Price ex rel. Price v. Baldauf

82 Iowa 669
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedOctober 16, 1890
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 82 Iowa 669 (Price ex rel. Price v. Baldauf) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Price ex rel. Price v. Baldauf, 82 Iowa 669 (iowa 1890).

Opinion

Gbawger, J.

The contention in this case is mainly upon a construction of the contract. That the change violation <>f: ; -ln] unction. contemplated will close to the plaintiff the door at the rear of the nail is not questioned . . *■ m fact the gist of the controversy is, as to his right to such door or the use} thereof. If a proper construction of the contract entitles the plaintiff to the use of a door for access to his rooms from the rear of his building, it must of course^follow that he may have the necessary approach or stdsrway for that purpose, and the use of the hall to the a^or. It is the claim of the appellant that the contract^ as understood by the parties to it, gave to him the use the entire length of the hall, whatever it might be, aa the use of a door at the rear end. On the other hand f is appellee’s claim that the original intention was t< construct the buildings eighty feet long, with a door the rear end of the hall, and that the contract thus understood is a limitation upon the right of the plaintiff beyond the eighty feet. It may be well to a fair understanding to treat the case upon the theory that the contract was made with a view to make the buildings eighty feet long, as there is certainly some ground for [673]*673such, an assumption as to the upper stories. Then, ■with that assumption, what would, have been the rights of the plaintiff as to the door in the rear of the hall % The appellee, in argument, makes this statement: “The door provided for in the contract was for Boyer & Barnes' benefit, and not for Price’s, as it opened out upon their ground exclusively. The appellant might object to a door in rear end of the hall, and in that way obstruct Boyer & Barnes, or their grantee, from access to their lot from the second story; so this provision was incorporated into the contract for that purpose, and that alone.”

The language of the contract is inapt for the purpose claimed. The appellee’s construction is but the reservation of a right as to the door. The language of the contract imposes an obligation. Viewed abstractly, it plainly imparts an undertaking to construct a stairway and a. hall with a door at the rear end. If, then, the appellee’s construction is to obtain, the intention of the parties must be gathered outside the letter of the contract. The buildings, with no other contract than the one in question, were made one hundred feet long wi th a hall the entire length, and a door at the rear end. Prom the time both buildings were completed, both parties used the hall the entire length with the rear door, and the stairs leading thereto jointly, and continued such use as long as the same parties owned their respective buildings. In addition to this the plaintiff constructed a walk from the foot of the stairs to his outbuildings on his own lot, without asking the privilege from Boyer & Barnes, and without objection by them. This was all done with no other contract or understanding than the one in question. It may be fairly assumed that Boyer & Barnes understood before building how the upper part of their building was to be used, and the facts of the case justify the conclusion that this access to the rear of the building was necessary to the proper and convenient use of their rooms. Such necessity was equally apparent for such a use of the rooms of the [674]*674plaintiff, and be was contracting for an easement in tbe property of Boyer & Barnes for tbe use of bis rooms. Tbe ballway is an easement. His right to its use is unquestioned. Let us for a moment suppose, with tbe letter of tbe contract as it, now is, that tbe front doorway opened on tbe lot of Boyer & Barnes, and that from 1875 to 1889 tbe plaintiff’s access to the stairway was through tbe door leading thereto, as it has been. Would tbe court hesitate to say that such right was contemplated by tbe contract of- tbe parties? Tbe necessity and justness of such a bolding, with that state of facts, would be apparent. The justness of such a rule in tbe case at bar is not as apparent, because the necessity is less imperative, but it brings us to a proper line of thought by which to reach a conclusion. It shows that some rights are taken by intendment, and that the intention may be known by the purposes of the grant, and its treatment by the parties to it. The plaintiff, as we hold, contracted for a door. It is not to be of any particular kind, although the record shows it is made in part of glass to admit light. The ordinary use of a door is to pass in and out, and without some advice showing otherwise it is certainly reasonable to suppose the appellant desired it for that purpose, and especially so in view of the kind of occupancy of his rooms. The door without a means of exit would, as said in argument, be a “barren right,” and evidently not the purpose of either party. The door is a part of the hall, and on the land of Boyer & Barnes, and its use, as a door, could only be by stepping out on their lot, and the right to do so must be considered a part of the easement granted.

Mr. W. H. Barnes of the firm of Boyer & Barnes, in his affidavit., in the case, says the rear stairway was erected by Boyer & Barnes for their own use and benefit, and any use thereof by the plaintiff was by sufferance only; but he only gives his understanding of the contract, for it is clear that no words as to the right ever passed, other than the written contract. Mr.Boyer, the other partner, and the business manager of [675]*675the firm from 1878 to 1888, also made his affidavit, stating the particulars as to the joint use of' the hall door and stairway; but without the statement that the use by the plaintiff of any part was by sufferance, and without a word of dispute as to his right so to do. There is also a statement by Mr. Barnes that the stairs and the hallway west of the eighty feet were made at the expense of Boyer & Barnes, and that the plaintiff has never paid any part of the costs of construction, nor has he contributed to keep the same in repair. That is true as to the construction, but the record shows that no important repairs were ever made. One glass from the transom was broken, and it is uncertain whether it was ever replaced. Mr. Boyer says that some painting and minor repairs were made by his firm, but nothing was ever asked of the plaintiff therefor, and he says that the plaintiff, when painting his roof, - painted that over the hall, and no account was made of that. To our minds the showing by the record is, that as originally designed,— that is, the hall eighty feet in length, with a door in the rear, — the plaintiff had the right of passage in and out by a stairway.

What then are the rights of the defendant, as-to-extending the hall? The right to extend the hall is not questioned in this case, but it is insisted that it must not be done at a sacrifice to the plaintiff of the use of a. door and stairway, and we doubt if such right will be claimed with our view of the law as to the plaintiff’s right under the contract. The added length of the hall originally was at the election of Boyer & Barnes. But with the added length they made no question of the right of the plaintiff to a joint use of the entire hall. If the hall is farther extended it must be with a preservation of the rights of the plaintiff. Some importance is attached to the fact that the plaintiff paid for no part of the added length. But such added length was not at his instance, nor any claim ever made upon him for it. He paid according to the contract, and is asking only for what he is entitled to under the contract. He co'n-tracted for the use of a door at the end of the hall. The

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Bluebook (online)
82 Iowa 669, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/price-ex-rel-price-v-baldauf-iowa-1890.