McElheny v. McKeesport & Duquesne Bridge Co.
McElheny v. McKeesport & Duquesne Bridge Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
In 1889 the appellee appropriated about one third of an acre of appellant’s land for an approach to its bridge across the Monongahela river from a point at the foot of Riverton street in the borough of McKeesport to a point in Mifflin township opposite to said Riverton street. The land so appropriated was
The appellant’s contention is that in ascertaining such damages the only benefits or advantages to be regarded are those created by the change which necessitated the second appropriation, and that in this case the rule is the same as it would be if the bridge and its approaches had been completed according to the original plan, and opened to travel before the change in the Mifflin approach was made. We think this contention is sound because the special benefits to appellant’s land from the construction of the bridge and its approaches, as originally planned, were settled for in the proceedings for the assessment of the damages caused by the first appropriation. The appellants having once paid for these benefits in reduction of their claim for damages cannot be charged with them again. The lands appropriated are contiguous and parts of the same tract. The benefits which this tract would have received by the completion of the bridge and its approaches in conformity with the first plan were allowed in the former proceeding, and are, like the damages recovered in it, res judicata. It follows that in this case the inquiry should have been limited to the damages
As the appellants have not printed Wylie’s testimony in chief we cannot intelligently pass upon the objections to the questions complained of on his cross-examination. The legitimacy of the latter depends on the nature and character of the former. It does not follow because the answers to these questions would not be admissible as independent evidence on the subject of damages that the cross-examination was improper. The questions and answers may have been pertinent in testing the intelligence and integrity of the witness in making the estimates to which he had testified in chief. The fifth specification is overruled.
We cannot say that Joseph Martin was incompetent to testify to the market value of the property. He had known it ten or fifteen years, and knew of sales of like property in that neighborhood. It is not the subject-matter of his testimony, but the ruling of the court that he was qualified to give it, which is complained of, and as we are of opinion that he was competent we overrule the ninth and tenth specifications.
The excerpt from the charge which constitutes the error complained of in the twelfth specification is justly subject to the same criticism as the answers to the points already considered, and for that reason the specification is sustained.
Judgment reversed and venire facias de novo awarded.
Reference
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- Eminent domain — Measure of damages in second condemnation proceedings — Benefits of defendant's structure — Bes judicata. Where, land has been condemned for the purposes of a bridge, and the damages paid to the owner, and subsequently, owing to change in plans, additional land of the same owner is condemned, the benefits, resulting to the owner’s property from the original construction of the bridge, cannot be considered in the adjustment of the damages in the second condemnation proceedings. In such case the special benefits from the construction of the bridge were settled in the original proceedings; as to them the former proceedings were res judicata; and in the second proceedings the inquiry must be limited to the damages sustained and the benefits conferred by the change in the plans, and the appropriation made necessary by such change. Practice, Supreme Courts — Error—Failure to print testimony. Where appellant has failed to print a witness’s testimony in chief, the Supreme Court will not consider an assignment of error based upon objections to questions complained of on the witness’s cross-examination. Evidence as to value of land — Competency of witness. In condemnation proceedings a witness who has known the property ten or fifteen years, and knew of sales of like property in the neighborhood, is competent to testify to the market value of the property condemned.