Looff v. Seattle Park Co.
Looff v. Seattle Park Co.
Opinion of the Court
On January 11, 1907, the appellant Looff entered into a written agreement with the respondent Seattle Park Company, reading as follows:
“It is hereby agreed by and between the Seattle Park Company, a corporation, the party of the first part, and Charles I. D. Looff, the party of the second part, as follows:
“(1) The party of the first part agrees upon the completion of this contract as hereinafter set forth, to lease to the party of the second part the premises described as follows and upon the terms as hereinafter set forth: The easterly five (5) lots in block 456 of the Seattle tidelands and an undivided one-half (%) of block 455 of the Seattle tidelands, for the term expiring on the 31st day of August, 1916, subject to renewal as hereinafter set forth.
*365 “(2) It is agreed that the party of the second part shall pay for said lease the sum of $6,521.67 at the signing hereof, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and shall pay in manner and form as set forth in that certain lease made by the West Seattle Land and Improvement Company to W. W. Powers, J. L. Ward and assigned to the party of the first part, expiring on said 31st day of August, 1916, one-half of the ground rent reserved in said lease.
“(3) All taxes and assessments levied against the improvements and buildings which the party of the second part shall cause to be erected upon the premises described as the easterly five (5) lots of block 456, and one-half of all taxes and assessments levied upon any improvements and buildings erected upon block 455, and one-half of all the taxes and assessments levied upon the premises exclusive of improvements included in blocks 455 and 456.
“(4) The party of the second part agrees to pay to the party of the first part twenty per cent of the gross gate receipts received for general admission to said premises, not including, however, admissions charged for any particular entertainments or amusements situated thereon.
“(5) It is expressly covenanted and agreed that the party of the second part shall have the right to conduct such forms of amusement and entertainment on the said easterly- five (5) lots of block 456 as he may desire, including the sale of candies, popcorn, ice cream and soft drinks and cigars, and- all slot machines and nickel-in-the-slot machines, except as follows: That the party of the second part shall not conduct any bathing establishment, any cafes, any restaurant or any skating rink on said premises; And the party of the first part shall not conduct any amusements except as specified on said premises.
“(6) It is further agreed that the party of the second part shall keep a strip of ground 50 feet wide easterly and westerly, extending from the north line of said block 456 to the south line thereof, and being westerly fifty feet of lot four therein, clear of obstructions, buildings or improvements as an open way for the general public, and- both parties agree that the whole of said eight lots shall be open to the public upon payment of general admission, of’ which the party of the first part receives twenty per cent and the*366 party of the second part receives the balance of eighty per cent, except special places of amusement properly enclosed.
“(7) It is further provided that if the lease from the West Seattle Land and Improvement Company to the party of the first part above described shall be extended for any period of time, that the lease herein provided for ■ shall be extended for a corresponding period and upon the terms and conditions above set forth.
“(8) The party of the second part expressly guarantees to expend the sum of $100,000 in the building and erection of such forms of amusement and entertainment as are included within the terms of this lease upon the premises demised to him on or before the first day of August, 1907, and to begin in substantial manner the expenditure of said money and the erection of said improvements on or before the first day of February, 1907.
“(9) It is further agreed that time shall be the essence of this agreement and that if the party of the second part shall fail to begin the erection of said improvements or to complete the same as herein provided for, that all rights under this contract shall cease at the option of the party of the first part, and that the party of the first part shall have the right to keep and retain the payment made at the signing hereof, as liquidated damages for said failure.
“(10) All improvements to be erected upon block 455 shall be paid for in equal proportions by the parties "of the first' and second parts hereof, and all revenues derived therefrom shall be equally divided between the parties hereto.
“(11) It is further agreed that a daily report shall be made by the party of the second part to the party of the first part of the gross gate receipts paid for admissions to all of said premises.
“(12) Said lease shall be executed and delivered to the party of the second part upon the completion of the terms of this contract as above set forth.”
On June 25, 1908, pursuant to the foregoing agreement, the parties entered into a lease as follows:
“This Indenture, made this 25th day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eight, between the Seattle Park Company, the party of the first part, and Chas. I. D. Looff, the party of the second part.
*367 “Witnesseth: That the said party of the first part does by these presents lease and demise nnto the said party of the second part the easterly five (5) lots in block four hundred and fifty-six (456) of the Seattle tidelands and an undivided one-half (%) of block four hundred and fifty-five (455) of the Seattle tidelands, for the term expiring on the 31st day of August, 1916, subject to renewal as hereinafter set forth, with the appurtenances. Said term beginning with the date hereof.
