Detroit & Birmingham Plank-Road Co. v. Oakland Railway Co.
Detroit & Birmingham Plank-Road Co. v. Oakland Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
This is an injunction bill. After a full hearing it was dismissed. The complainant has brought the case here by appeal.
The appellant is a plank-road company, owning and operating a plank or gravel road extending from the city limits of the city of Detroit to the village of Birmingham, along the continuation of the street in the city of Detroit known as “Woodward Avenue.” Prior to the 1st of March, 1899, the parties entered into a contract by which complainant granted to defendant certain rights, which need not be mentioned in detail. After this contract was made, defendant constructed and operated a single-track railway from Detroit to Pontiac.
March 21, 1899, another contract was made between them, the material parts of which, so far as they relate to this controversy, read as follows:
“ Thai Whereas, second party now owns and is operating a single-track electric or street railway between a point about 246 feet north of the Kanady road, so called, on the line of Woodward avenue, extended, and a point in Birmingham, which is the northerly terminus of first party’s right of way; and
“ Whereas, second party desires to construct a second electric or street railway track between a point about 246 feet north of the Kanady road, so called, on the line of Woodward avenue, extended, and a point in the village of Birmingham, which is the northerly terminus of the first party’s right of way, upon a private right of way which it has purchased and is purchasing adjacent to the highway controlled by the first party, and through the village of Birmingham, and perhaps at one or two other points, to encroach upon the right of way of said first party; and * * * .
“Note, therefore, in consideration of the payment in cash hereinafter mentioned by second party to the first party to this instrument, said first party hereby agrees to*665 permit as aforesaid, and make no objection or not to obstruct the second party, or its assigns, from constructing, maintaining, and operating said second electric-railway track; said second electric-railway track, where it is built upon the highway, except in the village of Birmingham, to be constructed between the roadbed of said highway and the fence in such a manner as in no way to encroach upon said roadway, or hinder the public travel thereon, nor to obstruct or damage any public or private approach to said toll road. It being mutually agreed that if, at any place, it shall be necessary to construct said second electric-railway track so near the roadbed as to cause any damage or encroachment upon said roadbed, second party shall, at its expense, but under the supervision and direction of first party’s foreman, whose time shall be paid for by the second party, extend the roadbed as far upon the opposite side of the roadway as it encroaches upon it with its track or grading; such newly-built portion of the highway to be constructed in a substantial and satisfactory manner, and left in as good condition as that part of the roadway which is appropriated. And second party further agrees that, in constructing said second electric street-railway track, it will at all times have regard for the safety and convenience of teams passing along said highway, and at all places along said highway will leave ample and sufficient room for the free passing of each other by teams drawing loaded vehicles; it being the undertaking of second party in this regard that it will not in any way interfere with the safety or convenience of the traveling public which have occasion to use the toll road owned and controlled by first party.
“ It is further mutually agreed that, contemporaneously with the paving of any portion of the highway now maintained as a gravel road by the party of 'the first part, the two tracks, or either of them, of the party of the second part, may be moved to the center of the street, and there laid and constructed in accordance with the usual methods of laying track in paved streets. * * *
“If at any time said electric road shall cease to be operated by electric power, or by any other power permitted upon the streets of the city of Detroit, this agreement shall be null and void.”
Some time prior to the commencement of this suit, the «defendant had conveyed its single track and its rights
The controversy arises over the making of the connection between the double track at the Six-Mile road and the single track north of that point. It is the claim of complainant that, before the double tracks were extended to the north boundary of the village, the connection was made within 171 feet, and that the new connection could
"Without going into detail, we are satisfied that the purpose of the contract was to enable defendant to double-track its road. To do this, it was contemplated it might be necessary to encroach upon the traveled portion of the highway. We are not satisfied from the testimony that defendant has unnecessarily encroached upon the traveled portion of the highway, but, if it has done so, the complainant has an adequate remedy at law. We decline to express any opinion as to whether the defendant ought to build the double track west of the existing track, for the reason that it is not necessary to do so, and for the further reason that all the parties in interest are not before us.
The decree is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DETROIT & BIRMINGHAM PLANK-ROAD CO. v. OAKLAND RAILWAY CO.
- Status
- Published