65 Conn. 230 | Conn. | 1894
Lead Opinion
The defendant is a corporation chartered by the States of Connecticut and Massachusetts, for the purpose of constructing and operating a railroad from Worcester, in Massachusetts, to Norwich, in Connecticut, and thence
The finding of facts so far as it bears on the questions raised on appeal, is as follows:—
“ 1. On February 9th, 1869, the defendant leased its-railroad to the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad Company, by indenture, a copy of which marked Exhibit “ A ” is hereto annexed and made a part of this finding. (This indenture is given in full in the foot-notes.)
EXHIBIT “A.”
This Indenture, made this ninth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, between the Norwich and Worcester Railroad Company, a company existing by virtue of the laws of the States of Connecticut and Massachusetts, of the first part, and the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad Company, a corporation existing by virtue of the laws of Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts, of the second part, Witnesseth:
Whereas, it is believed to be for the advantage of the public, and of both parties hereto, that the railway and steamboat property of the party of the first part should be managed and operated for the term of this lease by the party of the second part: Now, therefore, these presents witness, that the parties hereto, in consideration of the premises, and of the several provisions hereinafter contained, for the benefit of each respectively, do hereby mutually covenant, promise, contract, and agree, to and with each other as follows, to wit: —
First: Said party of the first part hath demised, leased, and rented, and doth by these presents demise, lease, and rent, for the term of one hundred years, from and after the first day of February, A. D. eighteen hundred and sixty-nine (1869), unto the said party of the second part, and its successors, all and singular, the railway of the said party of the first part, extending
*238 “ 2. The New York and New England Railroad Company afterwards succeeded to all the property rights, and fran*239 eliises of the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad Company, and on April 26th, 1886, assumed the said lease in all its*240 terms, except that by agreement of the parties in interest the annual rental to be paid was reduced from ten per cent to eight per cent.
And the said party of the second part, for itself, its successors and assigns, does covenant and agree to and with the said party of the first part, its successors and assigns, that it, the said party of the second part, its successors and assigns, shall and will yearly and every year during the said term hereby granted, well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said party of the first part, its successors or assigns, in the manner as aforesaid, the said rent herein reserved, on the days and in the manner herein limited and prescribed for the payment thereof, without any deduction, fraud, or delay, according to the true intent and meaning of these presents.
Second: The said party of the second part and its successors will pay, bear, and discharge all taxes, rates, charges, assessments, and levies, ordinary and extraordinary, of every kind, which may he levied, charged, assessed, or imposed on all or any part of the demised property and the capital stock of said company, whether the same be imposed by the Federal or State governments, or by any municipal or other authority; and also all taxes or assessments, by whomsoever lawfully imposed, upon any business or traffic transacted by it upon or over the said leased railway, and all income taxes on the business or profits; and in all such cases protect and save said party of the first part harmless of, from, and against any
Said party of the second part agrees that it will at ail times keep the buildings and other personal estate leased, and which is now insured, as fully insured as the same now is, for the benefit of said party of the first part; and that any building or other property insured and destroyed by fire shall be at once rebuilt, x’eplaeed, or renewed, and a like or greater amount shall be kept insured on any new building or improvements, or renewals, or new purchases, or new constructions, or property put in place and stead of any had under this-lease, and destroyed as aforesaid; and it is mutually agreed that any and all sums had upon any policy of insurance upon any property insured as aforesaid, or on any property under any policy now held by said party of the first part on said property, shall be received by said party of the second part, and by it he used in renewals or substitutions of like property to that insured under such policy or policies of insurance.
