Baker v. Squire
Decision Date | 23 February 1898 |
Citation | 44 S.W. 792,143 Mo. 92 |
Parties | Baker et al., Appellants, v. Squire et al |
Court | Missouri Supreme Court |
Appeal from Greene Circuit Court. -- Hon. James T. Neville, Judge.
Affirmed.
James Baker for appellants.
(1) The structure in question, being situated on grounds dedicated to public use, is a common nuisance. Herman on Nuisances, secs 248, 250, and 260; Rutherford v. Taylor, 38 Mo. 315. The right of the public to use the commons must rest on the same principles as the right to use the streets. Cincinnati v. White, 6 Pet. 431; Cummings v. St Louis, 90 Mo. 259. The erection of a dwelling on a public square is a public nuisance. Com. v. Ruch, 14 Penn. 186. (2) The county may dedicate by acts in pais. Ketcham v. Indianapolis, 12 Ind. 620; 2 Herman on Estop., secs. 1143-1145; Rutherford v. Taylor, 38 Mo. 315; Elliott on Roads and Streets, 101-107; 15 Cal. 630; 17 Iowa 176; 25 Ill. 209. (3) The appropriation of the lot in question as a site for a courthouse and jail, and the erection of permanent buildings thereon for such purposes were a dedication of the same to public use, and the erection of the office building, known as the courthouse annex, was a new dedication of the same to such use. The appropriation of the four feet in front of the annex was a dedicaton of it to the public use as a highway. R. S. 1889, secs. 3121, 3108 3136-3139, 3140-3143; Hanna v. Commissioners, 29 Ind. 173; Hughes v. Phila., 48 Pa. 527; Brunmer v. Boston, 102 Mass. 19. (4) There is no particular form or ceremony necessary to the dedication of land to public use. All that is required is the assent of the owner and use by the public for the purpose intended by the appropriation. Cincinnati v. White, 6 Pet. 431; Morgan v. Railroad, 96 U.S. 716; Com. v. Rush, 14 Pa. 186; Rutherford v. Taylor, 38 Mo. 315; Sargent v. Bush, 4 McLain, 339; Cook v. Harris, 61 N.Y. 448; 5 Am. and Eng. Ency. of Law, 400; Morgan v. Railroad, 96 U.S. 716; Rector v. Hartt, 8 Mo. 448; Price v. Thompson, 48 Mo. 365. (5) When a dedication is accepted and used by the public in the manner intended, it works an estoppel in pais, precluding the donor and all claiming in his right from asserting any ownership inconsistent with this use. Price v. Thompson, 48 Mo. 365; 15 Am. and Eng. Ency. of Law, 1064, 1065. (6) The owner of lots adjoining grounds dedicated to public use has an easement in the grounds of which he can not be deprived without his consent. 120 Mo. 154; 31 Mo.180. Owner has an easement in the street. 94 Mo. 574. (7) Courthouses and other public buildings are public uses. New Orleans v. U.S. 10 Pet. 713. (8) The plaintiff's injury is sufficient to sustain this suit and is special to them. Cummings v. St. Louis, 90 Mo. 259; Price v. Thompson, 48 Mo. 361; Brown v. Manning, 6 Ohio 298.
Harrington & Pepperdine and Goode & Cravens for respondents.
(1) The county court could not make a valid agreement with James Baker concerning the ground in controversy in the manner testified to by him. Such contracts, even when not ultra vires, must be in writing. R. S. 1889, sec 3157; Maupin v. Franklin Co., 67 Mo. 327; Woolfolk v. Randolph Co., 83 Mo. 501. (2) Without this statute prescribing the mode for making contracts, any agreement of the county court with respect to the ground could only be proven by its records. Maupin v. Franklin Co., 67 Mo. 327; Riley v. Pettis Co., 96 Mo. 318; Heidelburg v. St. Francois Co., 100 Mo. 69. (3) There was no statutory dedication, which can only be made by following exactly the mode prescribed by the statutes. In this State filing a plat duly acknowledged, showing alleys and streets is required. R. S. 1889, sec. 7309; Dillon on Mun. Corp. [3 Ed.], sec. 628; Reid v. Board of Education, 73 Mo. 304. (4) A dedication by estoppel, that is a common law dedication, was not shown. There was nothing in the conduct of the county with reference to the ground inconsistent with the intention to retain control over its use. Kansas City v. Ratekin, 30 Mo.App. 416; Landis v. Hamilton, 77 Mo. 554; Baker v. Vanderburg, 99 Mo. 378; Heitz v. St. Louis, 110 Mo. 618; Vossen v. Dautel, 116 Mo. 379; Com. v. Baker, 21 A. 243; Weiss v. South Bethlehem, 20 A. 801; Erwin v. Dickson, 9 How. (U.S.) 10; Dillon on Mun. Corp. [4 Ed.], sec. 634; 5 Am. and Eng. Ency. of Law, 400. (5) No acceptance of the ground in controversy by the public for sidewalk purposes was shown. An acceptance is as essential to a dedication, as the intention to give on the part of the owner. Becker v. St Louis, 37 Mo. 13; Vossen v. Dautel, 116 Mo. 167; Detroit v. Railroad, 23 Mich. 123; Dillon, Mun. Corp. [3 Ed.] sec. 636. (6) In the case of city streets and sidewalks such acceptance should be manifested by some of the authorities, either formally confirming the dedication or exercising authority over the ground in some of the ordinary ways of improvement or regulation. People v. Jones, 6 Mich. 176; Detroit v. Railroad, 23 Mich. 173. (7) Mere user by the public unless it is shown to have been adverse and not permissive, does not constitute an acceptance. Brink v. Collier, 56 Mo. 167; State v. Bradburg, 40 Me. 154; State v. Balenselfer, 74 Ill. 184. (8) The evidence does not show that the obstruction occasions any special injury to the Baker block such as would entitle plaintiffs to an injunction or damages. They have no standing except on proof of special damage, and the testimony proves they are not damaged at all. Fairchild v. St. Louis, 97 Mo. 85; Rule v. St. Louis, 93 Mo. 408; Bailey v. Culver, 84 Mo. 531.
OPINION
From a decree of the circuit court of Greene county dissolving a temporary injunction and dismissing the plaintiffs' bill, and a judgment in pursuance thereof for damages on the injunction bond, the plaintiff appealed to the St. Louis Court of Appeals, where the decree of the circuit court was affirmed. After an unsuccessful effort by plaintiff for a rehearing in that court and for a transfer of the case to this court, upon their application to this court the record of the case was brought here by certiorari.
The judgment of the circuit court was affirmed by the court of appeals in pursuance of the following opinion delivered by Bond, J., in which all his associates concurred:
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