The Railroad That Laid Tracks Through a Burned Schoolyard
After a forest fire burned School District 135's schoolhouse near Blueslide, the Idaho & Washington Northern laid track over the ashes without condemning the right-of-way. The district is still trying to get paid.
The case of the injunction asked by school district 135 against the I. W. N. was heard in the Superior Court Wednesday, and more time was given the railroad to start condemnation proceedings. This is the case wherein the railroad survey ran through the front of the school house, which is located about a mile southeast of Blueslide. Recently the school house burned from forest fires, and the railroad immediately laid its tracks over the site of the burned building, without attempting to condemn the right-of-way. The district asked $1,000 damages, but received no attention until about a month ago, when it was offered $200, and now has been offered $500. The road has promised to file condemnation proceedings within 10 days. School Director C. L. Teters, of Blueslide, was present at the hearing.
“The district asked $1000 damages, but received no attention until about a month ago, when it was offered $200, and now has been offered $500.”
When wildfire erased the school, the railroad treated the ashes as open ground—an old story about who has power to claim land and who must sue to be seen. The dispute is a reminder that property rights mean little without the institutions willing to enforce them.
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