Said party of the second part agrees that it will at all times keep and maintain said railway, in its road-bed, bridges, superstructures, buildings, grounds, fences, and in each and all things pertaining to the same, and in everything pertaining to the l-ights and uses of the public connected therewith, in as good order, repaix-, and condition as when received, and replace and keep up all such of the fixtures, rolling-stock, and furniture supplies and other property, as shall be shown by an inventory to be taken and appended to this indenture, as shall or may wear out, or be. destroyed by use, fire, flood, accident, design, or removal; so that at all times there shall be upon and connected with said leased railway all things evidenced by such inventory in as good condition and to as full extent and amount as shown by said inventory; and such new property or renewals as aforesaid shall be and stand the estate of said party of the first part in the place and stead of any of like property worn out, destroyed, or removed. And said party of the second part shall at all times during the continuance of this indenture maintain and keep said railway and other estate in manner as aforesaid, and shall, at the expiration or other sooner determination of the term hereby granted, surrender said railroad and other property so to be had, and renewals or substitutions of and for the same, in as good order, state and condition as when received; and shall also deliver of said
“ 3. At the time said lease was made no statute authorized the same, but the same was ratified by the provisions of*242 chapter LXXVL, Public Acts of 1869, approved July 8th, 1869, page 17, and subsequently a modification thereof be*243 tween the defendant company and the New York and New England Railroad Company was provided for by Resolution*244 of the General Assembly, approved July 3d, 1874, Piivate Acts of 1874, page 84.
Said party of the second part shall and will, at all times during the continuance of this indenture, indemnify and keep indemnified and harmless the party of the first part from all costs, suits, expenses, and damages which the party of the first part may sustain or incur by reason of any default or failure of the party of the second part, its grantees or its agents, in the operative management or use of the said railway and demised premises, or any part thereof, or in the use of any engine, car, article or machinery of any kind in regard to which any claim for violation of any patent rights may be made, or in their omission to do and perform any act or thing which may be required by law to be performed by the party of the first part.
Said party of the second part will continue to do, during the continuance of this indenture, every act and thing that may be by law required of or be obligatory upon it or said party of the first part in respect to the operation, condition, maintenance and use of said railway and property hereby demised, and every part thereof, including the keeping and rendition of all accounts and reports that shall be by law required; either making and returning the same to the authorities of the State, or furnishing all the data in its possession to enable the party of the first part to make the same; and in all cases as the law shall require in the premises.
Whereas said party of the first part has a contract with the New London Northern Railroad Company for the use of its track from Norwich to New London, and of certain property at New London, which contract is of date of and to which reference is hereby made for the terms and conditions of the same, said party of the first part does hereby agree to sell, assign, and transfer, and does hereby sell, assign, and transfer the same to said party of the second part, with all the rights, grants, and privileges therein contained and made to said party of the first part; and said party of the second part does assume said contract in the place and stead of said party of the first part, and agrees to keep and fulfil all things therein contained to be done, kept, and performed by said party of the first part; said assignment subject to be avoided by the termination of this lease for any of the causes set forth herein.
And whereas said rights of said party of the first part terminate under said contract on the day of 1S7 , it is agreed by said party of the first part, that, if said party of the second part cannot renew said contract, or make a like one with said New London Northern Railroad Company, on
And it is further mutually agreed by and between the parties hereto, that, in case said party of the first part shall neglect or refuse to build said new road to New London when requested as provided aforesaid, or to procure a lease of the present road and appurtenances, and assign the said lease to said party of the second part as provided aforesaid, the new road may be built and the necessary wharves and so forth, obtained by the party of the second part under any rights existing in said party of the first part, which said rights said party of the first part agrees to exercise for the party of the second part in the premises; and when built and obtained, said party of the second part may use the same for the term of this lease, paying all costs attending the same, and saving the party of the first part from all costs, charges, and liabilities of every name and nature attendant or consequent upon the building or using such new road and appurtenances. But this stipulation, or the building such new road under the same, shall
Said party of the second part is to assume and pay, and does hereby assume and agree to pay, all the indebtedness and liabilities of said party of the first part, bonded and floating, as hereinafter provided: and it is mutually agreed that all sums due or to be due, and all amounts that shall accrue from date to said party of the firstpart from any sources of income, as well as that already accrued up to the commencement of possession by the party of the second part under this indenture, shall be applied in liquidation of such floating debt; and any securities of stock, other than the steamboat stock aforesaid, of the corporation party of the first part, on hand or out as collateral, with any sinking fund, shall stand and be held for payment of said bonded debt. Said indebtedness of said party of the first part is to he provided for and paid in manner following: The floating debt is to be paid by the party of the second part, from any funds in the hands of the treasurer, if sufficient, as it falls due, or provide for the same from its own funds, in case of lack in the hands of the treasurer.
