Caldwell v. Nashville Interurban Railway Co.
Caldwell v. Nashville Interurban Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
The complainant, Caldwell, filed a petition in this ' case in the chancery court of Davidson county against J. H. Carpenter, president, and Meade Frierson, man
The facts necessary to be stated are as follows:
The Interurban Railway, a Tennessee corporation, was organized to construct and build a line of railroad from- Nashville to Franklin, Tenn., and was about to enter upon the premises of the complainant, Caldwell, for the purpose of locating its line of road. In 1908 Caldwell filed the original bill in the chancery court of Davidson county against the railway, and. alleged that it had filed' its petition in the circuit court of Davidson county against him seeking to condemn a right of way through two certain tracts, of land, title to which was in the complainant, one tract containing about 167 acres and situated four miles south of the city of Nashville. This tract is complainant’s home tract, and is known as Longview. The bill stated that the defendant railway sought to condemn a strip of land through Longview 1,724 feet long and twenty feet wide, that extended in front of the residence, and between it and the Franklin turnpike, and on the inside of a handsome and expensive stone wall which Caldwell had constructed in front of his residence, between
It was further shown that, if it should be necessary to' locate the railroad on the side of the turnpike on which complainant lived, there was no reason why the right of way for the railroad should not be on the right of way of the turnpike, and on the outside of complainant’s inclosures. In addition, it was charged that the location of the railroad over and along Longview as proposed by the defendant was not in good faith, but in disregard of complainant’s rights.
This bill also charged that there was no public necessity for the defendant’s railroad, because the country which it was proposed to traverse by it was already adequately supplied by a line of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company, which extended along the line of the defendant, and practically parallel with it. And, in addition, that there was a turnpike extend
It was prayed that a writ of injunction issue to restrain defendant from prosecuting its condemnation proceedings, and from entering upon complainant’s land and locating and constructing its proposed line of road over his lands, as sought in the condemnation suit. This bill was answered, and the chancellor heard the complainant’s motion for an injunction upon bill and exhibits, and the answer and its exhibits, together with an affidavit and the argument of counsel, when the chancellor granted the injunction upon full hearing. There was a demurrer to the original bill which the chancellor overruled, and granted the defendant an appeal to the Supreme Court from his action.in overruling the demurrer, but, after the appeal had been prayed, but before it was perfected, the parties compromised, and settled their differences by two written agreements, which were made the decree of the court in the principal case, and it is this decree which it is claimed awarded the perpetual injunction, for violating which the defendants have been attached. The parts of the compromise agreement which made the decree of the chancery court material to this investigation are as follows:
“This cause came on this day to be heard upon the following stipulations of the parties, namely: This agreement, made and entered into on this the 15th day of October, 1908, by and between the Nashville Internrban Railway Company, party of the first part; and James E. Caldwell, individually and as trustee for his wife and children, parties of the second part, wit-nesseth:
“The parties of the second part agree that the party of the first part may construct a single tract electric railway in front of -the premises of the second parties on the EranHin road known as Longview, in the following manner, and on the following terms:
“ (1) The track is to be laid as near to the western margin of the macadamized road, and as far from the stone fence on the margin of said property as may be feasible and practicable. . . .
“(5) The rate of speed of trains and cars shall not exceed ten miles per hour in front of these premises; and all trees cut in consequence of this grant shall be cut into cordwood and belong to second parties. . . .
“It is further agreed that upon the execution of this agreement, and deposit of said sum of money [$10,000 stipulated to be deposited in a bank] the first party shall have the right to immediately, or at any time thereafter begin the necessary work to construct said railway in front of said premises,
“And upon consideration thereof, it is ordered that they [two agreements between the parties, both of which are set out] he and hereby are made the decree of the court; and
‘‘ That the- complainant recover1 of the defendant the costs of this cause, for which execution will issue, as at law; and
“That this cause be retired from the docket with leave to reinstate the same upon application of either party as by said stipulation is provided.”
The specific matter which is charged against the defendants in the petition for contempt is that they are running trains in front of the petitioner’s premises in willful violation of the fifth section of the compromise agreement and decree; that is, that the trains of defendant railway are constantly running in excess of ten miles per hour in front of these premises.
In the view which we have taken of the case, it is not necessary to pursue the arguments of learned counsel, nor to review the numerous authorities cited,, because we think our position can be made clear by reference to a few fundamental principles of law and
Applying these well-settled principles to the case in hand, it will be obesrved that the parties agreed to dissolve the temporary injunction, both expressly and by implication arising out of the terms of the compromise settlement. What is meant is that the compromise settlement expressly authorizes the railroad company to do all of the things which it was inhibited from doing by the temporary injunction, and it ’also expressly provides “that all the parties shall join in a request to the chancellor of the chancery court to •dissolve the injunction heretofore granted in this case. ’ ’ While it is true that the' agreement provides that “the conditions upon which said grant is made are to be binding perpetually,” it does not provide that the defendant is perpetually enjoined from violating the agreement, nor does it award to the complainant the extraordinary process of injunction to enforce the performance of the decree. It is argued by the defendants that the agreement does not have the pro
Tlie demurrer is sustained, and the petition is dismissed.
Reference
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