Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Railway Co. v. Rooker

1960 OK 189, 355 P.2d 552, 13 Oil & Gas Rep. 1012, 1960 Okla. LEXIS 445
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedAugust 9, 1960
Docket38332
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 1960 OK 189 (Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Railway Co. v. Rooker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Railway Co. v. Rooker, 1960 OK 189, 355 P.2d 552, 13 Oil & Gas Rep. 1012, 1960 Okla. LEXIS 445 (Okla. 1960).

Opinions

JOHNSON, Justice.

The Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Ry. Co., a defendant below and plaintiff in error herein, appeals from a judgment rendered in favor of plaintiff, H. C. Rooker, quieting title in the oil, gas and other minerals lying under a certain described portion of its road bed, or right of way, which it had obtained from its predecessor. Its predecessor’s interest in the propery was obtained pursuant to condemnation proceedings brought in 1903 under the provisions of Article 9, Chap. 17, Okl.Statutes of 1893, 66 O.S.1951 § 1 et seq.

The railroad’s right to an easement across plaintiff’s land, or its continued use for railroad purposes, is unquestioned, but plaintiff contends, and the trial court found, that plaintiff owned the fee simple title to the property involved in the quiet title action, and that the railroad obtained only a “right-of-way” easement in the condemnation proceedings of 1903, brought pursuant to the 1893 statutes, supra. On the other hand, the railroad contends that under the 1903 condemnation proceedings its predecessor sought and obtained a fee simple title to the land in question, and that by reason [554]*554thereof it owned the oil, gas and other minerals in the property, and that Rooker had no interest, right or title to .the oil, gas or other minerals under its right of way.

• The plaintiff and defendant railroad stipulated that the-only issue presented by this appeal is the legal-'interest and extent thereof of the defendant, Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Ry. Co. in the property.

The 1893 Statutes, supra, conferring power of eminent domain upon a railroad to .acquire property for railway purposes through . condemnation proceedings authorized but did not require that title acquired by or through such proceedings be a fee simple title. In fact, we have recently in the case of Missouri, K. & T. Ry. Co. v. Miley, Okl., 263 P.2d 415, 416, so held. Therein in'the body of the opinion we said that the 1893 Statutes authorized a railroad to acquire a full fee simple title, but that a determination of whether or not a lesser right was taken, that is, only a “right-of-way” and not the land itself necessitates an examination of the condemnation proceedings to determine the extent of the interest acquired thereby. And, in the first paragraph of the syllabus of the Miley case, supra, following our previous holdings in Martin v. City of Bethany, 199 Okl. 57, 182 P.2d 517, and City of Cushing v. Gillespie, 208 Okl. 359, 256 P.2d 418, 36 A.L.R.2d 1420, we said:

“1. In order for a fee simple title to be acquired under a statute conferring the power of eminent domain which does not require that such a- title be taken, the condemnation proceeding must clearly show an intention - to acquire such a title and that such a title was in fact acquired under the condemnation decree.” (Emphasis supplied.)

Though in Martin v. City of Bethany, supra, the action was brought by the city against Martin to quiet title to the mineral interest in lands formerly condemned for city public purposes and not for a railroad right-of-way as in the instant case or as in the Miley case, supra, yet thé. first paragraph of the syllabus in the Martin case is verbatim with the first paragraph of the Miley case (a railroad case) and the four paragraphs of the syllabus of the City of Cushing v. Gillespie case, supra, conclusively show that title acquired by condemnation proceedings will be generally confined or restricted to so much of the landowner’s interest as the public need actually requires. That syllabus reads as follows:

“1. Statutes providing for the exercise of the power of eminent domain will be strictly construed.
“2. In determining the extent or quantum of estate taken by virtue of condemnation proceedings, the court will examine the statute authorizing the condemnation and the proceedings instituted pursuant thereto, and will determine what estate or interest is reasonably necessary to serve the public purpose in view.
“3. A condemner is not required to go to the full extent permitted by law, but may voluntarily restrict itself to so much of the landowner’s interest as the public need actually requires.
“4. Where, in condemnation proceedings instituted pursuant to Title 11 O.S.1951 § 293, the record does not clearly show the extent or quantum of the estate taken; and where it is not shown that the public purpose in view requires the taking of title to the minerals; Held, that title to the minerals under the land involved does not pass to the condemner.”

We now proceed to an examination of the condemnation proceedings to determine the extent of the interest that the railroad acquired through said proceedings. .That is, whether or not the proceedings indicate that .the railroad acquired a fee simple title or merely a “right-of-way.”

In the application filed in the (1903) condemnation proceedings in controversy, it .is stated:

“Fourth. That said line of railroad as now located and about to be con-. [555]*555structed, crosses the following described land, owned by and belonging to J. W. Bales, in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Territory, to-wit: (land is described)
“That it is necessary for your applicant in the construction of said line of railroad to acquire a right of way consisting of a strip of land being all that portion of the (strip of land sought to be condemned is described).”

It was also stated in the application that the railroad had attempted to make amicable settlement with the (then) owners for the right of way so sought to be taken and appropriated and prayed that three commissioners be appointed to appraise and assess the damages sustained and to be paid by reason of the appropriation and condemnation of said right of way across said lands.

In the notice served on the landowners it was stated that the applicant (railroad) would ask for the appointment of three disinterested freeholders as commissioners to assess and appraise the damages which the .landowners may sustain by reason of the appropriation and condemnation of a right of way over, through and across the land in controversy.

The order appointing the commissioners stated that the commissioners were appointed to “determine' and appraise the compensation and damages by reason of the condemnation and appropriation of the land hereinbefore described, to be used for right-of-way and other railroad purposes.”

In the report of the commissioners dated August 19, 1903, filed September 3, 1903, the commissioners stated that pursuant to their appointment “to appraise the compensation and damages to be paid to the * * defendants by reason of the appropriation and condemnation of the land sought to be taken by the plaintiff in this action for right-of-way and other railroad purposes,” they assessed damages therein in stated amounts, which amounts were thereafter paid to each defendant in accord with the commissioners’ award and assessment.

No written exceptions to the commissioners’ award were filed in the proceedings. This was the right and privilege of any party plaintiff or defendant affected by the proceedings. Art. 9, Railroad Corporations, Chap. 17, Sec. 28, Okla. Statutes of 1893. And unless exceptions were filed, no further proceedings were necessary beyond the payment of the condemnation 'money as therein fixed. Harn v. State, 184 Okl. 306, 87 P.2d 127.

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

Related

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad v. Morgan
1966 OK 245 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1966)
Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Railway Co. v. Rooker
1960 OK 189 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1960)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1960 OK 189, 355 P.2d 552, 13 Oil & Gas Rep. 1012, 1960 Okla. LEXIS 445, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/oklahoma-city-ada-atoka-railway-co-v-rooker-okla-1960.