Morrison v. Winn
Morrison v. Winn
Opinion of the Court
On July 27th, 1896, the appellant filed his complaint in the district court of Sevier county, in which he alleged, among other things, that he was entitled to the waters of Dry Creek in that county; that respondent claimed the right to the same waters and was using them to irrigate a tract of land occupied by him, and prayed for a decree determining his rights thereto, and perpetually enjoining the respondent from using them. The defendant answered, denying the appellant’s right, and alleged in his cross-complaint that the right to them wás in him, and prayed that the same might be so determined, and that appellant might be perpetually enjoined from using the same, or any part thereof.
It also appears that respondent took possession under the sale and has since made permanent improvements on it to the value of $500, and still has possession, using the waters in dispute, the plaintiff making no objection to such possession or improvements.
This action was not brought to recover possession of the land. It was simply brought to secure a decree establishing plaintiff’s right to the waters of Dry Creek, and an injunction restraining respondent from using it.
It appears that the deed of conveyance from appellant to Sorenson, of the patented land and the possessory right to the unsurveyed land, or the contract to convey (which does not appear from the record or otherwise) was set aside some years after it was made (when does not appear); •nor does it appear precisely what the provisions of the decree were; the decree does not appear in the record.
The facts, as above stated, are the, substance of the findings of the court, and from them the court concluded that the appellant was estopped from claiming a right to the waters of Dry Creek, as against the respondent.
From the evidence in the record, and from the fact that appellant has not contested respondent’s possessory right to the unsurveyed land, we mus^regard that right as in the respondent. It appears that the waters of Dry Creek have been used on that land exclusively for as much as fifteen years, excepting some of it was used by appellant at times on the patented land before the sale to Sorenson. It appears that respondent acted in good faith in the purchase of this land and in making improvements upon it, and to deny him the use of the water in question would render his land worthless.
The appellant having assured respondent’s grantor that he had no interest in the unsurveyed land, and having allowed him to take possession of and build upon it and use the water in dispute, and he having done so in good faith, at a cost of $1,000, and respondent having paid that sum and expended as much as $500 in addition, and the appellant knowing of such improvements and having made no objections, but having acquiesced therein, was estopped as the lower court held from claiming the waters in dispute.
We find no error in the record. The decree is affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WILLIAM G. C. MORRISON v. MINER WINN
- Status
- Published