Murtfeldt v. N. Y., W. S. & B. R. L. Co.
Murtfeldt v. N. Y., W. S. & B. R. L. Co.
Opinion of the Court
In view of the difficulty in constructing a useful passage under the railroad, and the inutility to plaintiffs of such passage, if constructed it was certainly within the discretion of the court below, in the exercise of its equitable jurisdiction, to deny specific performance of defendant’s contract to construct the passage, and leave the plaintiffs to their remedy for damages for breach of the covenant. Trustees of Columbia College v. Thacher, 87
As to the damages for trespass upon the lands west of the railroad, the proof did not authorize a recovery by the plaintiffs. They, through their agent, had knowledge at the time of what was done by the contractors under the defendant, and made no objection. It let the contract to construct its road to the North River Construction Company. The latter company sublet the construction of the road through plaintiff’s premises to Ward, MacKin & Co., and they sublet a portion of their work to one O’Rourke, by whom the alleged trespass was committed. It does not appear that the contract which the defendant made with the North River Construction Company could not have been executed as made without any interference with plaintiff’s land on the west side of the railroad, and hence it cannot be said that the defendant caused the trespass or is liable for it. But there is a still further answer to the claim for damages on account of the trespass. The plaintiffs did not prove, and did not offer by any competent evidence to prove, any amount of damages for the alleged trespass, and the trial judge so found, and hence there was no basis for the allowance of any substantial damages to the plain
All concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Mart F. Murtfeldt, App'lts v. N. Y., W. S. and B. R. L. Co., Resp'ts
- Status
- Published