Woodruff v. New York & New England Railroad

20 A. 17, 59 Conn. 63, 1890 Conn. LEXIS 5
CourtSupreme Court of Connecticut
DecidedMay 5, 1890
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 20 A. 17 (Woodruff v. New York & New England Railroad) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Woodruff v. New York & New England Railroad, 20 A. 17, 59 Conn. 63, 1890 Conn. LEXIS 5 (Colo. 1890).

Opinions

Andrews, C. J.

Prior to the passing of the several resolutions hereinafter mentioned, the New York & New England Railroad, a double track railway from Boston to the Hudson river, and the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, another double track railway from Boston by way of Springfield to the city of New York, crossed Asylum street, a much traveled highway in the city of Hartford, side by side and at grade. The situation was further complicated by the fact that each of the railroad companies had one or more side tracks crossing the street parallel to their main tracks and extending a considerable distance each way therefrom, and that the passenger station used in common by the two companies was immediately contiguous to said street. It was a condition of things exceptional and dangerous—dangerous to travel along the street and dangerous to every train on both the railroads, and perhaps most dangerous of all to persons approaching or leaving the station. In the year 1884 the General Assembly, in the exercise of its supreme authority, determined that it was necessary for the public safety that this dangerous condition be changed by separating the grade between the street and the tracks of the railroads, and to that end passed a resolution, approved April 4th, 1884, and which is on page 1026, volume 9 [79]*79of the Special Laws. The sixth section of that resolution was amended by a resolution approved March 3d, 1885, found on page 21 of volume 10 of the Special Laws. In the year 1885 another resolution was passed, and approved March 26th, 1885, found on page 80 of volume 10 Special Laws; and in 1886 still another resolution, approved February 19th, 1886, found on page 212, of volume 10 Special Laws. These are the several resolutions referred to in and made part of the application in the present case.

In reference to these resolutions, and speaking of them all as parts of one act, as in fact they are-, this court in Woodruff v. Catlin, 54 Conn., 295, said:—“The act in scope and purpose concerns the protection of life. Neither in intent nor fact does it increase or diminish the assets either of the city or of the railroad corporations. It is the exercise of the governmental power and duty to secure a safe highway. The legislature having determined that the intersection of two railways with a highway in the city of Hartford at grade is a nuisance dangerous to life, in the absence of action on the part either of the city or of the railroads may compel them severally to become the owner of the right to lay out new highways and new railroads over such land and in such manner as will separate the grade of the railways from that of the street at intersection; and may compel them to use the right for the accomplishment of the desired end; may determine that the expense shall be paid by either corporation alone or in part by both, and may enforce obedience to its judgment. That the legislature of this state has the power to do all this for the specified purpose, and to do it through the instrumentality of a commission, it is now only necessary to state, not to argue.”

To abolish this grade crossing and to insure the safety of the public thereat the legislature invested its commission with very broad powers. It was authorized and empowered to order the carrying of the tracks and the structure therefor over Asylum street, and direct such a change in the grade of the street in its present line and direction as they should judge necessary and proper to the end aforesaid, and [80]*80to order the railroad companies or either of them to lay out, construct and maintain a new line or lines of railroad for a distance not exceeding one half a mile on each side of the street and within three hundred feet of the center line of the present tracks of the railroads, and require any or all the present tracks within these limits to be taken up and removed; to make any and all orders relating to said improvement and to all matters and things appertaining thereto, which they might deem necessary and proper, in the same manner and to the same extent that the General Assembly itself might do and direct. And it was authorized to direct by whom, when, and how, the work should be performed. And that there might be no failure in accomplishing the purpose which the legislature had in view, it was provided how vacancies in the commission should be filled; that the decision or action of the board of commissioners had by a majority thereof should in all matters appertaining to its duties have the full force and authority .and be regarded as I-the decision and action of the board. (And finally it was ¡ authorized to apply to any court of competent jurisdiction ! for aid in any matter appertaining to said work, and to pro-j cure the enforcement and execution of their orders; and the courts of this state and the judges thereof were fully em- ; powered, upon proceedings brought by or at the instance of '■ the commissioners, to enforce by mandamus or otherwise i, the orders of the commissioners made under the authority of !■ said resolutions. \ Even with such a panoply of power the history of the commission appointed by the resolutions shows that it had no easy task. There were divergent counsels to be harmonized, rival if not hostile interests to be placated and so far as possible to be brought into accord, and there were contradictory plans to be considered, re-considered, modified, accepted or rejected.

At an early stage in its labors the commission had it in contemplation to remove the grade crossing by a plan called the “westside ” or the “Bunce” plan, which was to change the tracks of the railroads a few feet westerly from their present line and to carry the street over them upon a bridge, [81]*81and had made orders and commenced proceedings towards carrying out that plan. But' on the 11th day of March, 1887, the commission voted that the vote adopting the “Bunce” or “west side” plan, and all other votes and orders theretofore made and passed in accordance therewith, and confirming, approving, renewing and re-enacting the same, be and the same were rescinded. At the same meeting it was also voted “ that the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company, and the New York & New England Railroad Company, are hereby ordered to carry their tracks over Asylum street, leaving a clear space ber tween said structure and said street of not less than sixteen feet, in general accordance with the plan and drawings submitted to the commission February 4, 1887, and marked ‘Proposed Station at Hartford, Conn., Feb. 15, 1887 and for this puipose the city of Hartford is hereby directed to lower the grade of said street under said tracks two feet; and in case of disagreement between said parties details of construction to be hereafter determined by this commission.”

The plan and the drawings referred to in this vote do not appear in the record before us. It is very evident however from the prominent reference which it received in the vote that the “ station at Hartford ” was a material if not a controlling feature in the plan thus adopted. To carry the tracks of the railroads over the street so as to leave a clear space of sixteen feet, would require the structure to be commenced from a third to a half mile distant from the street. Such a structure would necessarily have to conform to, or be conformed to by, the station. It is therefore highly probable that the entire plan according to which the two railroads were to carry their tracks over Asylum street was made to depend upon the question of that station. The more so when it is kept in mind that “ depots for passengers and freight are essential parts of the railroads themselves.” State ex rel.

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Bluebook (online)
20 A. 17, 59 Conn. 63, 1890 Conn. LEXIS 5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/woodruff-v-new-york-new-england-railroad-conn-1890.