“The party of the second part agrees to pay as rental for said premises in the manner as set forth in that certain lease made by the West Seattle Land & Improvement Company to W. W. Powers and J. L. Ward, and which lease has been assigned to the party of the first part, and which expires on the 31st day of August, 1916, one-half of the ground rent reserved in said lease, and further the party of the second part agrees to pay all taxes and assessments against the improvements and buildings which the party of the second part, his successors or assigns shall cause to be erected upon the premises, described as the easterly five lots of block 456, and one-half of all the taxes and assessments levied upon the premises, exclusive of improvements included in blocks 455 and 456.
“The party of the second part agrees to pay to the party of the first part twenty per cent of the gross gate receipts received for general admission to said premises, not including, however, admissions charged for any particular entertainments or amusements situated thereon.
“It is expressly covenanted and agreed that the party of the second part shall have the right to conduct such forms of amusement and entertainment on the said easterly five lots of block 456 as he may desire, including the sale of candies, popcorn, ice cream and soft drinks and cigars and all slot machines and nickel-in-the-slot lunch machines, except as follows:
“That the party of the second, part shall not conduct any bathing establishments, any cafes, any restaurants or any skating rink on said premises: And the party of the first part shall not conduct any amusements except as specified on said premises.
“It is further agreed that the party of the second part shall keep a strip of ground 50 feet wide easterly and westerly,*368 extending from the north line of said block 456 to the south line thereof, and being westerly fifty feet of lot four therein, clear of obstructions, buildings or improvements as an open way for the general public, and both parties agree that the whole of said: eight lots shall be open to the public upon payment of general admission of which the party of the first part receives twenty per cent and the party of the second part receives the balance of eighty per cent, except special places of amusement properly enclosed.
“It is further provided that if the lease from the West Seattle Land & Improvement Company to the party of the first part above described shall be extended for any period of time, that the lease herein provided for shall be extended for a corresponding period and upon the terms and conditions above set forth.
“All improvements to be erected upon block 455 shall be paid for in equal proportions by the parties of the first and second parts hereof, and all revenues therefrom shall be equally divided between the parties hereto.
“It is further agreed that a daily report shall be made by the party of the second part to the party of the first part of the gross gate receipts paid for admissions to all of said premises.
“And it is hereby agreed, that if any rent shall be due and unpaid, or if default be made in any of the covenants herein contained, then it shall be lawful for the said party of the first part to re-enter the said premises and remove all persons therefrom; and that the said party of the second part does hereby covenant, promise and agree to pay the said party of the first part the said rent in the manner hereinbefore specified. And at the expiration of said term the said party of the second part will quit and surrender the said premises in as good state and condition as reasonable use and wear thereof will permit (damage by the elements or fire excepted) .”
While the evidence is not as clear as it might have been made, it can be gathered that Looff, between the date of the agreement and the date of the lease, erected on the lots described in the lease various structures intended for entertainment and amusement purposes, at a cost exceeding that named in the agreement, and that the respondent erected on
Looff again opened his attractions between the first and middle of May, 1908. At this time the fence between the respective parts of the grounds was removed, the point of admission confined to the main entrance, and an admission fee
In the year 1910, when Looff decided to open his grounds, the respondent refused to close its entrance gate. At first it charged a nominal admission fee of one cent, but later discontinued this, and admitted free any person who desired to enter the grounds. It also stationed persons in the street in front of the main entrance, which Looff had opened and whs charging an admission fee of ten cents, to call attention to the free gate at another part of the inclosure. The
In his brief on this appeal the appellant claims that he is entitled to the following specific relief: (1) An injunction against the respondent, closing all public entrances to the common inclosure except the main entrance before described as entering on the appellant’s property; (2) either damages because of the admission of persons at the gate of the respondent, or an accounting for them at the rate of ten cents for each person; and (3) an injunction forbidding the placing of persons in front of the general entrance to call attention to the free entrance on the respondent’s part of the grounds. In the course of the argument, it was further contended that, by the terms of the writings as interpreted by their subject-matter and the acts of the parties thereunder immediately following their execution, Looff has the right to require that all persons admitted to the general ground shall enter at the main gate first opened to the public; that he has the right to control the same and to fix and determine what fee shall be charged for admission to the common inclosure; that he has the right to collect such fees, being obligated to account to the respondent for only its proportional share of the same; and that he has the right to open his own
It may be well, however, to remark that we do not think that our construction of the writings leaves the appellant stranded and helpless, as his argument seems to imply. We have no doubt of his absolute right, as the contract now exists, to inclose his portion of block 456, cutting it off entirely from the part in possession of the respondent, and conduct therein such enterprises as he may deem fit, other than those specially mentioned as forbidden. On the other hand, if the writings do not express the real agreement between
There is no error in the record, and the judgment will stand affirmed.
Mount, C. J., Morris, and Ellis, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.