Court Opinion

ID: 9831549
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 21:10:39.232577+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:43:35.706631
License: Public Domain

On Motion ior Rehearing.
In appellee’s motion we find it stated that he is unable to understand why we should hold that it was not error for the court to permit Blucher to testify about the state surveys on his map, and yet refuse to permit him to explain the Dix line, which also appeared on his map. This is begging the question. Of course, if a map is introduced in evidence containing a lot of surveys and lines, the other side is entitled to ask what each line represents, and there could be no objection to asking him about the line marked D-Y and have him answer that such line represented the west line of the grant as located by Dix. But we fail to find anything on the map about the case of Berry v. Schaeffer, and no reason can be urged why it should be held to have been harmless to ask questions which were bound to impress the jury with the idea that the Supreme Court had decided in favor of the correctness of the Dix line. The decision itself was not admissible, and common repute as to its’ effect could not be introduced on the theory that it was really common repute as to the correctness of the Dix survey. Appellee calls attention to the fact that this suit was filed a good many years after the Dix line was run, and that therefore we erred in applying the rule that the common repute must have been established before the controversy arose. When the Dix survey was made it created the controversy with regard to the true location of the west line of the Rincon del Oso survey, and the fact that this particular suit was not filed to determine the controversy as to the land involved until many years afterwards does not change the fact that the controversy existed. There was no common reputation in existence when Dix made his survey whereby the line fixed by him was recognized as the west line of the Rincon del Oso survey. Dix located his line at the place where the length of the west line would come nearest to corresponding with the distance called for on Canales’ map, and there is no pretense that he found any marked lines or that any one before him recognized the line so run by him. After the controversy arose which was created by his survey, people bought from the state, and doubtless many who claimed under the Villa-real grant bought from the state in order to have peace; but how could the reputation thus created tend to show that the Dix line traced the footsteps of Canales? The common repute relied on by appellee in favor of the Dix line had its inception 47 years after the Rincon del Oso survey was made, and originated from the survey of a man who did not pretend to have any knowledge of the location of the original lines. Such repute would not tend in any way to show the location of the lines run by Canales, and is inadmissible. State v. Dayton Lumber Co., 159 S. W. 396.
Appellee contends that we erred in sustaining the sixteenth and seventeenth assignments of error.
Acquiescence is admissible on the theory that every one is presumed to know the boundaries of his own land, but in this case there is no contention that Dunn ever acquiesced in the line contended for by plaintiff as.the dividing line between their lands. It is only contended that by taking a quitclaim reconveyance five years after the suit was filed in which the parcel is described with reference to corners of a state survey as well as with reference to the Kinney section lines, and purchasing from the state another state survey, he has recognized the right of the state to sell land west of the Dix line, and thus indirectly acquiesced in the correctness of the Dix line. Judge Wheeler said in the case of Turner v. Smith, 11 Tex. 632, that the purchase of an adverse title can be made without incurring the hazard of forfeiting title and without prejudice to the purchaser’s right. Buying from the state would not preclude Dunn from contending that the Villareal title was the superior one, nor amount of an admission that it was not the superior one, and we therefore fail to see how it could be a circumstance tending to show acquiescence in the correctness of the Dix line. The acceptance of a reconveyance pending the suit in which the land is described by reference to corners of a state survey and also with reference to the Kinney sections made under the Villareal grant, and which shows on its face that Dunn’s fence is situated on the West line of the Kinney section, cannot be said to show any acquiescence in the correctness of the Dix line.
By inadvertence, in discussing the twenty-seventh assignment, we described the Farias survey as having been made by Can-ales instead of Medrano. This has been corrected in the original opinion. We are unable to see any force in the argument made with regard to said assignment of error. Appellee apparently contends that Canales, in making the Rincon del Oso survey, did not call for an unmarked line of an adjacent survey, but merely called for an unmarked line for the west line of his survey, and that therefore the charge was peculiarly applicable. If the facts indisputably bore out the statement so made, there could not be the slightest doubt that the charge was entirely inapplicable to the facts, because the charge is based upon the theory that Canales did call for an unmarked line of another survey, 'or at least that the jury might find that he intended to do so. The charge speaks of his calling for an unmarked line by mistake. Surely if he called only for an unmarked line *707of his own survey lie did not do so by mistake. The second portion of the charge continually refers to marked line of an older survey, thus making it plain that the rule given to the jury was to the effect that, if they found that Canales called for the east line of the Farias survey, but the marked corners made by Medrano could not be found then, regardless of how certainly the location of the east line of the Farias could be established, they should locate the Rincon del Oso survey by course and distance. There'is no merit in the contention that other portions of the general charge or special charge No. 3 rendered harmless the error in the twelfth paragraph of the charge. It may be doubted whether there is even a conflict between paragraphs 11 and 12; for in order to find for appellant under paragraph 11 the jury was required to find not only that the location of the east line of the Farias could be definitely ascertained, but that its corners must be established and marked and capable of identification. Special charge No. 3 instructs the jury that if the Rincon del Oso grant is bounded on the west by the Farias grant then to return a verdict for defendant. The jury would naturally follow the instructions of the court with regard to the rules to be observed in determining whether the Farias bounded the Rincon del Oso on the west, and would not understand from said special charge that they were at liberty to disregard rules laid down for determining the question. ,
The motion is overruled.