State ex rel. Cleveland v. Common Council of Orange
State ex rel. Cleveland v. Common Council of Orange
Opinion of the Court
It appears by the proceedings of the common council of Orange, that a street was laid out by them, running from the northerly side of Main street to the northerly side of Elizabeth street, sixty feet wide, to be called Cleveland street,
The applicants for the street, being the persons upon whom the sum necessary for paying the damages has been assessed, applied to this court in February, 1864, for a mandamus, and then obtained a rule upon the common council for them to show cause at the next term why a mandamus should not issue, directing them to proceed and open the street according to the requirements of their character.
Several reasons were urged in argument in behalf of the defendants, why the rule should be discharged — 1st, that the charter gives the common council no power to take lands for streets in the mode that they have proceeded.
We do not think that the point is well taken.
The 14th section of the original act, under which the proceedings were had on the application for this street, gives full power to the corporation. The supplement of 1861 does not, by its provisions, question that the power existed under the original act, but it provides a particular manner in which the power should in future be exercised.
Another reason was founded upon an alleged irregularity in the proceedings of the council, upon the remonstrance of the trustees of the estate of John O. Smith, a landholder on the route, confined in an asylum as a lunatic; the trustees claiming damages by virtue of the charter, if the street should be laid out and opened. John C. Smith became the cestui que trust of the property by the will of his father, Daniel Smith, who had possessed the estate for a long time, and died in August, 1853.
The only commissioners appointed to assess damages, derived their authority from the proceedings of the council had upon the remonstrance of the trustees of John C. Smith.
In making their report to the council they recite that they were appointed to assess the damages occasioned to the es-
Other objections were raised and argued, but none of them, in our judgment, contain sufficient cause why the writ should not issue. We are of opinion that the council should proceed and collect the unpaid assessments, if any remain unpaid, and pay the same to the trustees of the estate of John C. Smith; and that they also cause the street laid out by them, called Cleveland street, to be opened and prepared for public travel, and that a writ of mandamus issue accordingly.
Haines and Vredenbttrgh, Justices, concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THE STATE, EX REL. WILLIAM CLEVELAND AND OTHERS v. THE COMMON COUNCIL OF ORANGE, IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX
- Status
- Published