Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN
gonomble D. C. Olrer
State HI&wag Ewine%~
Tuas Iilghw%y I)ep@rtmQnt
AWtin, Tcxa8
If. %%knovledge Pecoipt
or thir dopbrtment a8 r0mmt
quartermste
Fort Worth.
u. s. Highway X
r nqueat h8 either convey I vlthLn that or enter Into an agree- authori2ln.g them to to all tdri0 during and for a reasonable period on or the oonveyanee or the Federal Oovemment pay a8 ply be neoemary to lmprwe a uud thy Depot for the ure of the rlod oovend by the agmszwmt or this purpo80 are svallable. ay hUlBl1~8iOII -3.ige8 it8 obligation t0 th% State of Taxa% %nd to the travellag pub110 %nd la view of the faot that th% State h%% lsrgo inve%tment of publia money in the im~FOWJE~t8 OKI U. 9. BighvsJ x0. 01 wlthin the 1lmits or the Depot it does not vlrh to permamhtly ~1080, abonbon, or d5.spose of the read.
gsmrable D. 0. Ower. page 2
The algbvay Cwl88i0n h8 ooopmatsd &lly with all Oowmmental Agenote engaged ia the v1r errert in the past aad while it i8 not ROV dO8ilWU8 Of t?lOsing a primary highway, 18 VlllImg to l soede to the demnd8 0r amy in thie in8tanoe If it can be doam rithin th0 8t%tUtO aUthorit;t the Ca~irrlon and VithoUt 8ubjeotlng t Dep%rheat CmsIrrIon, l ItSer %
0rfi0iaii7 OF in their ladl*ldual O%pOitis8 to %ny Uebility ror 8uOh aetlan aml rurther, ii it is a88uwd that the HghvaywIllbe ntumedto thoDepartmant%nd the people or Texas alter the temirutlon 0r the sm* m-Y*
*It ha8 key suggerted to orrkiale 0r the w that vhIle tho Hlgvay CamIsrlon 8%y not have leg%1 %u- to oamvq the Hlghvay by doe4 or 081)ment. 6~ %horlty to %gwe to the %losiag of the EIghv%y S8 deslmd by thea, the United States sould raqulrs it by sondsmation.
went, Inoorpor%tIag%ll the pawlsisns 8auIdemd to both th4 Fsdsral %m¶ State Oeverfment8, as derirrble wsllas thsagreed o%nsIder%tlcm, eouldbeprepwedurd eatendbyylreaen t th u8 l lLclnrtIag all sf the leg%1 @IO8tiOR8 whi& WI80 ir aI&y 0th~ 1~818 Or atU3apiiSh- tbAm%W iI2g thSead&8ind~ rOiiO?th
'I have gIvsnyou% rath%ro~lstob%okgroqsld%nd dIS6U8Si0XI Or thr QUO8tI02% and !touild Sp~00iSk It if you rould eoasider the b81X’e or the Fedonl Ooww.ztt sbt%In ths lilghvay vithla the lklts or the Qumter- master Depot and %dvIso ste vh%t prooedure the 6001ission m8y leg81ly r0ii0v In plroIng aantml e-for that portIan Highmy In the Yar -Went. an& at the 8-e tlm Insur no liability, l ithsr by the State or by the ladIvldu%lnsaberr of the HIghV%y 0aP1881OR rOF 8uah ao- tlon,"
It ~I.11 be rllgt noted thrt tb# URitOd 8Wte8 Amy ha8 requested the State HIghray Carlsalon to l uthsrlso It ba~leade that portion or u. 9. Bigh%~ vhtsh 1158 between the Imth aad South 1ImIts of the Qpartezmaster Dspot.
It Is 80 veil 8ettled stabllskment %nd maIn- tenanos 0r % 8y8tim 0r hIghvay8 is govemPtsnt%l Ruratlen, no Cit%tiaa Of %Uthoriti%8 i8 XieOO888~;.
