Opinion ID: 1761356
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: We have had before us maps, survey records and determinations showing the meandering of the river in this territory since 1852.

Text: In 1937 land located south and west of the tract here involved, but within the same river loops, was the subject of litigation in the United States Courts. See United States v. Flower et al., District Court of the United States, District of Nebraska, Omaha Division, #1332 Equity, transferred to Law Docket, affirmed on appeal in 108 F.2d 298. While the case did not involve the same land as here many of the same maps, exhibits, witnesses and river changes appear. Lot 1, the tract involved here, is adjacent to Lot A owned by plaintiff. The trial court found that Lot 1 formed by accretion to Lot A and quieted title in plaintiff. We affirm. To show the location of the tracts we reproduce Exhibit 29. The river channel is now about 2 miles west with an inside chute and an outside chute, now dry, curving around to the east and then southwest. To illustrate the location of these chutes we reproduce a portion of Exhibit 39. This exhibit is a composite map prepared by the United States Surveyors showing river channels as of 1852 to 1875 and 1890 to 1927. The evidence shows and other decisions have found that at sometime in the past the river by its meandering eroded away Lot 1. Sometime between 1870 and 1879 and again in 1916 the river moved by avulsion to the west. The remaining chutes carried some water particularly during high water periods but gradually filled in. Until a few years ago when a drainage ditch was completed Lot 1 was too wet to cultivate. It was covered with willows, small trees and coarse grass. It was not fenced. No one apparently knew where the lines were. When drained it could be cleared and farmed. Defendant owned land to the south and west. His tenant, M. A. Small, farmed about 400 acres for defendant. He included part of Lot 1 in his operation, but testified he did not know what constituted Lot 1. Since 1961 it has been included in the A.S.C. Program as idle acres with payments collected by Small and defendant as a part of their whole program. Mr. Small also has had a written lease with plaintiff but has paid him no rent. In 1954 Mr. Thomas Flewelling began clearing timber for defendant. He has cleared about 150 to 200 acres for defendant, including some work on Lot 1, but he did not know where the lot line was. The following tabulation shows how plaintiff and defendant have exerted ownership over the land. Plaintiff Defendant 1. Plaintiff purchased Lot 1 from the devisees 1. Defendant purchased Flower of one McAllister in 1941 when Island from Wilbert Flower the land was thought to be of little value and claims that the land in for $300. dispute is an accretion or an 2. Plaintiff holds record title to the land in avulsion to Flower Island. dispute. (There is a strong presumption 2. Defendant paid the real estate in Iowa that ownership is presumed from tax in 1964. record title.) 3. Defendant claims to have leased 3. Plaintiff has paid the taxes on the land the land continuously since for years, except in 1964 when the defendant 1941. paid the real estate tax. 4. Lot 1 was in the soil bank with 4. Plaintiff has leases for the land for the other land for 4 or 5 years years 1941-42; 1944-45; and a written under name of defendant and lease to M. A. Small beginning in January M. A. Small. 1964 and extending to the time of 5. Defendant has a written title trial. opinion showing that defendant 5. Plaintiff has never collected rent, but has marketable title to the adjoining made unsuccessful efforts in 1952 to collect. land where corn was There was doubt as to the source stored. of the grain being sold. 6. The defendant has collected 6. A feed grain application dated February rent from tenants. 17, 1966 has the names of Jeffrey and 7. Defendant's tenants have rarely Small on it. been disturbed in operating the land. 8. Flower, predecessor in interest to defendant, leased Lot 1 from 1936-1939. 9. Defendant cleared part of the tract at his expense but no one knew where the line was.