Springfield & Clifton Turnpike Co. v. City of Springfield

27 Ohio St. (N.S.) 584
Ohio Supreme Court·Decided December 15, 1875·Published

Opinion

Wright, J.

The Springfield and Clifton Turnpike Co., plaintiff in error, as plaintiff below, filed in the Court of Common Pleas, Clark county, the following petition:

The plaintiff says, that it is a duly incorporated company under the laws of Ohio, and under an act bearing date, and which took effect May 1st, a. d. 1852.

That upon the 26th day of October, a. d. 1859, it entered into a contract with the said defendant in the words and figures, following, viz:

“ Articles of agreement made and entered into this 26th day of October, a. d. 1859, between the City of Springfield, through John L. Pettigrew, James Rodgers, John S. Harrison, and Wm. McIntyre — appointed by a resolution of the city council of said city for this purpose — of the first part, and the Springfield and Clifton Turnpike Company, through John Luse, president of said company — being authorized for this purpose — of the second part, witpesseth:

“ That the said party of the first part, in consideration •of the covenants hereinafter entered into by the party of the second part, agrees that the said jiarty of the second part shall have the privilege of taking toll from the north line of Wm. Wright’s premises, at the intersection of the •Selma turnpike with Limestone street to the corporation line, said road running over Limestone street. ' .

“ And the said party of the second part, in consideration thereof, doth on its part hereby covenant and agree that it will build a good turnpike road, such as is required by law, from the south line of Wm. Houck’s lot, over Limestone street to the corporation line; said portion of said road to [586]*586be thirty'feet wide and one foot high in the center, and the gravel on the same to be eighteen feet wide and fifteen inches deep in the center, and nine inches deep at each side or edge, one-half of said gravel to be put on immediately, and the remaining portion within a year from the date of the execution of this agreement. And the said party of the second part further agrees that that portion of said road to be built by them is to be surveyed and the grade given to the same by the engineer of the City of Springfield, and also that the putting down of said gravel shall be under the direction and control of the said city.

“ And the said party of the second part further agrees that they will keep all of said road, from the corporation line to the north corner of Wm. Wright’s premises, in good and lawful repair, and that the city council shall be the judge of what repairs shall be done on said road, and also that, for police purposes, the said road within the city to the corporation line shall be under the control of the city as fully as before the execution of this agreement, and that the ordinances of said city are to extend over said road.

“ It is also agreed between the respective parties hereto that if the said party of the second part should be prevented, from any cause, from taking toll on any part of said road wfithin the city, then the said city, at the request of the said Turnpike Company, will pay the original cost of the construction of that part of said road constructed by said company, and take the whole of said road within the city off of their hands, and for this purpose the said Turnpike Company agrees to keep an accurate account of the expenses of the construction of said road.

“ It is also agreed on the part of the said city that they will secure to said company the right of way of said road from said north corner of Wm. Wright’s premises to the corporation line on the street- known as Limestone-street.

“ In testimony whereof, the respective parties hereto have [587]*587hereunto set their hands and seals, on the day and year above written.

“ (Signed) The City of Springfield, per
“ J. S. Harrison,
“ J. L. Pettigrew,
“ James Rodgers,
“ Wm. McIntyre.
“ (Signed)
“ The Springfield and Clifton Turnpike Co., per
“ John Luse, President.”

That the said plaintiff duly performed all the conditions-of said contract on its part, and to the satisfaction and acceptance of said City of Springfield and its duly authorized' agents.

That the original cost of the construction of said road,, on said street, was four hundred and ninety-three and seventy-five-hundredths ($493.75) dollars.

The said plaintiff has been prevented by the laws of the State of Ohio from collecting or taking toll on that part of said road so constructed by it over said Limestone street, within said city, and in consequence thereof, and in consequence of objections made by persons traveling over the same, said plaintiff’ can not, nor does not, avail itself of the pretended privilege granted in said contract by said defendant to said plaintiff’ to take toll on said Limestone street, within said city, over said road in said city, from the north line of Wm. Wright’s premises, at the intersection of the Selma turnpike with Limestone street, in said city,, to the corporation line.

The said defendant has been for a long period of time and still is in full and complete possession of the whole of said road or street within said city, and has taken, and exercised, and still exercises, full and complete control over the same.

That, on or about the 11th day of February, a. d. 1870,. the said plaintiff demanded and requested of said defendant the payment of the original cost of the construction of that part of said road so constructed by said company, lying [588]*588in said city, which, said defendant has neglected and refused to pay.

That there is still due and unpaid from said defendant to ■said plaintiff the sum of $493.75, with interest.

The plaintiff, therefore, prays judgment against defendant for the said sum of $493.75, with interest.

-A demurrer to this petition was sustained by the Court ■of Common Pleas, and the following entry made thereupon:

“July 7,1870.

“ This cause came on for hearing on demurrer of defendant to the petition of plaintiff, and was argued by counsel; upon consideration whereof, the court'do find that the contract set forth in said petition is illegal and void, and, on •consideration, etc., can not be inforeed, and, as a conse•quence, that said demurrer is well taken.

It is, therefore, ordered and adjudged by the court that isaid demurrer be sustained, and that said petition be dismissed at said plaintiff’s costs ; to which findings, rulings, .and judgment of the court, the said plaintiffj by its counsel excepts.”

The cause having been taken, on error, to the District ■Court, the action of the Court of Common Pleas was affirmed as follows:

September 13, 1871.

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Springfield & Clifton Turnpike Co. v. City of Springfield, 27 Ohio St. (N.S.) 584 (Ohio 1875).

27 Ohio St. (N.S.) 584 (Springfield & Clifton Turnpike Co. v. City of Springfield) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.