ssgwzmble D. 0. Orser, Pace 3 Ths ~gt8~tUl'O h8 -tdwt4 %Rd~~OURtWSltFOl
over the losatiti, de8lgrdim m&d l stablls~snt Of SUO~ highways. t0,lt.r power, the Legi8l8tum omkd St8te Highuay -want Department and vested the s&sinlstratIve oontrol thsnoi in the state Blghlmy cami88ion. ArtIelo 6663, Verponts Annotated DIvIl gtatUts8, OXWtWJ &Ln WBIZ~J in Vhi@h WB IW8tsd pOWW8 t0 rOntl- lsto snd sxacut5 plans and polIcIes for the looation, oonstruatlon Md R%intCA4UX?e Of % CfXiI~Wh6llSiV’B 8y8ta Or S+t4 hi&W&y8 Md pub116 roads. Robbin VI I LbWstan+ ~OU$~~8&~~~;~~r the ease of Ilalm~ vs. Bea, 48 S. W. or Texas, In an opinion by Jwtloe 'man, adopted by the
mls ~xwie Couz’t, hsld that the Act Ve8ted ths oartrol of t& state a&hw;ra in the Stat% Hlgltway SMp%rtment tith regmd to the de8 mtion, loaatlon, reloaation, 1mpmvemexit, eon8truotienr a b%iii&Lt ~ant¶&usnoe bwhem do t&s a&bvar tatutes suthsr- themar.
the Stats Xl&way Department delegsto Its pwers to other ageaaoiecr .
You ars thereron sdvlsed th%t State xilghway Oair- &Son does not hsve authority to %uthwLr?e th% V. S, Amy tom bsml- o&do the above mentioned porNon ar 0. 8. Hlghwiy 81, nor does it bsvo authority to enter into a oontraat OP agresmtmt to rush orroot.
IA regard to whether or not the St&e XIghsuy Depsrtwat I8 authorlted to oonvcy the right-Of-V%y md Qsprov~ents in that pe~tfan of the hQ$wsy to the Fedex-1 Go-vemment, yew me sdvlsed thet Article 66m, Seotlon 1, Vsrnaa’s Amotsted Civil St8tuts8, pl'OVtba8 %S fOlbVSt Vhemver the state Rlghny hea ae- m?SSd8SfOn
qulred or 8h%ll hameSter ssqulse ang 1%x&d by pur- eha8e, dondemfhtion, or othe~lre to bs ossQ as s rI5ht of u%y ror %ny Mate alghvay and thmeafter the route of ru0h Hightray Va8 or shall be ahangsd or aken- doaed, md %x&y suah right of my bs no lsnger needsd ‘for 8uch EIghwsy, or needsd for use 0r oitlrcons 48 s road, the State Highmy Cc4malssl~~ msy remxmwad to the Qovemor that suoh land bs aold and that he exe- cute a deed convoying all ths State’s right, tltla %ad tntereet Ln euoh land sequimd. Upon the reomenda- tion or the CcssmIssion, the aavornor my emeeute a propor kieed aonvey~ snd/or exohangi.ng 8u0h land r0r dlfrercmt land belrm@w: to tha o&use perran or ersms. It eh%ll ba t&s duty of tha &sssisaion to fir &e ralr and reasonable value of all suob land %I& advFse th6: *4 s~mblo D. C. Oreer, Page 4
a oYo rno r given to the state, the QoPomor uy retul% tha Dame th ereof l [18] Provtcled tat Yhon rwh lamI by proper deed to the person or 9er8cn8 tm vhan th e wuae is reoetvt46. All ncmey derlmd frfs the role of such lend shall be depoalted with the funda from which It ~'86 originally taken. The AttOmez Qeneral shall approve all. tramfern under this Act.
You are, therefore, adrired that If the State Highway caml88lo.n makes a Pind*~that the portlon or the right of my a que8tIcn 18 no longer needed
Of Oiti8@A8 a8 8 roab it
W-Au r'8U9l=. haFaG
to be a88Ul'Od that the road will return tc the State upopl the feminatlon of the prerent var emergenoy Sor tb u8e of thr state utd it8 Citi8eM (L8 0 highway. Suah bebag the oare, we do not k- lleve that the State Rightray Department vould be ruthmIred to oater an prder mque8ting the Oovemw to oonv~ey the land the ?edeml Ooverr88(lPt, for, 8UCh M order .vould bu in dlraat oo@liot with the limitation empha8iwd abwo.
