I advise affirmance. The action is to establish riparian rights on the Hudson river. The appeal is from an interlocutory judgment overruling a demurrer that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. The plaintiffs complain that in 1838 Isaac Seymour and two others were tenants in common of land abutting on the Hudson river, which were uplands; that as such owners they received in that year a grant of land under water from the Commissioners of the Land Office, which became absolute in them upon tlieir compliance with the conditions thereof; that thereafter and in 1848 Seymour, who had become sole owner, used all the lands as one parcel which abutted on the river; that in that year Seymour “ duly conveyed to the Hudson River Railroad Company by deed.” a certain piece of land which comprised the land under water theretofore granted by the said Commissioners, together with a portion of the said uplands; on information and belief that the said lands so conveyed to said company “ are now owned and occupied by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company, the defendant.” Plaintiffs complain that in 1867 the defendant conveyed back to David Seymour, who had become pwner of the original parcel, an additional strip on the easterly line
The, defendant to .sustain its demurrer . submits, fit'st, that, the charter of the.Hudson Biver Bailroad-Company (Laws óf 1846, chap. "216, .§ ,9) provides that. ‘Í The said .corporation, is hereby empowered to purchase, receive and hold, in fee simple, such real ■ estáte and other property as may.be necessary ip accomplishing the objects for which thjs corporation.is granted, and may also receive, hold and take such voluntárygrants and donations of real estate and other property as shall be made to the said corporation, to aid in the construction, maintenance and accommodation of said railroad and ways, which real estate shall be held and. used for those purposes only.” This section was amended by. chapter 30 of the-Laws of 1848 by inserting the words .which voluntary grants and donations ” before the last .words
Such alleged rights cannot be-resblved in- favor of the plaintiffs simply because.the defendant owns and uses lands as a railroad corporation,' nor in favor of the defendant because the lands were conveyed to it arid are heldby. it in fee. ■ The railroad corporation could purchase, hold and use lands to the exclusion of such.riparian rights. (Matter of N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. Co., 77 N. Y. 248; Wetmore v. Atlantic White Lead Co., 37 Barb. 70, 94.) - And yet a grantor of" lands may not have divested himself of his' riparian rights. (Rumsey v. N. Y. & N. E. R. R. Co., 114 N. Y. 423 ; N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. Co. v. Aldridge, 135 id. 95; Saunders v. N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. Co., 144 id. 75, and concurring opinion by Pboicham, J., at page 90.) On the other hand, the mere alle- . gation of a conveyance of the lands so that the defendant held them in fee is not conclusive against, the existence of such riparian rights. (Rums'ef s Gase and' Aldridgds Oase, supra.) Without intending to indicate any rule for this case, I suggest that there may well be a manifest and. radical difference, so far as riparian rights are concerned, between land held in- fee and Used .solely for the roadway of a defendant corporation,-and land.held in fee and used by such corporation for. other and legitimate purposes which would be incompatible with the existence and exercise of such rights as are asserted by the plaintiffs.'
Hirsohberg, P. J., Woodward, Hooker and Miller, JJ., concurred. .
'. . Interlocutory judgment affirmed, with costs. .