The interest on the bonded and mortgage debt and on the Massachusetts loan is to be paid by the party of the second part as aforesaid, when and as the same shall fall due. When the principal sum shall fall due on the Massachusetts loan, the sinking-fund set over against the same shall be used in its payment; and if more than sufficient, the balance shall belong to the party of the first part; and if not enough, the balance shall be paid by the sale of stock as herein provided. When any principal sum, due by bond or mortgage note of said party of the first part, shall fall due, the party of the first part shall issue and sell such an amount of shares of its capital stock as may be necessary to pay the same; and for every share so issued said party of the second part shall pay, as additional rent for the demised railroad and property, the sum of ten (10) dollars, to wit: five (5) dollars in each July and January thereafter, in manner and form as rent is herein reserved to be paid.
And whereas there are outstanding ninety-four shares of the common stock of the company, party of the first part, never surrendered, and which, if returned, is entitled to the issue of one hundred and seventeen (117) shares in its stead, on the payment of two thousand three hundred ($2,300) dollars, — said party of the second pai-t agrees, that, if said ninety-four shares are surrendered, and said two thousand three hundred ($2,300) dollars are paid to said party of the second part, to be expended in betterments on the demised property, said party'of the first part may issue said one hundred and seventeen (117) shares; and it will pay an additional semi-annual sum of five hundred and eighty-five ($585) dollars, on each July and January thereafter, as rent.
And whereas said party of the first part has contracts for business and other matters and things with sundry railroad and steamboat companies,
“ 4. Both the New York and New England Railroad Company and the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad Company,*246 as well as the defendant company, are corporations created by the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut.
It is mutually stipulated, that in case the parties hereto shall agree that any portion of the leased real estate which shall not be needed in the operation of the railway, or that if a change of location of track and station at Worcester or at any other place will he best for the public and the parties hereto, said party of the first part may sell and convey such portion of said real estate, agreed upon as aforesaid, and invest the proceeds in a fund to be known as the improvement fund; and such fund may be applied to the purchase of any new or changed line, or grounds and buildings, in the place and stead of those sold; and if, by such change, or purchase or construction of new buildings, a greater sum be required than is obtained from the sale of property as aforesaid, said party of the first part is to provide for and pay the same by issue of new stock or otherwise; and said party of the second part shall pay ten per cent per annum on the amount of such expenditure, over and above the amount of funds in the improvement fund; and the new track, grounds, and buildings shall he included under this indenture of lease for the same time and uqjon the same terms and conditions that the railway is herein leased.
Said party of the first part further agrees, that, during the continuance of the agreements herein, the party of the first part will maintain its organization and existence as a body corporate in due form of law; will elect a lawful board of directors, a president, secretary or clerk, and a treasurer; and such treasurer shall be satisfactory to said party of the second part, and shall employ proper and necessary clerks or assistants; and that said
Said party of the first part agrees to do all lawful corporate acts and things upon request of said party of the second part, to enable it to make any additions to lands for the use of the demised railway, or to enable said party of the second part to improve said railway in its curves, cuttings, embankments, or lines of sight, or depot, or other grounds; and said party of the second part may improve said railway in such respects, with the assent of said party of the first part, and all at its own cost and expense, under the advice, assent, and control of the General Eailroad Commission of Connecticut, or the laws of the State in which the proposed improvements shall be located.
It is mutually stipulated between said parties, that, if any other or further acts need be done, or any other or further instrument, assignment, or paper shall need be made or executed, signed, sealed, or delivered by said party of the first part to insure to said party of the second part the use, enjoyment, income, or possession of anything in this instrument agreed to be delivered to or had by said party of the second part, not inconsistent with the terms of the agreement, the act shall be done and instrument made; and so, in like manner, if any act shall need be done or instrument made by the party of the second part, to insure to said party of the first part anything in this instrument stipulated by the party of the second part, not inconsistent with, but under the terms of this contract, the act shall be done and instrument made on request.
