A railway land damage question.—An interesting point in connection with the expropriation of land for railway construction purposes is before the Ontario courts in Lake Erie & Northern Ry. vs. J. W. Lee. The arbitrators granted Lee $6,785 for 5 acres taken from a farm near Simcoe and the company appealed against this figure. The matter was argued before the Court of Appeal in Toronto, Mar. 16, and judgment was reserved. The company when incorporated was given power by the Dominion Parliament to use either steam or electricity as a motive power, and during the survey and construction stage it was generally understood that electricity would be the power, although it was not definitely decided until the middle of 1915. It was argued on behalf of the railway company that the difference between the value of the farm without the railway, and its value with the railway should be the measure of damage. In other places farms had been increased in value 25% owing to the building of an electric railway.

Railways: L.E. & N.Ry.

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