Sanfleet v. City of Toledo

10 Ohio C.C. 460, 8 Ohio Cir. Dec. 711
CourtOhio Circuit Courts
DecidedJanuary 15, 1893
StatusPublished

This text of 10 Ohio C.C. 460 (Sanfleet v. City of Toledo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Circuit Courts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sanfleet v. City of Toledo, 10 Ohio C.C. 460, 8 Ohio Cir. Dec. 711 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1893).

Opinion

Scribner, J.

This case conies into this court by way of appeal from a judgment rendered therein by the court of common pleas. While the case was pending in that court, and before the trial was bad, on motion of the plaintiff, certain matters contained in the answer of the defendants was stricken from the answer. The defendants now come in and submit a motion that the matter so expunged or stricken from the answer, be restored. It is that motion which has been heard, and which we shall now proceed to determine.

The proceeding is brought by the plaintiff Sanfleet, as the owner of property abutting upon that part of Summit street, which lies between Adams street and Perry street. He alleges that the defendants, the Electric Street Railway Co. and persons who are parties defendant in the interest of that company, are about to construct and operate a line of elec[462]*462trie railway over certain streets in tlie city, and over that part of Summit street lying between Adams street and Perry street. He says, among other things, that the railway company and those acting in its behalf have not obtained the requisite consents of a- majority of the property owners abutting upon that portion of the street, to the construction and operation of this proposed line of railway, which is essential, it is claimed under the statute.

The defendants answer, and show that the Toledo Electric Street Railway Co. is the only substantial party in interest; the franchise which had been granted to the parties named —Robison .‘and others — having been transferred to that company, it became an incorporated company. It admits that the railway company is about to erect, construct, and operate, its line of street railway, according to the authority-vested in it under the ordinance which is set out in the pleadings in the case. It denies that it has not obtained the necessary consents of the majority of property owners owning property upon the abutting portions of the street, and avers that it had obtained those consents, It denies, however, in that part of the answer which has been stricken out, that these, cousents are necessary; setting forth that a line of street railroad for many' years has been in operation along the portions of Summit street mentioned, now owned and controlled by the Consolidated Street Railroad Co. It says that it does not propose to construct any new line of railway, or lay down any new track; but simply to run its cars upon the tracks already existing there, under the control of Ihe Consolidated Street Railway Co.

One point of contention arises upon the proper construction of the ordinance. It is insisted upon the part of the Electric Street Railway Company that the ordinance does not in fact confer power or authority upon this Electric Street Railway Company to construct a line of railway upon the part of Summit street lying between-Adams street and Perry street. [463]*463but simply confers power to operate over a line of railroad already existing and owned by the Consolidated Street Railway Company.

The ordinance in question was passed by the city council of Toledo on the 27th of March, 1889, and approved April 5, 1889, and it recites that—

“Whereas, David Robison, Jr., trustee, of Toledo, Ohio, has made application in writing to the common council of the city of Toledo for leave to construct and operate an electric street railroad on and along the hereinafter named streets of said city, and public notice of such application has been given by the clerk of said city in the ‘Toledo Daily Commercial, ' a daily paper published in said corporation, for a period of three consecutive weeks, as required by law; and
“Whereas, the said David Robison, Jr., trustee, proposed and agreed to carry passengers upon said proposed railroad at the lowest rate of fares, and has peviously obtained the written consent of a majority of the property holders upon each of said streets, or parts thereof, on the line of said proposed railroad, represented by the feet front of the property abutting on said several streets along which said railroad is proposed to be constructed; now, therefore,
“Sec. 1. Be it ordained by the common council of the city of Toledo, that the said David Robison, Jr., trustee, his successors or assigns, is hereby granted permission to construct, maintain and operate an electric street railroad with the necessary switches, turn-outs, turn-tables, appliances, equipment, etc., to operate the same upon and along the following streets, and parts of streets, in the city of Toledo, viz:
‘ ‘ Commencing at the city corporation line” — omitting now the description of the streets and parts of streets along which authority is granted to construct this line of railway, we come to this portion- — -“thence along Broadway to Ottawa street; thence along Ottawa street and over the Perry street bridge to Summit street; thence along-Summit street to Adams street; thence along Adams street to Huron street,” etc.

And further on: “Said street railroad shall be a single track road on all of said streets and parts of streets, except on the following, to-wit:

[464]*464“Commencing at the hew Sumner street bridge; thence along Railroad avenue and Wade street to Morris street; along Mbrris street from the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad property to Broadway; thence along Broadway to Ottawa street; thence along Ottawa street and over the • Perry street bridge to Summit street; thence along Summit street to Adams street; thence along Adams street.to Michigan street; thence along Michigan street to Canton avenue; thence along Canton avenue to Woodruff avenue; also, on Monroe street from Ontario street to Summit street. On all of said last above mentioned streets, and parts of streets, said road shall be a double track road. Said road shall be constructed, maintained and operated on all of said streets as a standard gauge road. ’'

By this provision it, will be seen that along the streets here named — which includes that part of Summit street extending from the Perry street bridge to Adams street — authority is granted, or purports to be granted, not only to construct a double track road, but the ordinance provides that upon the portions of the streets herein .named the road shall be á double track.

Section 2- -and it is upon this second section that stress is laid in the argument in support of this motion-—

“Authority is hereby granted to David Robison, Jr., trusee, his successors or assigns, to occupy, according to law and ordinance, so much of existing street railroad tracks upon the above named streets as is necessary for the successful operation of said electric railroad therein.

It is claimed on behalf of the Electric Street Railroad Company that where it is proposed to simply operate a line of railroad already constructed and existing- — in other words, where it is proposed by a railroad company to which a franchise is granted to run its cars upon the line of railroad of an existing street railroad company, that the consent of abutting property owners — the owners of the property^ abutting upon that part of the line of railroad so proposed to be operated — is not necessary. But that under the terms of the stat-[465]

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10 Ohio C.C. 460, 8 Ohio Cir. Dec. 711, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sanfleet-v-city-of-toledo-ohiocirct-1893.