Railway Co. v. Heiskell
Railway Co. v. Heiskell
Opinion of the Court
The controlling facts in this case were so clearly proved by the testimony, all of which is set out in the record, that the principal question before us is, whether or not the verdict was contrary to law.
The facts may be stated thus: Previous to the year 1853, the Columbus and Xenia Railroad was constructed, from east to west, through plaintiff’s farm, and, within its limits, across the Little Miami river on a wooden bridge, and on each side of the road a fence had been built by the plaintiff. On the 8th of November, 1853, that company and the plaintiff entered into the following agreement in writing, to wit:
“ In consideration of $141.87 paid me by the Columbus and Xenia Railroad Co. for one-half of the division-fence built by me along the line of the said road through my land, I bind myself and assigns to keep up forever one-half of said division fence; the said company to have the right to select which side they will take in the above purchase. The other side to be kept up by me as aforesaid. I also bind myself to make a satisfactory conveyance of the right-of-way one hundred feet wide through my said land, which lies west of South Charleston in Clarke county, adjoining Webster’s land on the west.”
“Nov. 8, 1853
[Signed] “ Daniel O. Heiskell.”
These wing fences, without any further express agreement between the parties, continued to be used as parts of the division fence between the railroad and the plaintiff’s lands, until the happening of the grievances herein complained of on the 25th of April, 1875. During this period these wings had been repaired on several occasions by the defendant, and on one or more occasions by the plaintiff. On the 25th of April, 1875, the wing fence on the west side of the river was insufficient for want of repairs, for the purpose of turning stock, a fact then known to the plaintiff, by reason whereof tbe plaintiff’s stock escaped from the adjoining pasture and went upon the railroad track, where they were killed by passing trains.
The testimony does not show any negligence on the part of the defendant in the management of the trains at the time of
Upon the foregoing state of facts, we think the verdict should have been for the defendant, and on the trial below tile court charged the jury to the same effect.
There is no room for dispute, that, as between these parties, previous to the year 1863, the plaintiff was bound to maintain and keep in repair the entire line of fence on the south side of the railroad, so far as the same was located through his lands.
We concede, that in 1863, when the railroad company removed a part of this line near the river, for its own convenience in rebuilding the bridge, the plaintiff was thereby released from its duty to the defendant in respect to the portion of fence so removed, until the same was restored by the defendant. But when restored the conventional rights and duties of the parties again attached.
It is claimed, however, that the part of the fence removed, was not restored. Strictly, this claim is true. The rail fence was not rebuilt, nor was any substitute placed on the same site. But a post and board fence was constructed from the abutments of the bridge and connected with the ends of the rail fence which had not been removed, as a substitute for the part removed. True, the plaintiff might have objected to the substitute ; but he did not. On the other hand, he accepted it and adopted it as a part of the division line of fence between the parties. By so doing, we think, the duty to keep the substituted part in repair attached to the plaintiff under the former convention of the parties. Such was the instruction given to the jury by the court below, and we can see no error in it. But, if there were doubt on this point, it is perfectly clear, that by the use and adoption of this new line by the plaintiff as a means of inclosing his adjacent fields, the same became a division fence between the parties, and the duty of keeping it in repair devolved upon both parties; and each was guilty of negligence in' suffering it to be out of repair. Bences between railroads and other improved lands are put on the same footing with other partition fences (Act of 1859, § 3, S. & C. 332), and such partition fences are kept in repair by adjoining
On the question of negligence in the management of the trains at the time the plaintiff’s stock was killed, in view of the ruling in Railroad Co. v. McMillen, 37 Ohio St. 554, we are clearly satisfied that the judgment in favor of the plaintiff cannot be sustained on this ground.
Judgment reversed and cause remanded.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.