Stoops v. Kittanning Telephone Co.
Stoops v. Kittanning Telephone Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
It is important to keep in mind the situation of the parties at the time this action was brought in order to properly determine the questions raised by the present appeal. This is an action of trespass for alleged injuries to the land of appellant, caused by maintaining a line of telephone poles and wires upon a public road, and for the cutting of certain trees belonging to appellant, but which it became necessary to remove in order to properly repair and maintain the telephone line. Appellant took title to the land through which the public road passes in February, 1909, and went into possession in the following April. The telephone line was originally constructed in 1898 and has been maintained as an additional servitude upon the highway continuously from that time to the* present. It is true that the telephone line was owned and maintained by different persons or companies at different times during this period, but this is immaterial in the consideration of the rights of the parties to the present controversy. The appellee company purchased the telephone line in 1907 while William Grinder, the predecessor in title of appellant, owned the land upon which the trespass is alleged to have been committed. Grinder was the owner of the
As to the cutting of the trees we fully agree with the learned court below that the Act of June 2, 1891, P. L. 170, applies. Damages resulting to land owners by the cutting of trees whether planted by the roadside or on enclosed or unenclosed land adjoining the same, if done in the exercise of the right of eminent domain, are clearly within the express provisions of this act. We see nothing in this record to show such negligence or wantonness or unnecessary cutting of trees as to make the case exceptional so that an action of trespass might lie. The Act of 1891 provides a complete and adequate remedy for the recovery of damages under the facts of the case at bar and we see no escape from the conclusion reached by the learned court below that there can be no recovery under the present form of action.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Stoops v. The Kittanning Telephone Company
- Cited By
- 3 cases
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- Syllabus
- Beal property — Trespass to land — Telephone companies — Telephone poles and wires — Eminent domain — Recovery of damages— Act of June 2,1891, P. L. 170. 1. Damages resulting to land owners by the cutting of trees, whether planted by the roadside or on enclosed or unenclosed land adjoining the same, if done in the exercise of the right of eminent domain, are clearly within the express provisions of the Act of June 2, 1891, P. L. 170. In such case an action of trespass will not lie to recover damages, unless there are such circumstances of negligence or wantonness as to make the case exceptional. 2. Where a claim for damages to land is asserted under facts indicating that the original entry upon the land was lawful, the statutory proceeding which requires the appointment of viewers for the assessment of damages must be followed. 3. In an action of trespass to recover damages for injuries to land caused by the erection and maintenance of a telephone line upon a public road adjacent to plaintiff’s land, it appeared that plaintiff had taken title -to the land alleged to be injured subsequent to the erection of the poles and wires complained of; and that so far as the facts were disclosed by the record the original entry by defendant company was lawful, and it did not appear whether an agreement had been made that no damages would be paid, or whether the damages were then actually settled. There was no assignment by the former owner to the plaintiff. The lower court entered a nonsuit which it subsequently refused to take off. Held, no error.