The business in connection with the leased property shall be managed and conducted as follows, to wit: The party of the second partshall fix and determine the number and time of all trains to run on the leased railway, to fix all rates of passenger and freight transportation, employ and control all employees in connection with the business, and have control of the business done, or to be done, in connection with or on the leased property. The party of the second part agrees, that, in operating said leased railway, it will furnish the public at least as good facilities, both in its passenger and freight department, as is now enjoyed by the public or private persons upon or in connection with the leased estate, and especially will furnish to the cities of Worcester and Norwich and the towns on the line of the road between said two cities, facilities for the transportation of passengers and freight, equal to or greater than they now enjoy upon the road. It shall
“ 5. At the time of- the injury hereafter referred to, the defendant road was operated under the aforesaid lease by the New York and New England Railroad Company.
In determining the amount of moneys to be held and retained by the treasurer, of the receipts and collections by him made, at his monthly or other of tener or other settlements, it is agreed that he shall collect and hold: First, all receipts and earnings of the railway and leased property had from its own separate and proper business. Second, its proper proportion of all moneys earned and received by or from or under any contract now existing or that may be made with any railroad or steamboat company, or other person or corporation. Third, from any business in connection with the party of the second part from its railroad leading from Putnam and Soutkbridge to Boston. The treasurer shall pay over to the party of the second part, and it shall be entitled to have and retain, such percentage as it would have received for business under the memorandum for a contract lately agreed between a committee of each company, and the balance of the joint business to be divided between the steamboat company and the treasurer, as was contemplated; and such memorandum shall be annexed hereto to show the division to be made. Fourth, ail other earnings and receipts to be had and held by the treasurer to the semi-annual settlements.
*248 “ 6. The defendant has, since the execution of said lease, maintained its organization, elected its officers, including a board of' directors, a president, secretary, and a treasurer ; made its reports to the Railroad Commissioners of this State as required by law, and has acquired land needed by it and used for the purposes of its railroad.
“ 7. The defendant through its treasurer, during the continuance of said lease, collected and received all receipts from the management and operation of the defendant railroad, deposited them in bank to defendant’s credit, and*249 checked them out by checks signed by himself as treasurer. The treasurer paid all bills contracted in the management and operation of the road, some upon his own motion and*250 some upon vouchers certified by officers of the said New York and New England Railroad Company; he also made up the pay-rolls and paid all employees engaged in the management and operation of the defendant railroad, including the engineer and trainmen hereinafter referred to who caused the said injury.
It is mutually agreed, that, in case any difference of opinion shall arise between the parties hereto, as to the lawful and proper construction of this indenture, or of the duty of either parly under the same, and either party shall, in writing, state its claim, and the same shall he denied, refused, or postponed by the other party, either party may thereupon demand that the matter he submitted at once to arbitration, and it shall be done; and thereupon the matter shall be submitted to the arbitration and award of Francis H. Dewey and Thomas E. Graves, who shall at once hear the parties and decide the same; and if they do not agree, Emory Washburn shall at once be associated with them; and the written award of either two of said arbitrators in the premises shall be final and conclusive.
And in case either of said persons named as arbitrators shall decease, or decline to serve, or from absence or other cause unable to do so, or it shall not be practicable to obtain his services, the parties hereto may agree upon some person in his stead, who shall have the same power and authority; hut and if the parties do not and cannot or will not agree, then either party may apply to any judge of the Superior Court in Connecticut or in Massachusetts, who, on proper and reasonable notice to the parties hereto, is requested and empowered to appoint an arbitrator in the place and stead of such person or persons as may not serve for any of the causes aforesaid: and thereupon the arbitration shall proceed as if the above persons should or could serve.
The parties hereto mutually stipulate, each with'the other, that all promises and agreements made to or by one party to the other party to this instrument shall extend to and operate for the bene,fit of the successors of the party to whom or for whose benefit such agreement or promise is made.
