Witman v. Smeltzer
Witman v. Smeltzer
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Prior to his death, in 1895, James W. Deppen was the owner of a certain tract of real estate in the village of Wernersville. He had caused this tract to be laid out in a plan of lots and streets, and a draft or map of this subdivision to be made. He had sold lots in accordance with this plan to various purchasers. Among the streets marked and located upon this plan was one of the width of sixty feet called Elm street. At the time of his death the title to the ground over which Elm street ran and the lots which abutted thereon was still in him. By his will, which was duly proved, he gave to his executors an unrestricted power to sell his real estate. The executors, under the authority conferred by the will, caused the plan of lots to be duly recorded in the recorder’s office of Berks county in plan book 1, page 3. On November 21,1896, they sold the property, the same being for convenience divided into purparts. Purpart No. 2 embraced lots Nos. 149 to 164, inclusive, being all the property embraced in said plan between the Lebanon Valley Railroad, an alley which was not named, an alley named Railroad alley, and lands of Benneville Lerch. Purpart No. 3 was bounded by Market street, by other lands of the Deppen estate, by Railroad alley and by lands of Benneville Lerch, and comprised lots Nos. 132 to 139, inclusive. These purparts together included all the land next to that of Lerch between the railroad and Market street, and included within their lines the land over which Elm street was located upon the plan, the street being laid out along the line of the Lerch property. The conditions of sale referred to the Deppen plan of lots, a draft of which was thereto attached. Purpart No. 2 was sold to Ephraim Wit-
The references to the plan contained in the deeds have the effect of making that'plan a part of the deeds, and this constitutes a dedication of the streets and alleys laid down upon the plan to the use of purchasers as public ways: Birmingham Boro. v. Anderson, 48 Pa. 258; McCall v. Davis, 56 Pa. 431; Ferguson’s Appeal, 117 Pa. 426; Higgins v. Sharon Borough, 5 Pa. Superior Ct. 92. This defendant accepted his deed with both actual and constructive notice and knowledge of the location of this street, designed for the use of the different owners of portions of the tract of land of which his lots were a part, and, as between him and his grantor and those who cotemporaneously accepted grants from the same party, he acquired the right to use all the streets upon the plan, and took his own land subject to the easement of such streets as were by the plan located upon it: Ermentrout v. Stitzel, 170 Pa. 540. The right in the streets which these cotemporaneous purchasers acquired, as against their grantor and each other, was not con
The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for a definite sum of money, subject to the opinion of the court upon a single question of law reserved. The question was reserved upon a point submitted on behalf of - the defendant, in the following language, viz: “ The property of the plaintiff and defendant, as conveyed by deed of Deppen’s executors to plaintiff and defendant, including the grant of the plotted street and the large Swiss barn erected thereon, was sold under proceedings in partition, in which Mr. Witman, the plaintiff in this action, was plaintiff. Having received his share of the purchase money, he is now estopped from having said barn and permanent improvements removed in order to open said street to the width of sixty feet.” The court reserved this question and subsequently entered judgment in favor of the defendant non obstante veredicto. It is not within the power of the court to reserve a question of -fact, or a mixed question of law and fact. “ When a verdict is taken subject to the opinion of the court upon points reserved, the facts should be distinctly stated, as well as the question raised by them; and the judgment, to be pronounced upon the solution of the question of law to be reserved, should also be specified, as in a case stated:” Shelly v. Dampman, 1 Pa. Superior Ct. 115; Wolf v. Jacobs, 10 Pa. Superior Ct. 54; Yerkes v. Richards, 170 Pa. 346. When the question reserved involves only the construction and effect of a written instrument, it is not necessary that the instrument should be set out at length in the question reserved, and the same rule applies as to a record. It is sufficient if it be set forth in the pleadings, or, if its execution be -admitted, that it be fully identified. The question reserved must be one of law only, yet the record must show the specific fact, or facts, on
Judgment reversed, and judgment is now entered on the verdict in favor of the plaintiff for six cents, with costs.
Reference
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- Deeds — Plans—Streets—Dedication. References in a deed to a plan have the effect of making the plan a part of the deed, and this constitutes a dedication of the streets and alleys laid down upon the plan to the use of the purchasers as public ways. A person who accepts a deed with both actual and constructive notice and knowledge of the location of a street designated for the use of the different owners of portions of the tract of land of -which his lots area part, acquires, as between him and his grantor and those who cotemporaneously accepted grants from the same party, the right to use all the streets upon the plan, and takes his own land subject to the easement of such streets as were by the plan located upon it; and this right is not-confined to the part of the street upon which the lots immediately abut, but extends to all the streets upon the plan. Practice, G. P. — Question of law reserved. It is not within the power of the court to reserve a question of fact, or a mixed question of law and fact. When a verdict is taken subject to the opinion of the court upon points reserved, the facts should be distinctly stated as well as the question raised by them; and the judgment to be pronounced upon the solution of the question of law to be reserved, should also be specified as in a case stated. Where the question reserved involves only the construction and effect of a written instrument, it is not necessary that the instrument should be set out at length in the question reserved, and the same rule applies as to a record. It is sufficient if it be set forth in the pleadings, or, if its execution be admitted, that it be fully identified.- When there is a verdict for plaintiff for a definite sum, and no reservation which will authorize a judgment to be entered contrary to the verdict, the appellate, court is obliged not only to reverse the judgment, but also to enter judgment for plaintiff in accordance with the verdict. Practice G. P. — Reserved question — Record—Problem—Streets—Trespass. In an action of trespass for obstructing a street-, it appeared that plaintiff and defendant had bought land as tenants in common according to a plan in which the street in controversy appeared as of a certain width. Subsequently in partition proceedings the land was sold to defendant. The record of the partition proceedings showed that the plaintiff did nothing which could have led the defendant to believe that his right to the street was to be waived, but on the contrary at the sale plaintiff gave notice that it was his intention to maintain his right to the street. It also appeared that there was no evidence whatever that there had been any agreement or understanding between the parties that the lines of the street should be changed. The jury returned a verdict for plaintiff, the court reserving a question which referred to the purchase by plaintiff and defendant, and the sale in partition proceedings, and left for the determination of the court whether the plaintiff was estopped from having the obstruction removed to the width of the street as specified in the plan. Held, that the plaintiff was not estopped by any deed offered in evidence, or by anything shown by the record of the proceedings in partition, and that the court below erred in entering judgment for defendant non obstante veredicto.