Wateree Power Co. v. Rion
Wateree Power Co. v. Rion
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
This was a proceeding brought for condemnation of certain lands. A condemnation jury was impaneled, proceedings duly instituted, and an award of $51,868 rendered Erom this verdict all parties appealed. In September, 1919, the causes were tried, together before Judge Memminger. and a jury, at Winnsboro, resulting in a verdict for Hoi- *306 brook Rion and Mrs. Helen Rion in4 the amount of $6,000, and for Mrs. Helen Rion for $6,000. After entry of judgment, appellants appealed.
'This exception is overruled, and the trial in the Circuit Court was a trial de novo. What the jury did in the condemnation proceedings before the clerk should not in any way influence the jury in the Circuit Court.
'The appellants could have summoned the jury as witnesses, and examined them as to the probable damages, the same as any other witnesses in the case, as was done with Bratton, who was on the condemnation jury, and examined as to the matters complained of in this exception.
“Exception 3 : His Honor, the presiding Judge, erred in refusing to admit evidence of damage by reason of impaired health conditions to lands adjoining the development of the Parr Shoals Power Company similar to the development here projected; such conditions arising by reason of the *307 ponding of water and the resulting malarial conditions incident to the breeding of mosquitoes. * * *
“Exception 5: His Honor, the presiding Judge, erred in allowing witnesses for the petition to' testify that the power company had under contemplation the building of roads over the property in question, and to testify further that the power company proposes to clear out the ponded area and remove the brush and trees therefrom; said testimony being incompetent, in that it was hearsay, and without any support of proper guaranty on the part of the petitioner that such road would be built or such clearing up effected.”
Since 1909, when respondent procured the right to develop property in this vicinity, no sales of real estate have been made, except sales to the respondent. For over ten years 'he respondent has purchased lands, there being no other purchasers as far as the evidence shows, as the evidence of Elliott, excluded by his Honor, was competent, and should have been received as tending to show the value of lands of the same general neighborhood and of the same general nature, and the amount paid within a year of the condemnation proceeding.
The appellants had the right of showing the valuation placed by the respondent upon similar lands in the same general neighborhood, and it was competent to show by Elliott what the respondent had paid him for his land under the shoeing made, and for the jury in assessing damages to have the benefit of this evidence in determining the issue submitted to them for value. This exception is sustained.
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The right to use the land condemned at any time by the respondent is in contemplation of law just as much taken for the purpose of easement as if actually used all the time by them.
The appellants were entitled to recover full compensation for all the land within the condemned area. The respondent must pay for the value (actual) of the total acreage over which it acquires the right to pond water.
Exception 4 is not considered as being unnecessary, as the judgment is reversed, and new trial granted on other exceptions. .
Judgment reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Wateree Power Co. v. Rion Et Al.; Same v. Rion
- Cited By
- 11 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- t. Eminent Domain — Verdict of Condemnation Jury Not Admissible in Evidence on Appeal from Award. — On appeal from the award of the condemnation jury, the verdict of the condemnation jury is not admissible in evidence, the trial in the Circuit Court being de novo, and the parties having the right to examine' any of the condemnation jurors as witnesses to the probable damage. 2. Evidence — Amount Paid by Condemnor fob Land in Vicinity Admissible. — In a proceeding to condemn land for a water power project where the only sales in recent years had been to the power company, landowners should be allowed to show the amount paid by the company for other similar lands in the same general neighborhood. 3. Eminent Domain — Injuries to General Health Which Would Result from Flooding Lands Condemned Is Admissible. — In a proceeding to condemn lands for water power project, where it was contemplated that the lands taken should be flooded, the landowners should be allowed to show the injury to health conditions to surrounding lands resulting from a similar impounding of waters. 4. Evidence — Testimony That Condemnor Had Under Contemplation Building of Roads Over Property Taken and Improving Same Inadmissible. — In proceeding to condemn land for part of a water power project, testimony that the condemnor had under contemplation the building of roads over property taken and the clearing of the bounded area was incompetent, being hearsay, and no more than a loose declaration by the witness not binding on the condemnor. 6. Eminent Domain — Extent of Compensation Though Easement Only Is Desired. — Where lands were condemned for water power project, the landowner is entitled to compensation for all lands taken, even though as to some of the lands the condemnor desired only an easement; for the right to use the land condemned is just as much a taking as if the land were actually used all the time.