Feuerstein v. Richter
Feuerstein v. Richter
Opinion of the Court
Complainant and defendant Wickham (the latter now deceased) owned adjoining premises, viz., the east and west halves, respectively, of the N. E. £ of section 24, in township 9 N., range 3 W., Saginaw county. Defendant Aselton owned the N. % and defendant Richter the S. -J- of the S. E. J of said section. All of this land is flat, though not level. A watercourse, called in this record “ Fairchild Creek,” extends north through the west halves of these quarter sections, and approaches comparatively near the line between the east and west hialves of the northeast quarter section, opposite the south 4Í) rods thereof. Defendants Richter and Aselton made open drains, which, being connected, extend from south to north across the southeast quarter of said section, east of Fairchild creek, ending at or near a point in the north line of said quarter section, where complainant’s land joins that of defendant Wickham. The last, or northernmost, section of said drain when completed had the effect of discharging its accumulated waters' at that point, though a short ditch was extended from the end of said drain to Fairchild creek on the land of Aselton, or possibly partly on the land of Wickham, who seems to have thought that its effect was to discharge an undue amount of water into the creek, causing it to flood his premises. There is some testimony tending to show that at some stage of the controversy he attempted to fill or dam it, while the complainant extended a low dam or dyke on his land, extending some distance north and east from the southwest corner of his premises, to keep the water off from them. There was much controversy over this situation between complainant and defendant Wickham, and
There was a county drain on the south side of the east and west highway north of their premises. Wickham thereafter, and at his own expense, and upon his own land, made a ditch the whole length of his east line, connecting the Aselton drain with said county drain which furnished an outlet both to the east and west. The complainant subsequently filed this bill to restrain all of the defendants from maintaining these several drains, and for an award of damages. He was defeated, and his bill was dismissed by the learned circuit judge after a full hearing upon testimony taken in open court. Complainant has
The cause seems to turn largely upon the questions whether the Aselton ditch delivered "water at complainant’s corner which naturally should have gone to Fair-child creek, and whether, notwithstanding Wickham’s drain, the Aselton ditch caused an increased flow over complainant’s land. There was proof tending to show that there were two or three watersheds upon the Richter and Aselton lands, one of which, the westerly, sheds towards the west and northwest into Fairchild creek. The other two shed to the northeast, the water ultimately crossing complainant’s land. There was a low ridge or slight elevation between the westerly wateished and the one next east, and this ridge extended to a point a short distance east of complainant’s southwest corner. If this is true, and we.agree with the learned circuit judge that a great preponderance of the proof indicates it, there is little room for the claim that much, if any, water belonging in Fairchild creek finds its way over his land. It is overwhelmingly proven that there is a low ridge along the line between complainant’s and Wickham’s premises. Wickham’s ditch is upon or near it. It is obvious that the ditch takes off some of the accumulated water, and is therefore a benefit to complainant, rather than an injury, and that complainant had no just cause of complaint against Wickham. Understanding that the decree of the circuit court stands as to Wickham, because not appealed from, we make no decree in his favor as we should otherwise do.
There remains the claim that the complainant is injured by the undue collection and rapid delivery upon his land
The decree is affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FEUERSTEIN v. RICHTER
- Status
- Published