Higuera v. Del Ponte
Higuera v. Del Ponte
Opinion of the Court
Appeal from judgment in favor of defendants Del Ponte and Pérsico, and from the order denying plaintiff’s motion for a new trial.
The action is in form an action to quiet title to a tract of land described as “lot seven (7) of the Higuera Rancho,” but, as appears from the answer of defendants Del Ponte and Pérsico, and from the statement on motion for new trial, the only real controversy in the case was as to the ownership of certain water flowing from a spring on lot 7 of said rancho, through an iron pipe, to lot 4 of said rancho, and the right 5of way therefor. Defendants pleaded that they were the owners, of said water, water right, and right of way, and specially pleaded “that for more than five years prior to the commencement of this action they and their grantors have been in the open, notorious, continuous, peaceful, uninterrupted use and occupation of all that part or portion of said water flowing from the said spring on said lot seven of said Higuera Rancho, and to the said lot four of said Higuera Rancho; that the said use and occupation of said water as aforesaid has been for all of said time hostile and adverse to any claim of all persons, and that the said water had been so used by the said defendants and their grantors with the full knowledge of the said plaintiff. ’ ’ The court found the facts in accordance with the plea of the prescriptive right thus set up, and gave judgment accordingly. Appellant attacks the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain this finding.
This action was commenced July 21, 1903. The Higuera Rancho, prior to her death, belonged to the mother of plaintiff. In 1886 she caused a pipe to be laid from a spring situate on lot 7, now the property of plaintiff, to lot 4, now the property of defendants, for the purpose of conveying water to the family dwelling, which was situate on the portion of the rancho now known as “lot 4.” From that time
Both parties introduced evidence to show whether or not the spring that is the subject of this controversy was one of the two springs referred to in this decree. While plaintiff and several of his relatives testified that the spring from which the iron pipe leads was one of two nearest Bernardo’s house, and was intended to be reserved to Bernardo, other witnesses testified that there were at least two other springs nearer said house than the one in controversy. Indeed, counsel for appellant concedes that on this point the evidence is conflicting, but the point seems to be of little or no importance as to the prescriptive right pleaded by defendants. The fact is, as abundantly appears from the record, that Martin Higuera and the successive owners of lot 4 continued to use the water flowing from said spring through said pipe openly and with full knowledge of plaintiff and of all persons in interest. It is claimed, however, that the use has not been uninterrupted, and has not been adverse. But upon these points we think the evidence was of such a nature as to warrant the court in finding that for more than five years before the commencement of the action the use had been continuous and adverse. While the evidence shows that there was a stop-cock in the pipe near the spring, no witness was produced that ever turned off the water, either by the stop-cock or by any other means. There was no cock or other means of stopping the flow of the water at the outlet of the pipe on lot 4. The plaintiff was himself
Evidence was also given by the defendants to the effect that after their purchase of lot 4 plaintiff applied to them to put in a faucet at the house on lot 4 so that so much water would not be wasted. He asked it as a favor to Mrs. Mesa. This seems inconsistent with his present claim that he had the right to shut off the water from lot 4 at his pleasure.
The decree does not award to defendants all the waters of the spring in question, but only such as flows through the pipe.
The judgment and order are affirmed.
We concur: Harrison, P. J.; Cooper, J.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- HIGUERA v. DEL PONTE
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Water Bights—Prescription.—In an Action to Quiet Title to certain land, evidence held sufficient to sustain a finding that defendants had acquired a prescriptive right to the use of waters of a spring located on plaintiff’s land and flowing through a pipe to the land belonging to defendants.