Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad v. City of Iowa City

HARRIS, Justice.

This dispute between the plaintiff railroad and defendant city is over ownership of land in Iowa City. The question is whether the railroad or the city owns the east half of South Market Square and an easement over a part of the west half of South Market Square. South Market Square is a block located within the city. We adopt as our own the following from the findings of fact of the trial court:

This lawsuit has its origins a century ago when, in 1878, the city enacted ordinance no. 340 perpetually granting to the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway Company right of way…