127 Wash. 189 | Wash. | 1923
On January 30, 1906, one Lydia Stuhr purchased Lot 5, in Block 621, of the Central Addition to the city of Tacoma. The lot was 25 feet in width, and fronted upon a public street to the west. At the time of the purchase, there was a fence purporting to mark the dividing line between the lot and
Mrs. Stuhr entered into possession of the property shortly after her purchase. She assumed that the fence marked the true north boundary of her lot, and that the house was wholly upon the lot purchased. Some few years later, the precise year Mrs. Stuhr was unable to remember, the fence having become somewhat decayed, was demolished by a wind storm. She called the fact to the attention of a Mr. Spicer, the then owner of the west twenty feet of lot 4, with a view to a reconstruction of the fence. Mr. Spicer told her, to use her own language, to leave it down; he made no claim, however, that the fence did not mark the true dividing line between the lots. Mrs. Stuhr shortly thereafter removed the remains of the fence and planted rose bushes and other shrubbery to make the line of the fence. Mrs. Stuhr continued to occupy, care for, and improve the property until about November 7, 1919, when she conveyed lot 5 by warranty deed to the respondent in the present action.
Mr. Spicer acquired title to the west 30 feet of lot 4, on November 16,1905. In 1916, he conveyed the property, with other lands, to the appellants. Two deeds were executed to convey the property; one a warranty deed conveying the other lands mentioned and the north 20 feet of the west 30 feet of lot 4; and the other, a
After the fence was constructed, Mrs. Stuhr conveyed to the respondent the south five feet of lot 4, whereupon the respondent began the present action to eject the appellants from this part of the lot, and to quiet her title thereto. The trial resulted in a decree in her favor, and this appeal followed.
The evidence leaves but little doubt that Mrs. Stuhr purchased lot 5 under the belief that the fence purporting to mark the dividing line between lot 5 and lot 4 was the true boundary line, and that she continued in this belief until after she sold the lot to the respondent. There is little room for doubt, also, that she maintained exclusive possession of the property during this period of time, and that her possession was open and notorious and under a claim of right.
This court has repeatedly held that possession of this sort constitutes adverse possession, and, if continued for a period of ten years, without interruption, will confer title to the land so held in the holder. Bowers v. Ledgerwood, 25 Wash. 14, 64 Pac. 936; Erickson v. Murlin, 39 Wash. 43, 80 Pac. 853; Weingarten v. Shurtleff, 51 Wash. 602, 99 Pac. 739; Wissinger v. Reed, 69 Wash. 684, 125 Pac. 1030; Alverson v. Hooper, 108 Wash. 510, 185 Pac. 808; Metropolitan Building Co. v. Fitzgerald, 122 Wash. 514, 210 Pac. 770.
We have not overlooked the argument of the appellants that, to constitute adverse possession, the pos
In our opinion, the judgment of the lower court was right, and it will stand affirmed.