Southern Railway Co. v. Fitzpatrick

105 S.E. 663, 129 Va. 246, 1921 Va. LEXIS 90
Supreme Court of Virginia·Decided January 20, 1921·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

Burks, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

In the year 1860 the predecessor in title of the Southern Railway Company acquired title by condemnation to a strip of land through the lands of James M. Dillard for the purpose of constructing a steam railroad, and subsequently constructed said railroad thereon. Afterwards Dillard sold to the predecessor in title of the defendant in error a lot [249] on the east side of, and adjacent to, said right of way. The company established a depot on its right of way on the same side thereof as the lot aforesaid, put in the usual sidings on its right of way, and operated its road as a single track railroad until 1914. This depot, or station, is known as Tye Eiver depot. • In 1914 the company determined to double track its road, and, where desirable, to change its grade. In order to accomplish this purpose, it was found necessary to acquire additional land and to raise the grade of the track at Tye Eiver depot. The company, thereupon, by condemnation proceedings, acquired an additional strip of land from Annie L. Miller on the west side of and adjoining its existing right of way, which is on the side opposite to the property of Mrs. Fitzpatrick, the defendant in error. Mrs. Fitzpatrick was not a party to that proceeding. After acquiring the necessary additional land, the Southern Eailway Company, hereinafter called the company, constructed its double track railroad, with necessary sidings, raised its grade sixteen or eighteen feet, and moved its depot to the opposite or western side of the track and about 600 feet further north. In the construction of this double track, the tracks were moved about thirteen feet further from the. Fitzpatrick property than the original single track road. Only the northbound track and a short storage track were put on the line of original.condemnation. The southbound track, the Virginia Blue Eidge interchangeable tracks and cross-overs, were placed on the land acquired in the condemnation proceedings against Annie L. Miller. The lot of Mrs. Fitzpatrick is only seven feet distant at the nearest point from the line of original condemnation of the company. Upon this lot is located a storehouse and dwelling. The present action of trespass on the case was brought by Mrs. Fitzpatrick to recover damages resulting from the new construction.

[250] There was a demurrer to the declaration which was overruled. The defendant pleaded the general issue and a special plea of the statute of limitations, upon which issues were joined, and the parties went to trial. Upon the first trial there was a hung jury. At the second trial, there was a verdict and judgment for the plaintiff for $800, and to this judgment the present writ' of error was awarded.

The gravamen of the plaintiff’s complaint — that is,, the injury specially and particularly complained of — is the damage resulting from raising the grade of the tracks some sixteen or eighteen feet, resulting in the discharge of great quantities of smoke, cinders, dust and dirt upon the plaintiff’s premises, but the notice also clearly and distinctly charges that “great quantities of water have run down from the sides of said fill in and upon the property of the plaintiff,’’ causing great damage thereto. Both sides took testimony on the latter subject, and the testimony for the plaintiff shows that the damage resulting therefrom was of the most serious nature. This water, in part, was collected in and conducted through a drain pipe placed on the embankment by the defendant, and discharged on the land of. the plaintiff. In speaking of the damage done by the water, the plaintiff’s husband testified, that “they have got a six or eight inch pipe to draw rainwater for hundreds of yards,” which is discharged upon the plaintiff’s yard and garden, and which has cut great ditches through the garden and practically destroyed it. The plaintiff herself testified: “It is like a river when it comes a hard rain. It comes down my front steps and the walk is left covered with mud and the steps are now covered with mud and grass growing on them, and we couldn’t keep it off, and could look behind it and see what gullies had washed, and it comes down in the garden and washes the dirt off the vegetables that grow under the ground and the vines * * *” It also appears [251] from the notice that in 1914 and 1915 the defendant condemned additional land adjacent to its old right of way,- and on the opposite side of the old right of way from the plaintiff’s land for the purpose of double tracking its main line, and that its right of way was widened to make room for the additional track and that the plaintiff sustained damage in consequence thereof. The notice is not as explicit as to this element of damage as it should be, and if the plaintiff intends to claim this damage she should be required to amend her notice and state more explicitly and fully the nature and extent of the damage claimed, when the case is remanded, as it must be, for a new trial.

[1] Upon the pleadings and proof, it seems plain that the plaintiff is entitled to recover for the damages done to her property by collecting and discharging the water thereon, as aforesaid, but that damage is not measured by the difference between the market value of the plaintiff’s property before and after the erection of the fill aforesaid. That was not the only cause of the depreciation in the market value of the property. The evidence introduced at the trial shows plainly that the greatest damage done the plaintiff arose from the discharge of smoke, dust, etc., upon her premises consequent upon the erection of the fill. Counsel for the plaintiff in error ignores the damage done by water, and devotes his argument to a denial of right of recovery for the damages done by smoke, dust, etc.

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Southern Railway Co. v. Fitzpatrick, 105 S.E. 663, 129 Va. 246, 1921 Va. LEXIS 90 (Va. 1921).

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