Indiana Union Traction Co. v. Seisler
Indiana Union Traction Co. v. Seisler
Opinion of the Court
On February 10, 1903, Josiah P. Jones was the owner of an 80-acre farm in Miami County and on that day conveyed to appellants a strip of ground across this farm to he used as a right of way for an electric interurban
‘ ‘ The bridge over Little Pipe Creek shall be sufficient length and height to allow said Jones to haul all farm products under and through. Also the ro>ad under the bridge of the right of way shall be kept open on the east and west sides to allow said Jones to reach the road under said bridge with said products; the said Jones is also to have a grade crossing for wagons on or near where the crossing now is at the foot of the hill.”
After the conveyance of the right of way to appellants, Jones conveyed the farm to appellee who brought this suit to enforce the specific performance of the covenants heretofore set out. The issues were tried by the court which made a special finding of facts and pronounced its conclusions of law thereon. A decree was entered, in which the court directed that appellant company should make and construct a grade crossing for teams and wagons with proper and suitable approaches thereto, at or near the point where the crossing was at the foot of the hill at the time of the conveyance from J. P. Jones and wife, to the Indiana Union Traction Company. As to the bridge over Little Pipe Creek and as to the road under the bridge, the court refused to direct specific performance and ordered that appellee take nothing by his complaint. This part of the decree which is unfavorable to appellee is not assailed, and the only questions presented on this appeal relate to that part of the decree whereby appellants were directed to specifically perform the part of the covenant in the deed, with respect to the grade crossing.
The judgment is reversed and the trial" court is directed to restate its conclusions of law in accordance with this opinion and to enter judgment accordingly.
070rehearing
Appellee in his petition for a rehearing insists, (1) that the court erred in holding that he had a full and adequate remedy at law, as against the appellants, to enforce the construction of a private grade crossing over and across appellants’ interurban railroad, and that he was not entitled to the equitable remedy of specific performance; (2) that the holding of the court contravenes the rule of law as laid down in Cincinnati, etc., R. Co. v. Wall (1911), 48 Ind. App. 605, 96 N. E. 389; Lake Erie, etc., R. Co. v. Griffin (1900), 25 Ind. App. 138, 53 N. E. 1042, 57 N. E. 722; and Midland R. Co. v. Fisher (1890), 125 Ind. 19, 24 N. E. 756, 21 Am. St. 189,. 8 L. R. A. 604; (3) that the statute referred to in the original opinion as providing appellee with' a remedy at law was passed after the deed was executed upon which the appellee claims the right to enforce the construction of a private grade crossing by specific performance.
In the case of Lake Erie, etc., R. Co. v. Griffin, supra, the question decided was that where a railroad company failed to build a fence as provided by the covenants of a deed, and the owner of the real estate, out of which the right of way was carved, was deprived of the use of the land adjoining the right of way by reason thereof, that he was entitled to recover the rental value of the real estate. In Midland R. Co. v. Fisher, supra, the question decided was that the covenants in the deed from the landowner to the railroad company to erect and construct a fence as part of the consideration for the execution of the deed were enforceable against a subsequent purchaser who acquired title through the medium of sale upon foreclosure. Both of the above eases touch generally upon the relative right of a railroad company and the owner of the real estate through whose lands the road passes in reference to the construction
The original opinion discloses that the statute was invoked only in so far as it concerned the remedy, and in no way did it affect the right. If anything, the statute enlarged appellee ’s remedy, and enlarging his remedy can not be construed as impairing any of his rights under the contract. In Hill v. Merchants Mut. Ins. Co. (1890), 134 U. S. 994, 10 Sup. Ct. 589, 33 L. Ed. 994, it was held that whatever belonged merely to the remedy may be altered according to the will of the State, providing the alteration does’ not impair the obligations of the contract. To the same effect is Converse v. Aetna Nat. Bank (1906), 79 Conn. 163, 64 Atl. 341, 7 Ann. Cas. 75. The statute was enacted in reference to roads in operation at the time of the enactment or that might thereafter be constructed. Irrespective of the language in the deed, appellee had at the time of the filing of his suit for specific performance a statutory remedy, specifically pointing out the character of the private grade crossing he was entitled to, and upon failure of the appellant to build the same after notice, he had the right to enter upon such right of way and construct a crossing as provided by statute, and if the company failed to reimburse Mm therefor, and he was compelled to bring suit, his remedy included the money thus expended, together with reasonable attorney fees. Acts 1903 p. 426, §5711 Burns 1914. The deed upon which he relies went no further than to point out a location where it was agreed upon that the private grade crossing should be constructed. Inasmuch as the statute was available to appellee at the time he filed his suit for specific per
After a careful examination of the original opinion, appellee’s petition and brief for a rehearing, we are satisfied that the original opinion correctly expresses the law applicable to the issues and facts in this cause. Petition for rehearing overruled.
Note.—Reported in 106 N. E. 911; 108 N. E. 44. As to what is specific performance and the necessity of mutuality of remedy, see 27 Am. St. 173. As to specific performance to compel railroad company to perform agreement as to crossing stipulated for, in deed to railroad right of way, see 48 L. R. A. (N. S.) 387. See, also, under (1) 2 Cyc. 605; 3 Cyc. 224; (2) 16 Cyc. 30; (3, 4, 5) 33 Cyc. 317.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.