Charlton v. Southern Pacific R. Co.
Charlton v. Southern Pacific R. Co.
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff commenced this action on September 30, 1890, to quiet his title as against the defendant to a tract of land in Los Angeles county, described as “fractional section 7, in township 2 north, range 16 west, San Bernardino base and meridian,’’ The complaint alleged “that the plaintiff is now, and for a long time hitherto has been, in the possession of and is the owner (subject only to the paramount title of the United States) of that certain real property situate,” etc. The answer denied the plaintiff’s possession or ownership of the land described, subject only to the paramount title of the United States, admitted that defendant claimed an interest in and to said property adverse to the plaintiff, and denied that its claim was without right. It then alleged, in substance, that the land in controversy was granted to defendant by act of Congress of March 3, 1871; that a map of definite location of the grant, including the land in controversy, and showing the same to be within the twenty-mile limit of the grant, was filed by defendant in the office of the commissioner of the general 'land office on April 3, 1891, and that defendant completed its railroad opposite to the said land in 1876; “that by reason of the aforesaid acts this defendant is the owner of the land in controversy, and is entitled to the patent therefor”; “that the said lands and premises have never been finally and completely surveyed by the proper officers of the United States, so that a patent therefor could issue, but this defendant is informed and believes, and so states the fact to be, that, when the proper returns of the survey of said lands are made, a patent will forthwith issue for the said lands and premises to this defendant.” The case was tried without a jury, and the court found: “ (1) The plaintiff was not at the time of filing the complaint herein, or for any length of time prior thereto, and is not now, the owner or in possession, subject to the paramount title of the United States, of the land described in the complaint, or any portion thereof;
In support of the appeal it is contended that the findings do not respond to or cover all the issues raised by the pleadings, and that the first finding, if construed to mean that the-plaintiff was not in possession of the premises in controversy at the time the action was commenced, is not sustained by the .evidence, and hence that the judgment and order should be reversed. The second finding is not assailed on the ground that the evidence was insufficient to justify it. The only evidence brought up in the record is that of the plaintiff. He testified: “I reside upon fractional section seven,” etc. “At the time the complaint in this action was filed, I was in possession of all the premises described therein. I have been in possession of it ever since October, 1889. I am cultivating the land, and raising bees.....I know that this land is a part of section seven, for the reason that it has been surveyed, and there is a section corner stake at the southwest part of-the land. It is along the border of the San Fernando grant. I believe the survey has been returned, but do not know’ of my own knowledge. An officer at Washington informed me so.” The case then seems to be this: The plaintiff took possession of the land in controversy, and when he had occupied it for less than a year commenced this action to have his title to it quieted. It does not appear that he had the qualifications necessary to enable him to take up any land under the
We concur: Searls, C.; Vanclief, C.
For the reasons given in the foregoing opinion the judgment and order appealed from are affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CHARLTON v. SOUTHERN PACIFIC R. CO.
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Quieting Title.—Mere Possession of Land Within the Limits of a grant to a railroad company, which had complied with the terms of the grant, but had not received a patent from the United States, will not enable such person to maintain an action to quiet title against the railroad company, where he does not show that he was qualified to take land under the pre-emption or homestead laws, or that he settled on it with the intention of filing a pre-emption or homestead claim.