Fresno Street Railroad v. Southern Pacific Railroad
Fresno Street Railroad v. Southern Pacific Railroad
Opinion of the Court
This is an action of ejectment, brought to recover a portion of the right of way claimed by the plaintiff, lying upon Tulare Avenue, a highway in Fresno County. Verdict and judgment went for the plaintiff in the court below, and this appeal is from the judgment and from an order denying defendants’ motion for a new trial. The appellants make two points on the appeal: 1. That the action of ejectment is not maintainable for the sort of injury here involved;
It is not questioned on the part of the appellants that there is a class of cases wherein an action will lie for the recovery of a right of way, but it is claimed that in all such cases there is an exclusive right of possession in the body politic, corporation, or person seeking to enforce such a remedy; as, for instance, a city or other municipal body may maintain ejectment for the recovery of a street or park, and a county, to recover a public road or highway. Such were the cases of Visalia v. Jacob, 65 Cal. 434,
• In San Francisco v. Grote, 120 Cal. 59,
The evidence shows such an acquiescence or consent in the use of the right of way by the San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company, predecessor in interest of the defendants, as would defeat a recovery in this action, even if- ejectment were the proper remedy. In the evidence produced on behalf of the respondent, the following occurs, in the testimony of Mr. J. R. White, president of said company: “I did not bring any suit at that time to enjoin them from doing it. They said if I would not enjoin them, put them to any trouble, that they would pay for all the damages. —Q. Yes, that is the agreement you made, wasn’t it? You stated there that they said if you would let them go on and build their road without interference or interruption, that afterwards they would pay for whatever damages you suffered?—A. I had no power to let them go on.—Q. I am not talking about the power; but that is the arrangement you made with the president of the road—with Mr. Pollasky? —A. Well, I didn’t stop them; I didn’t stop them any further.—Q. Just answer the question if that is not so?—A. What arrangement,—what do you have reference to?—Q. That you, as president of the road or the company, would not prevent them from laying their rails upon your roadbed, and interfere with the progress of the road; and Mr. Pollasky,—he was president of the San Joaquin Valley Railroad?—A. Yes.—Q. He agreed that if you would not prevent them, or the company would not prevent them, that he would see you were paid whatever damages the company suffered by the use of that road there?—A. Well, I didn’t make any such agreement with him, because I had not power to make them.—Q. What did you say to him, then?—A. I think the matter kind of dropped there; that I didn’t make no arrangements because I had no power, but might have said that we would call the company together, something of that kind. I can’t tell just what the conversation was. It was a long time ago.—Q. And the result of it all was that you and Mr. Pollasky—he as
The owner in fee even cannot permit a railroad company to construct and operate its road through his land upon an understanding that compensation shall thereafter be made for the right of way, and then maintain ejectment if the damages be not made as per agreement. His remedy in such case is an action to recover the compensation. After the interview between the president of the San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company and the president and vice-president of the respondent, Fresno Street Railroad Company, as detailed by respondent’s witnesses, the San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company went on with its work, and built and operated some twenty miles of railroad, without any further opposition or interference on the part of the respondent. A failure to bring an action, where the right exists, until after public interests have intervened will prevent its successful prosecution. Acquiescence for a considerable period after the railroad company has entered upon its duties will defeat the action to recover possession. In Mitchell v. New Orleans etc. R. R. Co., 41 La. Ann. 363, the court says: “Surely the defendant’s act, in openly entering upon plaintiff’s land, with plaintiff’s knowledge, and in full view of his domicile, and constructing thereon a most important link in their transcontinental railway, could not subject it to such consequences.” But this is not an open question, however, as it has been by us twice considered and decided adversely to plaintiff’s contention, and in cases cited in plaintiff’s brief. In Bourdier v. Morgan’s etc. R. R. Co., 35 La. Ann. 949, it is said: “If the entry was unlawful, the plaintiffs condoned it. They should, at once, and peremptorily, have forbidden the entry of the defendant, if they intended to dispute its right to the roadbed, etc. . . . They
But it is contended that respondent is not bound by the acts of its president and other officers in this matter. The company, under the circumstances, however, must have known what was going on in a matter affecting its interests, and the law will presume it did know what its president and vice-president knew. Being thus fully advised in the premises, it permitted the San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company to go on with its work and construct its road, and, as already stated, allowed it and appellants, its successors in interest, to operate the same for about four years unmolested. In such case a corporation is bound in like manner as an individual would be bound. As said in Balfour v. Fresno Canal etc., 123 Cal. 397, “It must be presumed that the corporation had full knowledge of all the facts which were known to its president. The president of a corporation is the proper person to whom notice which is to affect a corporation is to be given. The corporation has no eyes, ears, or understanding, save through its agents. The president is considered the head of the corporation, and it is his duty to report to the trustees information affecting the interests of the corporation. And the presumption is that he does so. Usually this is a conclusive presumption. (Thompson on Corporations, see. 5288.) Appellant’s counsel seems to appreciate the force of this rule, but contends that it ought not to be applied in this case. ‘It would destroy all safeguards and all protection to corporate property,—at least to the extent wherein the power of making, authorizing, or ratifying contracts is reserved to the board of directors. ’ Corporate property-is no more sacred than any other property, and cor
Judgment and order reversed and cause remanded.
Garoutte, J., and Harrison, J., concurred.
Hearing in Bank denied.
52 Am. Rep. 303.
65 Am. St. Rep. 155.
50 Am. Rep. 149.
25 Am. Rep. 564.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FRESNO STREET RAILROAD COMPANY v. SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY, and SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPANY
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Highway—Bailroad Bight of Way—Fbanohise—Basement—Ejectment.—A railroad right of way over a public highway, based upon an incorporeal franchise or easement granted by the board of supervisors of the county, will not sustain an action of ejectment. Id.—Use of Bight of Way by Another Company—Consent—Acquiescence—Compensation.—A railroad company which has, by its consent or acquiescence, permitted another company to use part of its right of way for a railroad, cannot, after the other railroad has been constructed and operated for a considerable period, maintain ejectment against such other railroad company or its successor in interest; but its remedy is limited to an action to recover compensation therefor. Id.—Acts of Officers—Knowledge'of Bailroad Company—Presumption—Acquiescence.—The railroad company is presumed to know of the acts of its president and other officers in consenting to the construction of another railroad, and where, with such presumed knowledge, it acquiesced in its construction and operation without objection for four years, the company is bound thereby.