Opinion ID: 1805818
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: History of the ownership of the subject real estate is deemed helpful. Spelling of railroad names is from the record.

Text: At the time of construction the property was owned by the Winona and South Western Railway Company. November 28, 1894, the line was purchased by Winona and Western Railway Company. September 10, 1901, it was purchased by the Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pacific Railroad Company. Effective June 1, 1920, the Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pacific Railroad Company was merged with the Chicago Great Western Railway Company. It was operated by them until 1935 and then by trustees for them until 1941. February 20, 1941 it was taken over by the Chicago Great Western Railway Company, an Illinois corporation, and was operated by them until 1955, when it was taken over by the original plaintiff, Chicago Great Western Railway Company, a Delaware corporation. Defendant had originally donated the property to the Winona and South Western Railway Company in 1891. Under authority of sections 637 and 638 of the Revised Statutes of 1888 the Osage city council followed the prescribed procedure to purchase for and donate to the Winona and South Western Railway Company land for depot and division grounds. At a special meeting October 22, 1890, with officers of the Winona and South Western Railway Company present, the council adopted a resolution to purchase and donate to the railway depot, division and terminal grounds upon conditions specified in the resolution. The council proceeded to purchase the land owned by individuals in the name of the Winona and South Western Railway Company, the conveyances being made directly to the railway as purchased. The council supervised and accounted for all salvage from the properties as reflected in the minutes of its proceedings October 2, 1891. The purchase price of the properties, less salvage, was $21,475.42. The total amount of the donation authorized at the election August 20, 1890, was $17,816, an amount equal to 5 percent of the assessed valuation of the property in Osage. The Winona and South Western Railway Company advanced the funds to pay for the individual properties as purchased and defendant subsequently reimbursed the railway $17,816 pursuant to the resolution adopted by the council October 22, 1890, and the instrument entitled Deed or Contract dated October 7, 1891. Copies or extracts of minutes of council proceedings relating to acquisition of the divisional grounds, the deed or contract dated 1891 and other deeds conveying all or portions of the grounds were received in evidence by stipulation of the parties. The deeds conveying the property were identical in wording except as to description, the amount of consideration and the name of the grantor. A copy of one deed was made a part of the record. At time of trial a large portion of the real estate had been improved by lessees in possession under leases expiring annually but which have been annually renewed for many years. Plaintiff has entered into a contract with Osage Development Corporation agreeing that if title is quieted in plaintiff it will convey the real estate to the development corporation. The corporation has in turn informed the lessees it will convey the leased parcels to them on some equitable basis. II. The trial court concluded as a matter of law that the 1891 deed or contract conveyed a clear intention and agreement of all parties that the railroad should use the land for railroad purposes and upon abandonment, title to the land would vest in defendant. Furthermore, provisions of Code section 473.1 require the abandoned right-of-way revert to the city. From the date of the abandonment of the railroad property in 1967 plaintiff had no right, title or interest in the real estate. Defendant concedes and we agree this Code section is not involved here. Consistent with these determinations judgment was entered decreeing defendant the absolute fee simple owner of the real estate. From this determination plaintiff appeals. The railroad asserts the court erred in (1) concluding the deed or contract between defendant and the Winona and South Western Railway Company created an interest in defendant's favor upon abandonment of the land for railroad purposes, (2) concluding that Code section 614.24 did not bar any interest defendant might have in the property involved, (3) not quieting title in plaintiff and (4) quieting title in defendant as propositions relied on.