Utah Power & Light Co. v. Richmond Irr. Co.

13 P.2d 320, 80 Utah 105, 1932 Utah LEXIS 9
Utah Supreme Court·Decided July 22, 1932·No. No. 5259.·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinion

MOFFAT, District Judge.

In this proceeding the defendants Petersen were cited into court upon an order to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt of court for alleged violation of a decree of the court, wherein the waters of the Blacksmith Fork river, as well as other waters tributary to Bear river, were adjudicated. It appears that a decree was entered on February 21, 1922, wherein defendants Petersen were awarded 3 cubic feet of water per second out of Curtis creek, a tributary to Blacksmith Fork river, for the irrigation of 155 acres on the lands referred to as the Hardware Ranch. It further appears that the Hyrum Irrigation Company, the Providence-Blacksmith’ Fork Irrigation Company, and the Millville Irrigation Company were parties to the decree, and were each awarded 40 cubic feet per second with a priority as of May 1, 1861, out of Blacksmith Fork river.

On behalf of the plaintiffs an affidavit was filed and an order issued, requiring the defendants Petersen to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt.

The affidavit is challenged by demurrer both general and special. The demurrer was overruled and thereupon the defendants answered. Issues were joined; testimony was taken; the defendants were found guilty of contempt of court. Findings of fact, conclusions of law, and judgment were made and entered. The defendants appeal.

Nineteen errors are assigned. Many of the errors assigned go to substantially the same point. Many others become subsidiary and immaterial when the case is approached from the analysis of the pleadings and principles involved. Analyzed accordingly, four matters require attention.

*108 *107 The defendants are brought before the court upon an affidavit. The affidavit and the judgment or decree in the *108 original case referred to, and to which the defendants were parties, form the basis of the charge, and as pleadings take the place of a complaint. In order to arrive at the issues it is necessary to set out the affidavit in full. It is as follows :

“State of Utah, County of Cache, ss.:
“Joseph H. Fuhriman, being first duly sworn deposes and says: That the Hyrum Irrigation Company, a corporation, Providence-Blacksmith Fork Irigation Company, a corporation, Millville Irrigation Company, a corporation, and Ernest Petersen, Ernest Petersen, Jr., and Algernon Petersen, were, each and every one of them, defendants, with other defendants, in the above entitled action.
“That said action was brought for the purpose of adjudicating the waters of Blacksmth Fork River, a tributary of Bear River.
“That by the terms of the decree in said above entitled action the three corporations above named were each awarded 40 cubic feet per second of the flow of Blacksmith Fork River with a priority of May 1st, 1861, for use throughout the entire irrigation season of each year and 10 cubic feet for use from spring until July 10th each year.
“That the South Cache Milling Company, a corporation, was awarded in said decree 30 cubic feet per second of said flow with a priority of May 1, 1859, for use throughout the irrigation season of each year.
“That the three corporations above named purchased the rights of the South Cache Milling Company, a corporation, and are now the owner and holder of said rights.
“That all of the waters above mentioned are necessary for the proper irrigation of the lands of the stockholders of said corporations and said waters have been so used and placed to beneficial use.
“That by the terms of said decree the three individual defendants above name were jointly awarded 3 cubic feet per second of said flow with a priority as of May 1, 1870, which said priority is subsequent to and inferior to the priorities of the three corporate defendants above named.
“That the flow of said Blacksmith Fork River has decreased until it is much less than 150 cubic feet per second, to wit, not to exceed 72 cubic feet per second that that at all times in this complaint mentioned, the corporate defendants have been and now are entitled to the entire flow of said stream and that the individual defendants, nor either of them, are not entitled to the use of any of said flow.
“That on divers occasions prior to the year 1930, the corporate defendants have caused the individual defendants to be notified of *109 said decree and have been advised by said individual defendants that they are acquainted with the contents of the same.
“That on divers occasions and in particular on or about the 30th day of June, 1931, and since said stream has fallen below a flow of 120 cubic feet per second, and while said defendants had no right to the use of any of said water, the individual defendants an each of them, unlawfully, willfully, an intentionally diverted from said stream a flow of approximately 7 cubic feet per second and used the same to irrigate lands belonging to said defendants last mentioned.
“That said individuals have threatened, and now threaten and intend to continue to so divert said waters in violation of the terms and conditions of said decree and in contempt of the provisions thereof.
“That affiant is the President of the Providence-Blacksmith Fork Irrigation Company, a corporation, and authorized to make this affidavit on behalf of the three corporate defendants, and that he makes this affidavit on behalf of each and every one of said corporations.
“Wherefore affiant prays that an order be issued out of this court directing each of said defendants, Ernest Petersen, Ernest Petersen, Jr., and Algernon Petersen to show cause if any he has, why he should not be punished for contempt of this court, and for such other and further relief as to the court shall seem meet and proper including the costs of this action.
“J. H. Fuhriman.
“Subscribed and sworn to before me this 30th day of July, 1031. Ernest T. Young, Notary Public, Residing at Logan, Utah.
“Commission expires: 10 — 24—32.”

To this affidavit a demurrer and an answer and further answer were filed. The demurrer attacked the sufficiency of the affidavit upon three grounds:

“1. That the said affidavit does not state and set forth facts sufficient to show any contempt on the part of these defendants for said decree.
“2. That said affidavit does not set forth facts showing any substantial loss of water to the said irrigation companies complaining, on account of alleged acts of these defendants or either of them.
“3.

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Utah Power & Light Co. v. Richmond Irr. Co., 13 P.2d 320, 80 Utah 105, 1932 Utah LEXIS 9 (Utah 1932).

13 P.2d 320 (Utah Power & Light Co. v. Richmond Irr. Co.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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