Potter v. Board of Public Utility Commissioners
Potter v. Board of Public Utility Commissioners
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
In this case there are forty reasons presented to the court for setting aside the order made by the board of public utility commissioners. The order is dated the
The facts, as shown by the record, illustrating the situation, upon which the board of public utility commissioners were called upon to act, in brief, are these: a petition had been filed by the township' committee of the township of Cranford, Union county, under the act of 1913 (Pamph. L., p. 91), known as the Fielder Grade Crossing act, petitioning the board to alter the grade crossing of Union avenue with the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey, at Cranford; at that point, Union avenue and the Central Railroad Company of New
Mr. Mosher, the township engineer, testified the building on the triangular plot of land in the angle between Eastman street and Union avenue is approximately twenty (20) feet from the right of way line of the railroad company. It docs not abut on the railroad property at any point. He does not pretend to say in any portion of his testimony that the taking of the Potter property is necessary to the alteration of the grade crossing. Neither does Mr.' Owen, the engineer for the Central Bailroad Company, the only other engineer testifying. The best that can be said of this testimony is that the Potter property is desirable for park development in connection with the new subway. It is desired so that it may he used as an approach to the proposed new foot subway.
Erom Mr. Owen’s teslimony these questions and answers are taken:
“Q. So that in your judgment as an engineer, it was entirely feasible and practicable to eliminate'that crossing if necessary, without interfering in any way, shape or manner with the Potter property?
*160 “A. It is practicable, yes.
“Q. In your judgment, then, the destruction of the Potter property and the taking of it as a part of this improvement is simply in the interest of the park development around the station P
“A. It is in the general interest of the improvement, both from 'the railroad standpoint and the municipal standpoint.
“Q. But has no distinct relation to the abolition of the crossing ?
“A. Not necessarily, no.”
We think the findings of the board are not supported by the testimony on this branch of the ease. This court has the,power to review the testimony, to ascertain whether or not the order is supported to any extent by the facts submitted to the board for 'its consideration. Erie Railroad Co. v. Board of Public Utility Commissioners, ante p. 24; West Jersey, &c., Railroad Co. v. Board of Public Utility Commissioners, 87 N. J. L. 170; 94 Atl. Rep. 60; Public Service Gas Co. v. Board of Public Utility Commissioners, 84 N. J. L. 463; 88 Id. 603; 95 Atl. Rep. 127; Erie Railroad Co. v. Board of Public Utility Commissioners, 87 N. J. L. 438; 95 Atl. Rep. 177. Nor can we find anything in the act of the legislature which gives the board of public utility commissioners jurisdiction to order private property taken' when, as in this case, such property is not fairly incidental nor necessary toHdie elimination of the danger or impediment at the crossing involved in the petition and order. That such property may be desirable for the purpose of park development around the railroad station is not sufficient to give the board jurisdiction, under this statute, for ordering private property to be taken.
It is urged, however, the order may be sustained under the act of 1914 (Pamph. L., p. 490), which confers upon the railroad company power to take by condemnation any land and property required for the purpose of complying with any order made by the board of public utility commissioners, upon ascertainment and payment or tender of compensation, as provided by law. Or under the act of 1911 (Pamph. L., p.
For these reasons, the order made by the board in this case will be set aside, with costs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.