Town of Auburn v. Eldridge
Town of Auburn v. Eldridge
Opinion of the Court
Action by the town of Auburn against Salinda Eldridge and Edward Eldridge, her husband, to enforce a lien upon certain lots in that town for street improvements. The complaint was ih two paragraphs. The first paragraph averred that, on and prior to the 3d day of April, 1876, Salinda Eldridge was, and still is, the owner in fee of lot No. 10 on the original plat of said town of Auburn; that on that day the board of trustees of said town enacted an ordinance requiring the construction of a sidewalk along the south end of said lot, to be made not less than six feet wide, on a grade with the street crossings between which it should be constructed, to be composed of sound oak or pine lumber ; if made of oak lumber, the plank to be not less than one and one-fourth inches thick, nor more than eight inches wide, placed upon three sleepers running lengthwise of the walk, of not less than three by five inches in dimensions; if laid of pine lumber, to consist of sound lumber not less than one and one-half inches thick, nor more than twelve inches wide, placed upon sleepers running crosswise of said sidewalk at intervals of not more than four feet, said sleep
The second paragraph was substantially the same as the first, except that its object was to enforce a lien against lot No. 31 on the original plat of said town, for the sum of 136.54, with interest and certain costs thereon. A copy of the ordinance was filed with the complaint.
A demurrer for want of sufficient facts was sustained to both paragraphs of the complaint, and, the plaintiff failing to plead further, final judgment upon the demurrer was rendered in favor of the defendants.
The proceedings of the trustees of the town of Auburn, upon which this action is based, were taken under “An act to compel owners of town lots to grade, and pave or plank
The questions attempted to be made upon the sufficiency of the ordinance, at the present hearing, might properly have been brought to the attention of the court by objections to its admissibility in evidence, in the event that a trial had been reached, but they are not now before us in such a way as to either authorize or require any decision upon them.
The judgment is reversed, with costs, and the cause remanded for further proceedings.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.