Bell v. Pittsburgh Steel Co.
Bell v. Pittsburgh Steel Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
While this.case presents a voluminous record, the precise question for decision is within very narrow limits. Appellant strongly urges that the case at bar is-ruled by O’Donnell v. Pittsburgh, 234 Pa. 401, and the line of cases with which it is. in harmony, including the more recent case of Chambersburg Shoe Mfg. Co. v. Cumberland V. R. R. Co., 240 Pa. 519. These cases hold that a
Appellee, on the other hand, relies on Tesson v. Porter Co., 238 Pa. 501, to sustain its position in the present controversy. The learned court below sitting as a chancellor, after finding the essential facts upon which the rights of the parties depend, decided in favor of the defendant company. In so deciding’ the chancellor followed the authority of Tesson v. Porter, and differentiated the present case from O’Donnell v. Pittsburgh upon its facts. In our opinion the decision of the case turns upon the findings of fact, and unless there be manifest error in the findings, an appellate court would .not be justified in reversing the decree. The evidence was sufficient to warrant the findings and certainly it cannot be justly said that there was manifest error in respect thereto. The sixth finding of fact is as follows: “All of the streets and alleys shown on plaintiff’s exhibit No. 1, became streets and alleys of the Borough of Monessen prior to the conveyance by the East Side Land Company to William Wolf on October 31, 1901, and so far as the testimony in this case shows, no lots in said plan were sold by the East Side Land Company prior to the adoption of all the streets and alleys, as shown on defendant’s exhibit No. 1, as streets and alleys of the Borough of Monessen.” Under the authority of our cases the second conclusion of law logically followed the above stated finding of fact. The learned chancellor stated this conclusión of law in the following language:
Complaint is also made that the learned court below erred in refusing to open up the case and grant a rehearing upon the petition of plaintiff. Matters of this hind are largely within the discretion of the trial court, and as a.rule do not constitute reversible error: Shea’s App., 121 Pa. 302. There was no abuse of discretion ih the present case, and as we view the record, no advantage would have resulted to appellant if she had succeeded in establishing the fact that some other person had purchased a different lot prior to the incorporation of the borough. Appellant stands upon her own rights and the burden was upon her to establish the necessary facts to entitle her to ask the intervention of a court of equity to grant the relief prayed for. She failed to make out such a case and the court below very properly dismissed her bill. .
• Under all the circumstances we feel that the costs should be equally divided between the parties, and it will be so ordered.
Decree affirmed. Costs to be equally divided and paid by the respective parties.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Bell v. The Pittsburgh Steel Co.
- Cited By
- 14 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Municipalities — Boroughs—Streets and alleys — Plan of lots— Adoption of streets — Vacation—Obstruction—Lot owners — Equity —Injunction—Rehearing. 1. A sale of lots by a private owner, according to a plan which shows them to be on a street, implies a grant or covenant to the purchasers that the street designated on the plan shall remain open for the use of the lot owners, and operates as a dedication of the street to public use. The rights of the lot owners in such a case are founded in the contract of the parties, and do not depend upon the acts of municipal authorities. 2. Where a copy of such a plan of lots showing the streets and alleys in the proceedings for the incorporation of a borough is recorded, together with the decree, this is notice of the intention of the borough to take over the streets and alleys shown by the plan as its system of public highways. 3. When a borough has made all the streets and alleys shown upon such a plan public highways, such an action is an appropriation by the borough of the rights of the owner of the land covered by the plan of lots to the land contained within the said streets and alleys for public purposes, and thereafter all such streets and alleys are streets and alleys of the borough and subject to municipal control. 4. One who purchases a lot shown upon such a plan after the streets and alleys located thereon have been acquired by a municipality, is not in the position of one purchasing a lot from a private owner according to a plan showing streets and alleys laid out by such owner, not accepted or adopted as public highways by municipal authority, but takes the lot with notice that the streets and alleys .are controlled and maintained by borough authorities as public highways, subject to the right of vacation thereof. 5. A borough was first laid out as an industrial town by a private land company in 1898. At that time a plan of lots, showing streets and alleys, was duly recorded by the land company. A few months thereafter the borough was incorporated, and the streets and alleys shown on the plan aforesaid were adopted by the borough as streets and alleys of the borough. Subsequently the plaintifE acquired title to a lot shown on said plan. After certain of said streets and alleys had been duly vacated by the proper authorities, and had been occupied by the defendant in the operation of its plant, plaintiff filed a bill in equity to restrain the obstruction of such streets and alleys. It did not appear that her property abutted on any of the vacated streets or alleys, or that she was injured by such occupation, or that access to her property was interfered with. The lower court dismissed the bill. Held, no error. •6. The action of a trial court in refusing to open such a case and to grant a rehearing will not be reversed where there is no abuse of discretion.