Louisville & Nashville Railroad v. Kentucky Midland Railroad
Louisville & Nashville Railroad v. Kentucky Midland Railroad
Opinion of the Court
DELIVERED THE OPINION OF THE COURT.
' Decision of this case depends upon meaning and application of tlie following contract: “Whereas The Kentucky Midland Railway Company wishes to form a connection of its main track with one of the side tracks of The Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company, near the warehouse east of High street and north of The Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company’s main track in the
The action was brought September 24, 1890, by The Kentucky Midland Railway Company and The Home. Construction Company, the latter having, in 1888, leased of the former company'its road and now operating it, to enjoin The Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company placing any of its cars upon that part of the main track of the plaintiff, Kentucky Midland Railway Company, between the northeast corner of South’s warehouse, where it connects with one of defendant’s side tracks, as shown by the paper made part of the contract, and the eastern line of defendant’s freight yard, or in any manner whatever interfering with plaintiff’s occupation and use of said track.
The Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company in its answer made a counter-claim, set up various grounds of defense and prayed said contract be adjudged of no legal effect, except as a temporary license revocable at its pleasure.
Upon final hearing the chancellor adjudged that The Kentucky Midland Railway Company and The Home Construction Company, as its lessee, are entitled to have, hold and maintain upon the freight yard of The Louisville & Nashville Company its main track of railway as now situated, from the eastern boundary of said freight yard along south margin thereof to the point of connection of same with one of the latter company’s sidetracks at northeast corner of South’s warehouse, and have the rightto operate, maintain and use said track, free from control, obstruction and interference of defendant; and,
The effect of that judgment is to give to The Kentucky Midland Company absolute and exclusive possession and control of said track, extending about 197 feet, to be used and enjoyed by it, or its lessee, without right of The Louisville & Nashville Company, owner of the laud on which it is situated, to place cars thereon, for any purpose whatever, without its consent.
It seems to us such construction and ajDpiication of the contract in question is palpably variant from its true meaning- and intention of the parties and is no less than arbitrarily taking, under form of judicial process, the property of one, and, without compensation, giving it to another. For it is too plain for discussion that The Kentucky Midland Company asked, and The Louisville & Nashville Company agreed to permit it, to extend its main track to a suitable point of juncture with a side track of the latter, for the sole purpose of forming a connection of their roads whereby to create and facilitate interchange of business. The Louisville & Nashville Company had no iuterest in such extension of The Kentucky Midland
Clearly, The Kentucky Midland Company has, under the contract, no right to use that part of its main track laid inside the freight yard of The Louisville & Nashville Company for any other purpose than the interchange of business between the two companies, nor right to place thereon or remove therefrom any cars except such as may be destined for, or brought from, The Louisville & Nashville Road.
It is equally clear to us that the writing in question, formally signed as it is by officers of both companies, does not import a mere license given without consideration and revocable at pleasure by The Louisville & Nashville Company. Rut it is, in substance and meaning, an
It is however alleged, and, we think, shown, that in virtue of a verbal agreement, upon faith of which The Kentucky Midland Company paid for removing and repairing that part of the switch track alongside of said warehouse, the two companies were to have joint use of it for passage of cars from one main track to the other. It would seem, independent of an express agreement, that use of that part of the switch track would be necessary, in order to facilitate the purpose for which the track of 197 feet was constructed, and a right to reasonable use would be a result of the contract, and there was no necessity to fix, by judgment, the right to such use.
For the reasons indicated, the judgment is reversed and cause remanded for dissolution of the injunction, except to the extent it restrains The Louisville & Nashville Company from obstructing use of the track of 197 feet for interchange of business between the two companies, and for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.