1 N.H. 339 | Superior Court of New Hampshire | 1818
The opinion of the court was delivered by
When the legislature authorizes an act, which in its natural consequences may be injurious to the property of another, and at the same time prescribes the particular mode in which the damages resulting from the act shall be ascertained and compensated, it is clear that he who does the act: cannot be liable as a wrong doer. The truth of this proposition is not denied by the plaintiff’s, counsel; but he contends that ; the damages which the plaintiffs have sustained resulted from an act of the defendant not authorized by the legislature. It is said that the company were clearly restrained from overflowing the road in question, by the sixth section of the act of incorporation, which expressly declares that “ the road leading by the falls” shall be in no wise obstructed by the company ; and it is agreed that the highway overflowed in this case: is a part of the. highway leading by the falls. This argument is certainly entitled to a very serious consideration, and must in our opinion prevail, if the overflowing in question is to be considered as art obstruction within the meaning of the act.
But in ascertaining the meaning of a charter of this description, all the parts of it ought to be taken together, and be so contrued, if possible, as to make them consistent one with another. Such a construction ought also to be adopted
The overflowing of the road in question must, therefore, be considered only as a temporary obstruction, which could not be avoided in accomplishing the object of the charter, and which has been entirely removed by an alteration in the road, so that the passage round the falls is as convenient as before. As the legislature must, in our opinion, be presumed to have been aware that this road would be over-flowed, and have provided the means by which any obstruction arising from such overflowing might be removed at the expense of the company, we think this is not to be viewed as an obstruction within the- meaning of the sixth section of the charter, which was introduced only for the purpose of preventing unnecessary and permanent obstructions of the roads round the falls. This construction is absolutely necessary to make that section consistent with other provisions in the charter, and seems to us to be warranted by the best rales of interpretation. ' We are, therefore, of opinion that this objection to the defence in this case cannot prevail.
It is also contended by the plaimiffs, that the company had no right under the charter to construct dams uutil the damages which might result from them in overflowing lands and roads were ‘first ascertained and paid. But in oitr opinion this construction is equally against the interest of the individuals and towns whose lands and roads are liable to be overflowed, and that of the company : nor is it by any means warranted by the language of the charter. The act provides that in case the company shall find it necessary to use the lands of private persons, such lands shall be set off
The plaintiffs also contend that the charter provides no method to compel the company to pay the damages, when assessed in a case of this kind ; and that, therefore, unless they can sustain an action at common law, they are without remedy. This is undoubtedly true. But the answer to this objection is, that the plaintiffs may maintain an action at common law against the company to enforce the payment of the damages found by- the selectmen, but not an action of
It is the opinion of the court that there must be
Judgment for the defendant.
) 7 Mass. R. 202, Bigelow vs. Cam. & Con. Turnp. Corporation.