182 A.D. 560 | N.Y. App. Div. | 1918
The learned justice who presided at Special Term decided that the plaintiff had, as appurtenant to his land, a right to have the water flow freely and without obstruction through the drain on the defendant’s land to its outlet into Bannister creek or into the canal which was a substitute for the creek. This right, in his decision and the judgment entered thereon, is denominated an easement. In so far as it was an artificial arrangement, the name was properly applied; and on the facts found, which, we think, are supported by the evidence, the decision and judgment were justified.
The law will imply a grant of an easement in favor of a grantee more readily than a reservation of one in favor of a grantor. (Wells v. Garbutt, 132 N. Y. 430; Johnson v. Jordan, 43 Mass. 234.) When Rand, in 1905, granted a portion of his property to plaintiff, the drain extending through the land reserved was in existence, it was reasonably necessary to the enjoyment of the land granted to plaintiff, and the marks of its existence were apparent so that they might be seen “ ‘ on a careful inspection by a person ordinarily conversant with the subject.’” (Lampman v. Milks, 21 N. Y. 505, 516.) Rand, therefore, imposed a servitude of drainage upon his own land in favor of that granted to plaintiff. Subsequently, he granted the servient estate, so burdened, to defendant; and it is found as a fact that defendant knew
But we think that the part of the judgment which adjudges plaintiff’s right to have the drain kept open may be rested on another rule of law. The learned justice found “ That in 1896 and prior thereto, while both of said tracts of land now owned by plaintiff and defendant were owned by said Rand, except as aforesaid, a natural water course called Bannister creek flowed from the east to the west nearly through the center of what is now the land of the plaintiff, and thence through what is now the land of the defendant, and thence emptied into the Atlantic Ocean.” This was a watercourse, and the evidence of the conditions • warranted such finding. (Barkley v. Wilcox, 86 N. Y. 140; Gillett v. Johnson, 30 Conn. 180; Macomber v. Godfrey, 108 Mass. 219.) The right of the owner to have the flow of the water uninterrupted from his land, although sometimes called an easement, is not strictly such but rather a natural right. (Scriver v. Smith, 100 N. Y. 471.) The existence of such right is so well established that it needs no further citation of authority. Rand, while he owned the lot including both parcels, filled in Bannister creek through a portion of its length and substituted therefor an underground pipe or drain. This did not change the character of the stream; it was still a watercourse although flowing through a pipe. Such was the situation when he sold the upper portion of the lot to plaintiff. The plaintiff had the natural right to have the water flow from his land, independently of any implication of -a grant of an easement, because it still remained a watercourse. We think the plaintiff had the natural right to have this water flow from his land because Bannister creek was a watercourse, and that in so far as the drain was an artificial arrangement it may be said that he had an easement in its use.
The general rule is that the owner of the dominant tenement is chargeable with the cost of the maintenance and upkeep of an easement appurtenant to his property. (Washb. Ease. & Serv. [4th ed.] chap. VI; Roberts v. Roberts, 55 N. Y. 275; Brill v. Brill, 108 id. 511.) This rule is logically
We do not think, however, that the judgment may now determine that the expense of repairing the drain shall be a charge on the land of the defendant or any specified portion thereof. Although the parties have presented elaborate briefs filling about 250 printed pages and evidencing a careful and extended search for authorities to aid the court, no case nor text writer has been cited to sustain this provision of the judgment. Defendant’s obligation does not rest on the law of easements. According to that law, it would be under no obligation to maintain the drains. As to this, the law
We see no reason for interfering with the decision of the trial court on the subject of damages. It is a question of fact what damages were caused by interfering with the flow of the stream and what by interruption of the flow of surface or percolating water. For the former the defendant is liable; for the latter it is not. This difficult question of fact was peculiarly within the province of the.trial justice; and we do not find that in solving it any erroneous rule. of law was applied or any material error made in the admission or exclusion of evidence.
The judgment should be modified in accordance with this opinion, and as modified affirmed, without costs, and with disbursements for printing the case divided equally between the parties.
Jenks, P. J., Mills and Rich, JJ., concurred.
I agree generally with Mr. Justice Blackmar. The obligation to keep open the water, and to clear it of that which may obstruct its natural flow, in my view does not arise from the law of servitudes which grow out of the assent or acquiescence of some landowner, but inheres in the nature of the thing itself. We have a finding that Bannister creek
Had the original conditions at time of defendant’s purchase continued unchanged, I think plaintiff had and could enforce the right of an upper riparian owner in this watercourse as entitled ex jure natures, to the full flow and discharge without obstruction. It still had the characteristics of a watercourse, having source, outlet and channel. (Farnham Waters, § 459.) There was a natural right such as that of a riparian owner after a definite stream has been narrowed by embankments or walls (Hartshorn v. Chaddock, 135 N. Y. 116), or by an encroaching bridge or an insufficient culvert. (Orvis v. Elmira, Cortland & N. R. R. Co., 17 App. Div. 187; affd., 172 N. Y. 656; Cooper v. New York, L. & W. R. Co., Nos. 1 & 2, 122 App. Div. 128; Spink v. Corning, 61 id. 84; affd., 172 N. Y. 626.) The artificial piping of the stream, I think, did not destroy or lessen plaintiff’s right to have its flow maintained (Washington County Water Co. v. Garver, 91 Md. 398), especially as it is found as a fact that defendant had actual knowledge of this system of pipes at the time of its purchase. Even without any agreement or express assent, defendant would be bound not to interfere with such flow, (Babbitt v. Safety Fund Nat. Bank, 169 Mass. 361.)
In the subsequent negotiations during defendant’s improvements, plaintiff did not waive these rights.
Hence I think defendant’s duty does not come from the law of easements. But while any person, whether he be a
Jenks, P. J., Mills and Rich, JJ., concurred.
Judgment modified in accordance with the opinion, and as modified affirmed, without costs, and with disbursements for printing the case equally divided between the parties. Order to be settled before Mr. Justice Blackmar.