This indenture is made subject to the ratification and approval of the stockholders of said corporation parties hereto, at meetings lawfully called for such purpose.
Signed, sealed and, delivered in presence of
Thomas E. Graves,
H. C. Bice,
Witnesses to B. 3. & B.
H. C. Bice,
Thomas E. Graves,
Witnesses to N. & W.
The Norwich & Worcester Eailroad Company, by
A. E. Smith, President.
Boston, Hartford & Erie E. E. Co., by
John S. Eldridge, President.
Norwich, Eeb. 9, 1S69.
Then and there before me, John T. Wait, a notary public, duly commissioned and authorized by the Governor and under the laws of the State of Connecticut to take the acknowledgment and proof of deeds and other instruments in writing under seal, personally appeared the above-named Norwich & Worcester Eailroad Company, by Alba F. Smith, their president, and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be their and his free act and deed.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office, at said Norwich, in said county of New London, on the day and year above written.
John T. Wait,
Notary Public.
Norwich, Feb. 9, 1869.
■ Then and there before me, John T. Wait, a notary public, duly commissioned and authorized by. the Governor and under the laws of the State of Connecticut, to take the acknowledgment and proof of deeds and other instruments in writing under seal, personally appeared the above named Boston, Hartford & Erie Eailroad Company, by John S. Eldridge, their president, and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be their and his free act and deed.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office, at said Norwich, in said New London County, on the day and year above written.
John T. Wait,
Notary Public.
*250 “ 8. All freight bills, tickets, and printed matter used in the operation of the defendant road were in the name of the New York and New England Railroad Company with the addition ‘Norwich and Worcester Division,’ and some of the cars in use and the engines used at the time of the injury hereinafter referred to were the property of the defendant, and had the name of the defendant painted upon them.
“ 9. At said time the general superintendent of the said New York and New England Railroad Company was the managing agent, selected by the said New York and New England Railroad Company to take charge of the defendant’s railroad under said lease, and was a person satisfactory to the defendant company. He chose officials who had the power of hiring and discharging all employees including the employees causing the said injury, and the defendant company had no control over these employees except in its approval of the choice of said managing agent.
“ 10. The general charge and determination of what expenditures should be made to keep the railroad, bridges, equipment and supplies of the defendant in the condition equal to that when leased, and what additions should be made for increased business, was confided to a managing agent appointed by agreement by the boards of directors of both roads, and the treasurer of the defendant paid the expenses authorized by such manager for such purposes from the funds received by the treasurer from the income of the road and property. * * *
“16. The injury to the plaintiff was caused wholly by the unskilled and reckless management and operation of the defendant’s railroad in the manner above stated.
“17. The engineer and trainmen in charge of and operating the engine and cars above described which caused said*251 accident, were employed as stated in paragraph 9 to work upon the defendant’s railroad, and were paid by the treasurer as stated in paragraph 7.
“ 18. An action for the same cause of action was brought by this plaintiff against the New York and New England Railroad Company, and both causes were tried together by the court at the present session upon default and hearing in damages, and judgment was rendered for the plaintiff to recover of the New York and New England Railroad Company the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars, damages, and his costs of suit.
“19. Upon the foregoing facts the defendant admitted the negligence of the employees and the due care of the plaintiff and offered no evidence and made no claim in contradiction thereof, but asked the court upon the facts found to rule that the defendant was not liable for the injury complained of, and that nominal damages only should be assessed against this defendant; but the court refused so to rule and assessed substantial damages against the defendant, to wit: the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars.”
The defendant appeals from the judgment of the Superior Court, on the sole ground that it is exempt from liability by reason of the indenture which exists between itself and the New York and New England Railroad Company, which is set out in the finding and which has received the legislative sanction.
