City of Connersville v. Board of Commissioners
City of Connersville v. Board of Commissioners
Opinion of the Court
The city of Connersville filed her complaint in the Fayette Circuit Court, asking a mandate against the Board of Commissioners of Fayette county, upon the following statement of facts, in substance, as stated in the abstract filed by the appellant. That the town of Connersville was, by virtue of an act of the general assembly, incorporated by special charter, on the 15th of February, 1841, under the name of the President and Trustees of the Town of Connersville, said special charter being declared a public act; that by the twenty-third section of said act, said town had exclusive control of all streets and alleys in said town; that said corporation exercised control over the streets and
There was a demurrer to this complaint on the following grounds:
First, that said complaint and petition does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action to authorize the relief prayed for.
Second, and for further cause, state that there is no such person or corporation as the Board of Commissioners of Fayette county, Indiana.
Third, there is no law or statute of the State of Indiana compelling or authorizing the defendant, as the Board of Commissioners of the county of Fayette, to construct or repair the bridges mentioned in plaintiff’s complaint and petition.
This demurrer was sustained by the court; the plaintiff excepted; and final judgment was rendered for the defendant, from which the plaintiff appealed to this court.
The only question presented by the assignment of errors is as to the correctness of the ruling of the court in sustaining the demurrer to the complaint; and the only question discussed by counsel in their briefs is the question whether it is the duty of the county board, under the act of 1849, to repair the bridges referred to in the complaint, which are situated within the limits of the city. The bridges are on the line of the streets where they cross the canal.
The act of 1849 provided, “that it shall be, and it is hereby made, the duty of the board of commissioners in the county of Fayette, at the common cost and expense of said county, until otherwise provided for, to put and keep in good repair all the public bridges across the White Water canal, and also the bridge across the west fork of White Water river in said county.” Local Laws, 1849, p. 202.
As the complaint is predicated upon the act of 1849, if that act is not in force, we suppose we need not inquire whether it is the duty of the city, in consequence of its
To strike down all previous local and special legislation, such as the act of 1849, relied upon in this case, the legislature passed the act entitled “an act repealing all former acts of the legislature except those therein named,” approved June 18th, 1852. 1 G. & H. 534. This act provides “that all laws not enacted at the present session of the general assembly, are repealed, except,” etc. The act in question is not among those excepted. We are quite clear that all such previous legislation as the act in question was intended to be, and was, abrogated by this act.
What we decide in this case is, that the act of 1849 hi question is not in force.
The judgment is affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The City of Connersville v. The Board of Commissioners of Fayette County
- Status
- Published