Dwyer v. Chicago & North Western Railway Co.
Dwyer v. Chicago & North Western Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
On rehearing. The former opinion on which rehearing has been' granted will be found in 40 S. D. 84, 166 N. W. 237, in which will be found a statement of the contents of the record and of the general issues involved on this appeal. As will be observed, there was a hearing and an investigation of the facts had before the Board of Railway Commissioners, and a report made, and an order issued iby said board, requiring the railway company to construct certain cattle guards, and wing fences upon its right of way crossing the private farm property of claimants. From such order the railway company appealed to the circuit court, wherein a trial de novo on the merits was had, upon the same evidence produced before the railway board, and findings and judgment rendered, denying and overruling the said order of the Railway Commission, from which findings and judgment of the circuit court an appeal has been taken to this court by the claimants and also by the Board of Railway Commissioners. By the former opinion of this court it was held that the Board of Railway Commissioners, upon the investigation made by it, had failed to make findings as to whether the kind of crossing, cattle guards, and wing forces ordered to be constructed would endanger the safety of the traveling public and persons operating trains, and by reason of such failure of the railway board to make such findings, this court reversed the judgment of the circuit court, and remanded the cause back for new trial before the Board' of Railway Commissioners.
Now, chapter 295, Laws 1913, in nature and effect, is precisely the same as the statute in Minnesota. As soon as the complainant Dwyer proved that he owned land on both sides of the track and had demanded a crossing and cattle guards be had made out a prima facie case. It then devolved upon the railway company to show that it would be unreasonable in this case to order such crossing constructed. The burden rested on the railway to prove its defense. And it also rested on the railway to propose and procure findings of fact covering its'defense. Without additional findings showing a condition that would render the crossing in question an unnecessary or unreasonable requirement, the Railway Commission could reach no other conclusion, and could take no other action, than issue the order which it did. Under the undisputed facts no unusual conditions existed at the places where crossings were demanded. It follows that the commissioners could not, on the evidence, have made findings supporting the only defense the railway company could interpose; therefore, though the commissioners proceeded on an erroneous view, no prejudicial error resulted therefrom. There was no call for the commission to make additional findings of fact, unless requested by the railway company to do so, and then only in case the facts of the case warranted such additional findings. It is a well-established rule that where the judgment or order is correct, it will not be reversed on appeal because the court gave a wrong reaspn for its rendition. It .is the correctness of the order, and not the reason assigned .therefor, that.is involved
Therefore we are of the view that the order of the commission appealed from was a reasonable regulation, and that the Railway Commission did not abuse its administrative discretion in making such order. It seems to be-generally held that courts will not intervene to disturb the orders and decisions of such boards, unless the commissioners have abused their statutory discretion by acting without any justifiable cause or reason therefor. Cahill et al v. Railway Co., 40 S. D. 53, 166 N. W. 306.
We are of the opinion that the learned circuit court erred in its findings of fact and conclusions of law.
The judgment and order of the circuit court are reversed, and the original order of the Railway 'Commission affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I cannot concur in holding that the Board of Railroad Commissioners in this case has made findings of fact and conclusions required by the statute as the basis of its order requiring private cattle guards.
Chapter 312, Laws 1913, does not change the requirements of chapter 207, Laws 1911. Section 17 of the latter act specifying the duties of the board, says:
“It shall be its * * * duty to make a report in writing * * * which shall include thd findings of fact upon which the conclusions of the board are based, together, with its * * * recommendations or orders,” etc.
Section 3, c. 312, Laws 1913, specifically provides that:
“The final record or judgment roll of said board in any action or proceeding” shall contain, among 'other things, “the findings of fact, conclusions and order made by the board.”
It is clear that findings of fact and conclusions are necessary as the basis of a final order.
This court has held, as most if not all other courts have held under constitutional provisions vesting judicial powers in court's, that the board is an administrative body, but that it is vested with authority .to hear evidence and determine facts upon which the exercise of its administrative powers depends, and, recognizing this rule, the statute in express terms requires that the board
“As there is no dispute albout what the facts actually are, whether or not formal findings were made is a matter of little, if any, material consequence, and is not prejudicial error. No possible prejudice could result * * * in this case from, the fact that the railway board failed to show further findings in its report.”
This statement when applied to this case is equivalent to holding that when a sufficient defense is pleaded and the evidence to sustain such defense is undisputed, the defendant is not prejudiced by a failure to make findings upon the facts pleaded as such defense. I cannot concur in holding that an administrative board, whose methods of procedure are specifically .prescribed by statute, may ignore the statute, as was plainly done in this case. If it be assumed, as argued in the majority opinion, that the burden was cast upon appellant of proving that the building of the private cattle guards in question would increase the ordinary hazard and' danger of injury to the traveling public and its employees, it is perfectly clear from, the evidence of numerous witnesses, wholly undisputed, that a finding was required upon that issue. None was made. With this evidence in the record, I am totally unable to see how my Associates can say, as they do in the majority opinion:
“The commissioners could not, on the evidence, .have made findings supporting the only defense the railway company could interpose; therefore, though the commissioners proceeded on an erroneous view, no prejudicial error resulted therefrom.”
This statute means what it says. It provides a logical and simple mode of procedure which, will present the' state of facts upon which relief is awarded. The conclusions drawn from the findings of fact constitute the views of the board as to the relief which should be granted. The order follows.
A large number of competent witnesses on behalf of appellant testified that the construction of the cattle guards demanded at these private crossings would greatly enhance the danger of accidents and injuries both to the persons traveling on appellant’s trains and to its employees. This evidence was absolutely undisputed. That the question raised by this evidence was material,
“The defendant in its answer alleges that to construct and maintain the character of crossings asked by the complainants would be extremely dangerous both to its employees and to the' traveling public, and that there is no necessity for the construction of said crossings. * * * The testimony- of the defendant is practically all directed against the dangerous conditions growing out ■ of the construction of farm crossings protected by cattle guards and wing fences, particularly as to where such crossings are to be constructed and maintained as open crossings, there being some testimony tending to show that the danger is somewhat increased by the construction of cattle guards and wing fences, inasmuch as any such construction might, under certain conditions, create a shadow or blind, thereby obstructing the view and increasing the danger.”
No finding upon this issue is made by the board, and no discussion in its report of the question raised by this evidence, other than a statement that the situation here is not analogous to that existing at the Olney ranch, which is on a grade, while the crossings under consideration are on a straight track, with slight grade and unobstructed view. The concluding paragraph of the discussion makes it absolutely clear that the board did not find and did not purport or intend even to make a finding upon this question :
“It is clear from a reading of the above-quoted- statute that the intention of the Legislature was to compel a railroad to construct and maintain a farm crossing with suitable and adequate cattle guards when requested to do so by persons owning land on both sides of its track, and in the enforcement of the statute this commission is justified in issuing an order requiring the construction and maintenance of such facilities as -demanded, and the order is predicated upon the obligation of the defendant to equip its farm crossings with fences and cattle guards under chapter 295 of the 'Session Laws of 1913.”
A mere allusion to the pleading, the evidence, and the law is not a finding of fact. When proper findings are made and conclu
Upon further reflection, I am of the view that the police power, in its broad sense, includes the power to compel the owner of property to so use it as not to unnecessarily injure another,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DWYER v. CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published