State ex rel. Sheets v. Union Depot Co.

71 Ohio St. (N.S.) 379
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 31, 1905
DocketNo. 8733
StatusPublished

This text of 71 Ohio St. (N.S.) 379 (State ex rel. Sheets v. Union Depot Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Sheets v. Union Depot Co., 71 Ohio St. (N.S.) 379 (Ohio 1905).

Opinion

Crew, J.

We learn from -the record in this case that in August, 1872, the defendant in error was incorporated and organized as a Union Depot Company under the act of April 3, 1868 (65 O. L., 63), by the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway Company and the Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway Company. About 1873 said.Depot Company became the owner in fee of the tract of land in the city of Columbus abutting on High street, upon which its union station and railroad are constructed. Prior to 1892 said station and railroad and the approaches thereto were at grade with High street adjacent to said property. About 1892 and 1893 the city of Columbus erected a viaduct on High street adjacent to said property and over the railroad tracks crossing said street, [383]*383thereby raising the grade of High street on said viaduct adjacent to said station and its approaches, about twenty feet. Thereafter the Union Depot Company constructed its new union station, and the covered walk, driveway and concourse, forming the approach thereto in such manner that the same could be used in connection with and could he entered at grade from said viaduct, and it opened the same for use about August, 1897. The dimensions and arrangement of said driveway and concourse are such that they will not permit or accommodate thereon more than ten public or private hacks or carriages and two or three baggage wagons, at one and the same time. The Columbus Transfer Company is a corporation engaged in the hack and transfer business in the city of Columbus and in carrying passengers and baggage to and from said union station. On July 15,1899, the defendant in error, The Union Depot Company, made and entered into a written contract and agreement with the said The Columbus Transfer Company, which contract is as follows:

“This agreement made this fifteenth day of July, in the year eighteen hundred and ninety-nine, between the Union Depot Company, as first party, and the Columbus Transfer Company, of Columbus, Ohio, as second party. '
Witnesseth that the first party demises and leases to the second party the exclusive privilege of - soliciting upon its premises the carrying of passengers and baggage from thé union station, the property of said first party; in consideration of this, in addition to the stipulations hereinafter named the said second party agrees to provide a sufficient number of omnibuses, carriages, coupes and baggage wagons, to adequately provide for the accommodation of the [384]*384traveling public, at all trains arriving, and at all hours of the day and night; the same to be kept and maintained in good order and condition. Said second party also agrees to make no greater charge for its services in carrying passengers and baggage than ■ is or may be provided for in the ordinances of the city of Columbus relating, thereto. The vehicles of •said second party are to occupy such space on the concourse as may be designated by the station officers, and its employes at all times and in all respects shall be subject to the regulation and control of said officers.
“To hold the same unto the second party as tenant at will of the first party, and for the rent or sum of six hundred dollars ($600.00) per annum to commence on the fifteenth day of July, A. D. 1899, and to be paid in monthly installments on the tenth day of the following month of each year during said tenancy.
“That said first party hereby reserves ,the right to terminate this agreement and the said tenancy, and to take possession of and re-enter upon said premises at any time hereafter, after having given to the second party, or left, upon said premises, sixty (60) days.’ notice, in writing, of. its intention so to do, -and requiring said party to quit and deliver up possession of said premises.
• “That said second party hereby agrees to become and continue to be the tenant at will of the first party, under the conditions hereof, to pay -said rent, as above provided, and to keep said premises in good order and condition, and to quit and deliver up possession of said premises to said first party upon the expiration of the time mentioned in any notice to quit, given as aforesaid; and that upon the expira[385]*385tion of such time, the said tenancy shall cease, and said first party shall have the right forthwith to reenter upon and occupy, said premises, without .any further „or other notice, proceeding or process whatsoever.
“The said second party hereby.agrees not to use or occupy said premises for any other purpose than is above specifically described and not to assign., or transfer this agreement, nor underlet said premises without the written consent of the first party being first obtained.
“In testimony whereof, the parties hereto have caused this agreement to he executed in duplicate as of date the day and year first above written.
“Union Depot Co., Columbus, Ohio.
. ‘ ‘ By James McCeea, President.
“ (Seal.)
‘'Attest: C. C. Coenee, Secretary.
£ Sealed and delivered in the presence of us:
“George W. Bright.
“E. F. Wood.
“The Columbus Transfer Co. (Seal.)
“By S. S. Rickley, (Seal.)
“Vice President.”

Thereafter in order to make said contract effective and for the purpose of regulating and prescribing the conduct and management of said union depot and the business thereof, said Depot Company adopted certain rules and regulations, among which were the following:

“First: The space in the concourse adjoining the covered walk, for a distance of two hundred feet west of the station, is to he occupied by the Columbus Transfer Company for receiving, delivering and awaiting 'passengers.
[386]*386'‘ Second: ' Other, public hacks and other public vehicles will not be permitted to stand on the concourse between High street and the station building,, except to deliver passengers or to receive passengers who shall have previously employed them, and then for the shortest possible time, occupying such space for that purpose as may be designated by the station officers. ’ ’

The single question here for our determination is, were the contract and rules above set forth such as the Union Depot Company might lawfully make and adopt? On the trial of this case in the circuit court, that court answered this in the affirmative, and found and so adjudged that said Depot Company had the right to adopt and enforce such rules and to make and perform said contract. It is to procure a reversal of this finding and judgment of the- circuit court that this proceeding in error is prosecuted.

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

Related

New York Central & Hudson River Railroad v. Flynn
26 N.Y.S. 859 (New York Supreme Court, 1893)
Brown v. New York Central & Hudson Biver Railroad
27 N.Y.S. 69 (New York Supreme Court, 1894)
Kates v. Atlanta Baggage & Cab Co.
34 S.E. 372 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1899)
Old Colony Railroad v. Tripp
17 N.E. 89 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1888)
Boston & Albany Railroad v. Brown
58 N.E. 189 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1900)
New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad v. Scovill
42 L.R.A. 157 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1898)
Montana Union Railway Co. v. Langlois
9 Mont. 419 (Montana Supreme Court, 1890)
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway Co. v. Bingham
29 Ohio St. 364 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1876)
Norfolk & Western Ry. Co. v. Old Dominion Baggage Co.
37 S.E. 784 (Supreme Court of Virginia, 1901)
Indianapolis Union Railway Co. v. Dohn
45 L.R.A. 427 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1899)
McConnell v. Pedigo
18 S.W. 15 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1892)
Kalamazoo Hack & Bus Co. v. Sootsma
10 L.R.A. 819 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1890)
Godbout v. St. Paul Union Depot Co.
47 L.R.A. 532 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1900)
Cravens v. Rodgers
101 Mo. 247 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1890)
Barney v. The D. R. Martin
2 F. Cas. 892 (U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Eastern New York, 1873)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
71 Ohio St. (N.S.) 379, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-sheets-v-union-depot-co-ohio-1905.