect and maintain the pier in question for the legitimate purposes of its business, and, if Arnold could have maintained it as a private dock, the plaintiff may do the same. There was no attempt to grant the right to erect a pier excepting as it was connected with and dependent upon the lot.

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

Mills & Allen v. Evans & McCutchin, 100 Iowa 712 (iowa 1897).

100 Iowa 712 (Mills & Allen v. Evans & McCutchin) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

McCauley v. Salmon
14 N.W.2d 715 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1944)
Shortell v. Des Moines Electric Co.
186 Iowa 469 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1919)
Bradford v. Fultz
167 Iowa 686 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1914)