Aldrich v. Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad

This is an appeal by the plaintiff below from a judgment of the circuit court rendered in bar of her action and for costs. The question presented involves the construction of the first clause of section 13 of article 2 of the constitution: “Private property shall not be taken or damaged for public use without just compensation.”

In 1888 the plaintiff, owning two lots fronting west on Ashland boulevard, in Chicago, erected thereon an expensive apartment building. In 1892 the defendant below obtained, by purchase and condemnation, a right of way running east and west through the same block, and…