The defendant in its brief says: “ It is a general rule of law that a railroad corporation cannot by its own act, without the consent of the legislature, absolve itself of its public obligations, upon the principle that ‘ where a corporation like a railroad company has granted to it by charter a franchise intended in large measure to be exercised for the public good, the due performance of those functions being the consideration of the public grant, any contract which disables the corporation from performing those functions, which undertakes without the consent of the State, to transfer to others the rights and powers conferred by the charter and to relieve the grantee of the burden which the charter im
This is undoubtedly the law by all the authorities. The rule and the reason for it make the duty and the liability abide with the legal owner of the franchise. Thus, where a lease of a railroad is executed without legislative authority, the lessor remains liable for the laches and the neglect of the lessee, and may be sued therefor the same as though it was itself operating the road; the theory being in such cases that the lessee is the agent of the lessor. So, on the other hand, when the original grantee of a railroad franchise has, with the consent of the legislature, so transferred its property and its franchise to another that the transferee has become the legal owner thereof, then the obligations which grow out of and are the consideration for the franchise are transferred to the new owner. It is precisely as if the public grant had been made to the new possessor; for if the State through its legislature has assented to the transfer, the original grantee, in divesting itself of its property and of its right to operate a railroad, has also relieved itself of the obligations which are, for reasons of public policy, incident to and inseparable from the lawful exercise of the right. To this effect are the authorities cited upon the brief of the defendant, as fully as are those cited by the plaintiff.
The question then in this case, and the only question, is whether or not the defendant has, with the consent and approval of the State, transferred the legal ownership of its franchise to the New York and New England R. R. Co.
The contract made between these parties received the approval of the legislature some months after it was executed, by the Act already referred to, which provides that: “ Any railroad company in this State * * * may take a lease of the property and franchises of, or lease its property and franchises to, any such railroad company, * * * and all such leases * * * heretofore made are hereby ratified and confirmed.” The legislature can, therefore, be held to have approved no more than the parties have expressed by that contract. So the question is narrowed to an examination of
We have examined this contract with all the care we were able to bestow, and have been able to come to no other conclusion than that the defendant did not intend to, and did not in fact, part with the legal ownership of its franchise by any stipulation contained therein, but purposely retained its franchise in its own ownership and under its own control. It is therefore not exempt from liability to the plaintiff.
A grant to a corporation of a right to lay out, construct and operate a railroad is the grant to the corporation of the capacity to exercise a portion of the powers of sovereignty
There is no error.
■ In this opinion Fenn and Hamersley, Js., concurred; Torrance and Hall, Js., dissented.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). In the result reached by the majority of the court in this case, I cannot concur. That result is, that the defendant is liable for what was in fact the negligent conduct of another corporation. It is based on the conclusion that the lease of February, 1869, though “ ratified and confirmed ” by the legislature, does not so transfer the franchise of the defendant, as to absolve it from liability for the acts of the lessee. Although the lease was in fact made before there was any legislative permission to make it, the subsequent legislative ratification placed it, in legal effect, •upon the same footing as if it had been made and entered into after such permission had been granted. Regarding the matter from this point of view, let us consider briefly the Act granting such permission, and the lease which was, in legal effect, made in pursuance of it.
The Act (Public Acts of 1869, Chap. 76) provides as follows: “ Any railroad company in this State * * * may take a lease of the property and franchises of, or lease its property and franchises to,” any other railroad company “ with whose railroad its own railroad may connect or intersect. All
By this Act the defendant was authorized to “lease its property and franchises ” to the lessee for such a period of time and upon such terms as might be agreed upon by the parties. Authority to “ lease its property and franchises ” as here used, clearly gives the lessor the right to convey and transfer “its property and franchises ” to the lessee for and during the term of the lease. What does the word “franchises ” as used in this Act mean ? The word “ franchise ” is often used as a generic name, descriptive of all the rights, privileges, and immunities contained in the charter, including the right of the corporation to become and to continue to be a legal person; but in a narrower sense it includes only the rights, powers and privileges conferred by the legislature upon the corporation as such, after it has come into existence as a legal person. The right to form a railroad corporation is a franchise which may be said to belong to the corporators; while the right to take land for railroad purposes, to operate the railroad, and to take tolls therefor, are properly called “ franchises ” which belong to the corporation. It is in this narrower sense that the word “ franchises ” is used in this Act, for it clearly contemplates the continued existence of the lessor, as a corporation, in the use of all its “ franchises ” not transferred by the lease, and ready to resume the exercise of all its franchises at the termination of the lease ; and it is expressly forbidden to merge or consolidate its stock with that of the lessee. By this Act, then, the defendant was clearly authorized to transfer to the lessee for one hundred years, the right which it had under its charter to operate its then existing railroad, and its right to take tolls therefor, and any other “franchises ” of a similar nature, which the lessor might see fit to transfer. It was not authorized to transfer or assign its “ franchise,” meaning by that its entire charter powers, either permanently or tempo
Such being the nature of the Act under which the lease was, in legal effect, made, let us look at the lease to see what it does transfer and convey to the lessee.
