Sundquist v. Halloran
Sundquist v. Halloran
Opinion of the Court
The complaint in this case alleges, among other matters, that the defendants have discharged upon the plaintiff’s mining claim earth, gravel, débris, and tailings, and that they threaten further to discharge the same upon said claim, to the irreparable damage of plaintiff, and the plaintiff prays that the defendants be enjoined from doing these things. The defendants deny in their answer the allegations of the complaint. The defendants also present other defenses to the issuing of an injunction against defendants, none of which are tenable or applicable to the case here.
There can be no doubt of the power of a court of equity to grant injunctive relief in a case, if the evidence shows that
“In a state where placer mining is a leading industry, the fact that tailings are carried into an irrigation ditch and upon the land below, because of the operation of a placer mine, will not justify an injunction, if the damage to the lower proprietor is nominal or slight. The fact that, in addition, to polluting the running, water, the appropriator has caused débris to be deposited on the lower proprietor’s land, is, however, in all jurisdictions, a clear violation of the lower proprietor’s rights, and in a given case may be a nuisance, and, of course, may call for and receive injunctive relief.”
See, also, Pomeroy’s Equity Jurisprudence, book 5, volume 1? section 501, wherein it is said:
“In the subject of trespass as elsewhere, the main function of an injunction is to preserve property from future injury. Courts will not, however, enjoin against a mere speculative or possible injury. Instead, a reasonable probability of the injury resulting must be shown. Hence, if defendant has neither done nor threatened any wrongful acts, and denies his intention to do the acts against which an injunction is sought, it will be refused. On the other hand, if XJlaintiff shows that defendant has threatened to do acts of the kind which equity enjoins, that is enough to rest his case upon. And threats may be purely verbal, without any acts, or they may consist of acts from which the inference as to defendant’s intention may be made. * * * ”
See, also, Moore v. Halliday, 43 Or. 243, 72 Pac. 801, and note, 99 Am. St. Rep. 724-731, et seq.
While the evidence in this case is more sharply conflicting than almost that of any case that has been before me, due evidently to the factional spirit of the parties and the witnesses on both sides, I am of the opinion that the preponderance of the evidence is with the plaintiff; (1) that there has been an actual invasion of plaintiff’s mining claim by débris from defendants’ mining claim; and (2) that the plaintiff is threatened with a further invasion of his property; for, although the defendants disclaim any intention of this, yet the previous invasion, coupled with the mining system and conditions pursued by the defendants and existing on their 19 Bench mining claim, justify the inference of defendants’ intention to commit further acts of trespass upon plaintiff’s 19 Creek claim below.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SUNDQUIST v. HALLORAN
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by Editorial Staff.) 1. Mines and Minerals A court of equity may grant injunctive relief against an actual or threatened invasion of plaintiff’s property by the discharge thereon of tailings, débris, etc., from defendants’ mining claim. 2. Mines and Minerals In a suit to enjoin the discharge of débris and tailings from a mining claim on plaintiff’s claim, an intention on defendants’ part to commit further acts of trespass on plaintiff’s claim might he inferred from the previous invasion of plaintiff’s property, coupled with the mining system and conditions pursued by defendants and existing on their mining claim.