IA l'iQSFd t0 th0 8U&je8tiOU t&@&t th0 8108&$3 Of the hi@- ll8f k aoaanrplirrhed bJ OOJWbWl8tfOU, YOU am rdo18#d tbt Satin lyl, Chapter 11, Title 50, u. 8. aode AAnotated, 9FOYide8, IA part, U fOlbV8:
'The searetary of War may 6auae prooeocl~8 to b8J in8titUted in th0 m Of tb &?&ted SktOe, ia uw Court harlru jurled%otion of rueh ~eoimdiam fsr thk oqUirmentm* aox&mmtIon any- land Wo thereof or other fmtere8t therein, or r
the-to, needed for tile 8lte, leiwtlan, aon- ~8tl'UOtiOn, Or $WO8O@XltiCA% Of VOX'k8 fdr fcYirtifIi@tiOXU, OW8t defW8e8, (aad)BlmtacJtramngaarqs, . l .
utd further DrOVIdOd. th8t When 8Wh Dl'6DOX'tY f8 W- pulred in tlim of vaP, . . . gpoa the- riibtg-of tlie petition ror tile ooAaeaAatloA of aAy lurb, tm q u8e thereof, other intonrt therdn or rlght z*-
ining thewto to be 8UQUiPW fO2' alU Of tb DUX'DO808 afommiid, Immediate pO8ie88iOli t&8&f mfLj be-t&m to the extent of the Intererrt to be arquIred and the land8 may be ooouplsd rurd uud for mllltary 9ur908e8, 6Ad the prOVi8iOA Of Bect%W 6f tbi8 title, pro- viding thatnopublioa6aey rhllba expmcbdupon 8UOh land Wit11 . . . tha cOSMe& Of the ti@I8btuM Of the S:ate in tich the land 18 located ha8 been give, *5 EoAomble D. 0. Qreer, page 5
3ull be,ud the 8ue are hereby, rw9e~deddurl~g fih0 p6ri0d Of the 6Xi8tkPg WJergeAIq.
Section 257, Cbapter 3, Title 40, u. 5. Cnde Annoteted, provide8 in 9Wt a8 fOl.lOV81
'In every aa h whlah the 3ecntaPy Of the Tre68- ury or an? other officer of the govemmsnt he8 been or rhall be authorized to procure real estate for the eno- tlon of a public building or for other public ~808 he 8bal1 be aUthOri8ed t0 MQUire the 8aane for the UAited State8 by oondmnation, wader judicial proae88, vhenever fn h%8 09iaiOA it 18 A8MJ8#l$X7 Or dVUsAt8geOU8 t0 the OOVen.tmant to do 80. l l l
In the oa8e of @Mappar vs. UAlted Stater, 81 Fed. 76b, the Ciretit Cowt of A995al8 held that the 8tatutes abore quoted am in pax-1 materio.,
It 8gpaMIIlt th8t the 88Omtam Of War -8 th, 9OllW t0 the hAd in qW38tiOXl br cOAde8metioA. got anlJ ~a7 he QAA- M@m dOBAthe Zond,bUt.U~abO ooPideamtO8Ay eXkntdOrir.drad the 8atiW IMlr ti80 be iOr t~pOZ'8lry U80. vol. 33 (Igo), ~iAiOA8 of the Attorney 0e~eral of the tlnlted State8, page 551. IA the ea80 8tbSLP,W6~M Of tb OplniOA tb8t theanit& St&btO8lu~ 008ldUl¶ th. portion of United State8 Highvay Ho. 81 lyfpe betveen the Horth a?& South limit8 tkf Quartermaster Depot and my do 80 tar tia uu of tha land for ghatever period t%me it derire8. In ooAAoo- tlon the+evith ve are of the further oplnlpian that the aaovnt of to the State could be agreed upan betveen the Opitetl State8 Mmqpa 8Ad the Stste of TeXr8.