In the first place it begins by a recital which the legislature adopted, “ that it is believed to be for the advantage of the public ” that the railway and steamboat property of the defendant “should be managed and operated” by the lessee for the term of one hundred years. In the next place the lease by apt and appropriate words transfers to the lessee for the term of one hundred years, the then existing railway of the defendant, and all its visible, tangible property of every kind, real or personal, and all its “ rights, easements, franchises and privileges, in connection therewith, or which are appurtenant thereto.” It further provides as follows:— “ The business in connection with the leased property shall be managed and conducted as follows, to wit: The party of the second part shall fix and determine the number and time of all trains to run on the leased railway, to fix all rates of passenger and freight transportation, employ and control all employees in connection with the business, and have control of the business done or to be done, in connection with or on the leased property.”
The legal effect of these provisions, unless they are controlled by other provisions of the lease, is to transfer to the lessee for one hundred years, the exclusive right to use all the railroad property of the'defendant for railroad purposes; the exclusive right to operate, use, and control that property as a railway; and the exclusive right to hire, discharge, and control the persons who should be engaged in its operation and management.
But the only other provisions which can by any possibility be claimed to control the legal effect of those already considered, are the following: First, the lessor is to appoint a treasurer satisfactory to the lessee, who is to receive as they accrue all earnings of the road, and pay all such expenditures as he knows to be correct and such others as are
The provisions relating to the appointment and duties of the treasurer, are evidently put in as a method for securing the payment of the rent, and nothing more; they have no reference to the actual management and operation of the railway, or the hiring or discharge of employees, which are elsewhere provided for.
The provisions for indemnity were evidently put in as a matter of caution, to cover cases where a duty still rested upon the defendant which the lessee had engaged to perform.
As to the managing agent the lease provides as follows: “ It is mutually agreed that the general charge and determination of what expenditures shall be made to keep the railway bridges, buildings, equipment, and supplies of the party of the first part equal to the present condition of the same, and what additions thereto may be required by the increased business of the road, shall be confided to a managing agent, to be agreed upon by the board of directors of the two companies,” or, in default of such agreement, by certain arbitrators. This agent is to be removed on request of either of the parties. The duties of this agent relate solely to the preservation and protection of the reversionary interests of the lessor, and to the protection of the lessee upon its covenants with reference to such reversionary interests, and have nothing to do with the hire or discharge of servants and agents, or the actual operation of the railway in the running of trains.
The lease further provides that the lessee “ shall have a person in charge of the railroad and property, to be called the managing agent, who shall be a person satisfactory ”
These provisions, then, whether singly or combined, do not affect or control the legal effect of the provisions heretofore considered; and so the lease must be regarded as transferring to the lessee for one hundred years the exclusive right to operate this railway, and the exclusive right to hire and discharge and control the persons who from time to time are engaged in operating it. This being done with the legislative consent, with what propriety can the defendant be held liable for the acts of persons over whom it had and has no sort of control? The liability of a person for acts legally hurtful to another, is based, usually, upon his power to prevent or control such acts, or upon his power and control over the person who does them; and where there is no such power of prevention or control there can be, as a rule, no liability.
In the case at bar as the defendant had no power or control over the lessee or its employees who did the act complained of, I think it ought not to be held liable for the results of that act.
In this opinion Hall, J., concurred.