Nucko v. National By-Products, Inc.
Nucko v. National By-Products, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff is the owner and operator of a farm located adjacent to and south and east of Albia, Iowa.
The defendant-corporation acquired title to the rendering plant and other adjacent land about 1936. This tract of land
“The party of the first part in- and for the consideration hereinafter named does hereby agree, consent, sell'and convey unto the party of the second part, its heirs and assigns for a period of ten (10) years, an easement and right to overflow the lands of the party of the first part. For the consideration of the easement and rights herein granted the party of the second part does by these presents agree to pay to George Nueko, the party of the first part, at Albia, Iowa, the sum of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per year, commencing in the year 1938, receipt of said Fifty Dollars ($50.00) being hereby acknowledged by the party of the first part, and continuing for a term of ten (10) years. The said Fifty Dollars ($50.00) payable in 1939 shall be paid on or before the 1st day of July, A. D. 1939 and on or before said date on each year thereafter.
“It is further expressly understood and agreed that the consideration paid for this easement as herein stated is in full consideration.for any and all damage done to the party of the first part.”
Several witnesses testified relative to the annual damage to a portion of the north forty acres which it is claimed was affected by the restraining of the water by the dam. These witnesses, along with the plaintiff, testified that the condition of the land and the creek was the same or was very little changed at the time of the trial from September 1948. In fact, in plaintiff’s brief submitted to this court it is stated: “At the time of the trial in district court the creek and adjacent areas were about in the same condition as they were on September 8, 1948.”
The plaintiff contends that because of the dam he should have a decree enjoining the defendant from maintaining an overflow at a height which results in damages from the accumulation of earth and quicksand in the creek bed and ground surrounding the creek in the north forty acres, all of which prevents
It is tbe defendant’s contention that tbe testimony relative to damages was not limited to tbe period for which tbe relief was asked and that there is no showing of any damage to plaintiff’s land other than that for which be was paid during tbe ten-year period covered by tbe easement agreement.
It should be kept in mind that tbe plaintiff obtained title to tbe south forty acres from tbe defendant or its predecessors by deed dated May 14, 1946, which excepted to tbe defendant a perpetual right and easement to overflow tbe south forty acres. This exception in tbe deed is as follows:
“There is also excepted from tbe foregoing description and hereby specifically reserved to tbe National By-Products, Incorporated, and its successors and assigns, the perpetual right and easement to overflow the following described premises in Monroe County, Iowa: Tbe southeast quarter of tbe northeast quarters of Section 27, Township 72, North Range 17, West of tbe 5th P.M., Monroe County, Iowa, all in connection with a dam and pond now located on Sub-division 1 of Lot 2 of‘the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 26, Township 72, North Range 17, West of the 5th P. M., Monroe County, Iowa
I. It is plaintiff’s contention that despite the payment of $50 a year by the defendant and its predecessor in title during the period of the easement agreement there were accrued damages for which plaintiff could recover after the termination of the agreement. It will be noted that in this agreement it is therein provided, “* * * that the consideration paid for this easement * * * is in full consideration for any and all damage done to the party of the first part.” Inasmuch as there is no evidence of any additional damages after September 8, 1948, which fact is conceded by the plaintiff, we cannot see how any additional damages can now be recovered under the record. We likewise have concluded that the easement agreement must be
We see no necessity of setting forth the law and our cases applicable to matters of drainage and watercourses. They do not seem to be in controversy. The whole issue appears to be relative to the construction that should be placed on the easement agreement. We have concluded that the evidence does not justify any recovery by the plaintiff or the issuance of a mandatory injunction and that the trial court properly sustained the motion to dismiss his cause of action. We therefore affirm. — -Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.