Wilkins v. Hilton-Dodge Lumber Co.
Wilkins v. Hilton-Dodge Lumber Co.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
This is an appeal from an order of his Honor, Judge Memminger, dated December 23, 1912, refusing to dissolve a temporary restraining order issued by his Honor, Judge Prince, on November 27, 1912. The facts involved in the appeal in brief are: That on July 23, 1912, the plaintiff-respondent, Wilkins, and H. E. Savage, obtained from William B. Fields and Rebecca Bissell, for valuable consideration, an option to purchase a right of way, thirty (30) feet in width, across the lands of said Fields and Bissell, known as Deer Island, for the purpose of building a railroad to carry on timber operations. That after that time, on September 10, 1912, Fields conveyed all of his undivided one-half interest in the timber on said Deer Island tract of land, together with a right of way thirty feet in width over said land, to the Savannah Timber Company, the stock of which said company is owned by the defendant-appellant. That in September, 1912, Rebecca Bissell, for valuable consideration, conveyed her one-half interest in the timber on the same tract of land, known as Deer Island, together with a right of way over the land, thirty feet in width, to the Savannah Timber Company. That the stock of this company is owned by the defendant-appellant. That on October 19, 1912, Fields and Bissell, in pursuance of the agreement, previously by option given to Wilkins and Savage, conveyed to them the right of way of thirty feet in width, and on the same day, to wit, October 19, 1912, Savage conveyed to Wilkins his interest in the right of way, conveyed to him and Wilkins by Fields and Bissell. That after this time the appellant, the Hilton-Dodge Lumber Company, owner of the Savannah Timber Company, began to locate a right of way on *250 said Fields’ or Deer Island tract of land, which would incumber the right of way of respondent, and, as alleged in the complaint, result in a practical confiscation of his property, and irreparable damage, and in order to prevent this the respondent began this proceeding by summons and complaint, and obtained from Judge Prince a temporary restraining order. The appellant moved to- set aside this order before Judge Memminger, and he refused this motion. The ground's relied on by appellant before Judge Memminger were mainly two: First, that the appellant was a bona fide purchaser, without notice, for valuable consideration of the premises of which it was in possession and that its rights of way were exclusive, and that respondent’s rights-, if any, were obtained subsequent to his, and secondly, that he was the owner, unquestionably, of the timber, and the rights of way across said premises, and that the crossing of the respondent’s right of way, alleged to be about to be made, could work no irreparable injury nor, in fact, injury of any kind to respondent. On hearing this motion, Judge Memminger in his order says: “A clear cut question of fact is made as to whether defendant had actual notice of plaintiff’s option before the purchase. The option was recorded, but it appears that its execution by one of the owners -of the land shows- that -on record there is- nor subscribing witness; whereas, the original, it is claimed for plaintiff in reply, has the names of witnesses, which it is claimed were left off the record by error of the clerk of court.” But there was testimony before his Honor clearly showing that the appellant had actual notice of the option, o-f respondent to purchase the right o-f way before the appellant purchased. The respondent and others- make affidavit to- this, and appellant denies- it under oath.
From the order of Judge Memminger, appellant appeals, and' alleged error on practically three grounds: That he erred in not holding that appellant had no- actual' notice, and even if it did, it did not affect its rights; that appellant *251 had no constructive notice, as the option is not a recordable instrument, and consequently no notice, and if a constructive notice by recording, it was improperly recorded as to one-half of the premises, and the third ground, that the injuries specified in the complaint as irreparable, were remote and speculative, and were a subject for action for damages, and not for injunction.
Order appealed from reversed.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting. The sole object of the plaintiff’s action, is to obtain a permanent injunction. In such cases, the rule is thus stated in Cudd v. Calvert, 54 S. C. 487: “Where the action is brought solely for the purpose of obtaining an injunction, and where if the facts alleged in the complaint are found to be true, a proper case for injunction would be presented, it is error to- dissolve a temporary injunction upon a mere motion, heard upon affi *253 davits, as that would deprive the plaintiff of his legal right to have the facts determined in the mode prescribed by law, instead of by affidavits. A most unsatisfactory mode of eliciting truth. Indeed, the practical' result in a case like this, would be to dismiss the complaint upon a mere motion heard upon affidavits, without any opportunity being afforded the plaintiff, to have the facts upon which he bases his claim for relief, determined in-the mode prescribed by law.”
I therefore dissent.
Reference
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Injunction. — A Circuit Judge should not dissolve a temporary-injunction on motion on affidavits where doing so would require him to decide a question of fact. 2. Ibid. — Riqht of Way. — Where a right of way has been sold by the owner of a tract of land to another, he does not thereby relinquish his right to cross the right of way with another for his own convenience, when such crossing can be made so as not to interfere materially with the use of the right of way, and on such showing a temporary injunction should be dissolved. Mr. Ci-iief Justice Gary dissents as to the latter.