Spurgeon v. Hennessey
Spurgeon v. Hennessey
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
This is a proceeding to vacate a portion of the town of. Wayland, Clark county, Missouri, under article six, chapter eighty-nine, Revised Statutes, 1879. The petition, signed by the various owners of lots and blocks sought to be vacated, was presented to the county court of Clark county at its February term, 1888. At the same term of court a remonstrance, signed by a large number of citizens of Wayland, was presented to the county court, protesting against the prayer of the petitioners. The matter was heard at the same term of the county court at which the petition and remonstrance were presented, and on the same day the following order was made by the court, and entered of record :
“It is ordered by the court that all of the said addition described on the plat of town in the recorder’s office of this county as Richard Hennessey’s second' addition to Wayland City, be and the same is hereby vacated; also all of the streets and alleys thereof except that part of Hagerman street therein lying east of Cooper street, as prayed for in said petition.”
An appeal was thereupon taken to the circuit court of Clark county, where, upon motion, the proceedings were dismissed for the reasons : (1) The county court had no jurisdiction to render such judgment; (2) the county court had no jurisdiction of the case ; (3) the county court rendered said judgment at a term not authorized by law, and is void.
In order to properly determine the questions here presented we must take the various sections of the statute bearing on the subject, and if possible construe ■ them to the end that they may harmonize one with the other. Section 5047 provides : “ Whenever any person * * * interested in any town * * * may desire to vacate any lot, street, alley, common, public
Sec. 5048. “ If no opposition be made to such petition, the county court may vacate the same * * * but if opposition be made, such application shall continue until the next term of the court, when, if the objector consent to such vacation, or if two-thirds of all the real estate holders of the town or city petition therefor, the court may grant the prayer of the petition,” etc., etc.
Sec. 5050. If any person shall lay off an addition to any town or city which he does not improve, and shall be the legal owner of all lots contained in such addition, such person or any other person who shall become the legal owner thereof, shall have such addition or any part thereof vacated by applying to the county court * * * after, notice as hereinbefore provided and proof of ownership of such lots,” etc., etc.
It will be observed that section 5047 provides for vacating any “ lot ”, “street”, “alley”, “common”, or “public square”, or' any part of such “lot”, “street”, “alley”, “common”, or “public square.” Section 5048 provides for hearing remonstrances against vacating any “ lot ”, “square”, “street”, etc., giving the county court authority to vacate with such restrictions as they may deem for the public 'good, and provides, if objection is made, the matter shall be continued until the next term, to the end that the objectors may consent or may have ample opportunity to be heard. The same section then goes on to provide how the title to the “lot”, “street”, or “alley” shall vest; showing clearly the intention of the lawmakers to provide a
We do not mean to be understood as saying that if it should be shown, on the hearing of the case in the circuit court, that the streets sought to be vacated are improved streets, it would be error to dismiss the
From these views it follows that the circuit court erred in dismissing the case and its judgment will be reversed and the cause remanded, with directions to the trial court to proceed with the case in accordance with the views herein expressed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.