You further ark vhat proc8dum, if any, oould th6 State pl8OOa ht&vay vithin thellrtfr ltighn~Dep6rtm6ntgothroughto the Querteammter Depot in the oantrol of ths War Deparhrcmt. We doubt that th6 Highway DepartmeAt ha8 the authority to plaeo the hlghvay in th6 aoAtro1 of the War De9WtP+nt, but ve do bellore that Tudor oerteln dmum8tanoe8, highway de~rtment vould bare a~- thorlty to diecontlnue u8e of that portion of the hIghway vltho@i lirbllity 011 the part of the rtate or the indivldwl mber8 of the State Highway Commiseion. If th@ State Ifighwer CCWA28SiWi 8houlb find a8 orotter of fast that beoau8e of the looatlon of the ngpot OA both Bide8 of the highway and the moving of the aatarlal8 ~ro88 higb- WLy by the War DeparU86At 6On8titUted a mom t&Ui OrdbUWy dUIger t0 th6 traveling publio, thnt the State Hlghvsy 0Q%BUIiESiOn vould be 8u- thorlzed to clorre t&t yortlon of the highvay dur&.g the uirt6nue of
IA the eVeAt BiUAStkme tire 8tOPed at the depot md aU6h 22 ~Tbtl a danger thu traveling: publlo, we belL6ve that tha Cmir81oA vould bo jU8tifisd in alO8ing tb 9WtlOA Of th. b%.ghVay
gmreble D. C. Freer, Pago 6 que8tiOn t0 the publla Vhile 8UOh danger eXi8t8. Thi8 for the
~mea8OO that tll th. Oa8e Of Beathur 78. t%iA&tletm. 12 9. u. (26) i$&ttl!S ckXW3i881Oa Of hypO818, speaking thhugh j’iutlae Shori, '
"The Act amating the state J5-y Departanant bi the term8 of which that department was fill and ;F;t;fY VO8ted Vith the edrinistrative aon rol of --+ a roads, whioh right bo a part of the state B&hvay Sy8tU, . . . @nd, jUri8dictiOlI Vlth re8peOt to the de8ignatl , reloaatlon, lmprovaent, COAIltNCtioA, eb& xK8aontlnU8.nae and OOn- &-& of rush of th8 pub110 P@ail8 a8 VOM then reas nlzed a8 a part of the State lIl@nm~ SysteA, or ov8r suah of the pub110 1~848 of the state a8 thereafter . . . beaome a part stat0 xilghvay sy8teis.' Tht3 Highway @mBla81On hVbg the 8U.thority a8 Ht forth in the above clfatlan, it follov8 that it 18 authorlred to dlreot end PI 18 held in 16 WX. th. floV Of tx'affi0 OV8C 8Uah -8 ar. 5621 'If the re@etlons are intended to, and do in trot, px'Ot.Ot the live8 and 9lW9ertv Of OitiMA8, they are aa uemi8e of pollae paver." It Mtlll’d~ fOlhV8 8U8h Mgu&AtiaA 011 part of EighVey DeOartimeAt would be uthorlsed bmmme it8 broad ponr8 under th6 hot croatlag rush department IAherently in- elude the 9olloe power of the govOmment ln8ofar a8 highway tnffla eomomed av@r hlghvays aoA8tmtOted by the State Hi$hvsr Depert- mt. Ycu am therefore advlred that lf the Stab Bf&nray Cm-
mlrrlo~ ahonld find that fact8 above asntloned exirt end that they aonrtltute a AeAAae end dmger to the trevellA& publio, 8Uah fpet8 vould constitute 8Uah good faith cm the part of the State Elghny Commlrslon and their aot of di8contlaukg the UM of the road during the eXi8teAUe Of the emergemy would be juttifled.
Uhetller or not the Strte of T6Xs8 or kenber8 of ths Hl~h- vay C~~misalon indivi.dwally vould ba held liable for d8aagos lr 8 we8tiW Of fact. You are advlled, however, that If the barrload- ing s.nd dlscont¶..maanas of the highway would cl0843 8cm6 pemon~r aacesa to snd PrOm hi8 property, there vould be llablllty on the part of t&a state. By th18 Ye do not ~eaA that a pereoA ta8a U. S. Highway 81 vouZd be entitled to damages becswm he Ya8 not peF mitted to travel over the clorred portion thereof, but that he ear&- not ba deprived hfs ecaem to a hQhvay. It matters oat that *7 th8t permn light hte trrY.1 4 mera slreultou8 reuto to go, m vi11 say, to Fort Worth. "!mle dango mlmt be the diroet and iasdltlt* Qon- Of the 8Ot CraguiIiOd Of UAd FOQOte Uld m-
8O~lNO t-t dWBge8 8N not noovanrble. %‘hO PetitiOWp, t0 8u Of hi8 lot8 w poblio Itl'O,~#r' b8 fFU aeGO th8t iXIgOtagt Gee ~ObonZO~Ofhl8 a=pbint18, diFOUtiOZ¶h@Wybe a i-d Ofhi hOU8.8 inth0 W go further than he 0tharv3.8. vould. The inoonvem- ion00 -8 not nrsh m inJ= 4Wi8 him ia hi8 prOpUty a8 VOUld Or&tit10 him to d6W&O8.'
Rxrthrr, in the au0 Of Fearfnst Y8. Enrin, 55 A. I. 486, tho court haldl
You are, thoroforo, advlrod if there ar8 a0 porsoau VhOU8. ~p~OO~~fiiord~~?tlaplOt~highrrOE8~~
of lngrosr or egx-0~8, there voald~be no liability.
Tnl8tlagthat the fongalng fullr an8ver8 yourlnqulry, vo 819
Iowa very truly ATTOBBBY @lSRXML OF TEXAS