Orcutt v. Woodard
Orcutt v. Woodard
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff is the owner of the E. % of the N. E. % of section 23, township 90, range 26, and the intervener is the owner of the west half of the same quarter section. In the northeast corner of the plaintiff’s land is a lake covering about twenty-four acres, including a part of the public highway, which extends along the entire east side of said farm. Some twenty-five years ago a six-inch tile drain was laid from said lake diagonally across the north half of the plaintiff’s farm and extending about twenty rods into the intervener’s land on the west, where it was left in an unfinished condition. This drain was constructed under an oral agreement, whereby it was to be extended across the Woodard land to a deep ravine or outlet in the south-Avest corner of the farm. It was never completed, however, and now lacks about seventy rods of being so completed. The evidence shows conclusively that the drain was constructed for the sole purpose of carrying off the overflow water from the lake mentioned, and thereby prevent the flooding of the public highway. But, in this connection, it must be observed that the tile was laid down through a natural SAvale or water course which naturally took the drainage from a part of the plaintiff’s land. Within two or three years before this suit was brought, the plaintiff constructed three tile drains through his farm, all of which are connected with the main drain from the lake and discharge Avater into the same. At least one of these lateral drains collects and discharges into the central drain water which would
The court erred in striking the petition of intervention, and the. amendment to. the answer. Code, section 3594, provides that any person who has an interest in the matter in litigation or any interest in the success of either party to the action, or an interest against both, may become a party to an action between other persons, “ either by joining the plaintiff in claiming what is sought by the petition, or by uniting with the defendant in resisting the claim of the plaintiff, or by demanding anything adversely to both the plaintiff and defendant.” The intervener was interested in the matter in litigation because it related solely to a tile drain discharging its water on her land in an unlawful manner, as she alleged, and to her great damage. She was interested in preventing an order which would restrain her tenant and agent from abating what she declared was a private nuisance. Tier petition alleged -that the plaintiff was casting upon her land through the drain in question water which would otherwise naturally flow elsewhere, and,
The defendants by the amendment to their answer plead substantially the same matter as the intervener did, alleging in addition thereto that they were acting for her, and, if so, their defense was complete.
The judgment must be, and it is, reversed and the case remanded for proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion. — Reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John Orcutt v. John Woodard, Sr., John Woodard, Jr., and Mercy Woodard, Intervener
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published