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36 Me. 551

Wight v. Phillips

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Decided July 1, 1853

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · decided 1853-07-01

On Report from Nisi Prius, Appleton, J., presiding. Trespass quare clausum. The County Commissioners had laid out a road across the plaintiff’s field, and the town of Brewer, where he dwelt, were obliged to open the same. The plaintiff’s damages were allowed and paid. All the proceedings were in accordance with the Btatute provisions.

Decided 1853-07-01

Tenney, J. —

¶1The inhabitants of the town of Brewer were-bound to construct the road for travel, in one year from the session of the Court of County Commissioners, which commenced on the first Tuesday of August, A. D. 1850. They were not restricted in reference to suitable means, in *553which to effect their object, provided full opportunity was given to the plaintiff to take from the land such things as he was legally entitled to do, within the same time. R. S., c. 25, § 20. The persons, who contracted to build the road, had the same rights, enjoyed by the town, and were subjected to similar duties, so far as they were interested in the work to be done. They were entitled to every reasonable opportunity to perform their work, till they had entirely completed it, by themselves, or those whom they chose to employ for that purpose. They could rightfully go over the road with such teams and carriages, with appropriate loads, as usually pass upon public roads, in order to test its sufficiency ; and consequently could invite others to do the same, without causing any liability to the latter.

¶2The defendant passed over the road by authority of the contractors. Plaintiff nonsuit.

Shepley, C. J., and Rice, Hathaway and Appleton, J. J., concurred.
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