Maxler v. Freeport Borough
Maxler v. Freeport Borough
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
In order to give a correct understanding of this case, it seems necessary to recite, at considerable length, the proceedings which culminated in the plaintiffs being dismissed without being permitted to be heard before the jury upon the question as to the amount of damages, if any, they had sustained by reason of the change of grade of Second' street, in the issue that had been framed at the instance of the borough for the determination of that very question.
Upon petition of more than two-thirds in number and interest of the abutting property owners, the borough ordained that a certain portion of the street be graded, curbed, and paved with brick, and that two-thirds of the cost and expense of the grading, curbing, and paving be collected from the owners of real estate abutting on the line of the improvement “by equal assessment on the foot frontage bounding and abutting as aforesaid.” By an ordinance adopted after the improvement had been made, two-thirds of the cost and expense, apportioned according to frontage, was assessed upon the abutting properties; and about two months later municipal claims were filed against the plaintiffs’ property for their proportion.
After the improvement had been made the plaintiffs presented their petition to the court of common pleas, alleging, inter alia, that they had sustained injury to the extent of $3,000 by the raising of the grade five feet along the entire length of their properties (of which they were tenants in common), and praying for the appointment of five viewers to estimate and determine their damages. We shall refer to this petition more particularly hereafter. Viewers were appointed, who, in due season and having proceeded regularly, reported that, “having due regard to and making just allowance for the advantages which have
No exceptions were filed, but the borough appealed from the assessment of damages made by the viewers, and, to quote the words of the appeal, “demands that the amount of plaintiffs’ damages shall be determined by a jury according to the course of the common law.” This appeal, containing the foregoing demand, to which we call particular attention, was presented in open court on December 21, 1908, and ordered to be filed.
Nine months later, by order filed, the court frajned an issue on the appeal, in which Maxler and Wallace were made plaintiffs and the borough was made defendant, “to try the question how much damage, if any, the plaintiffs have sustained by reason of the change of grade in improvement of Market and Second streets,” etc. The cause was duly certified to be at issue and was regularly placed on the issue docket. At December term it was on the trial list, but was continued. So far as appears, no objection was raised up to this time to the regularity of the proceedings or to the jurisdiction of the court. The issue was on the trial list again at March term, 1910, and, after the jury to try it had been called but before they were sworn, the borough denied the jurisdiction of the court to try the question at issue, for reasons which it specified. In the appellants’ paper-book this is entitled, “Defendant’s motion for nonsuit or dismissal of claim.” It seems to have been so regarded by court and counsel. At any rate, the court’s order sustaining “the motion of defendant’s counsel” resulted virtually in a dismissal of the pro
It is argued by counsel for the borough that the order of December 7, 1908, did not, ipso facto, have the effect of a confirmation absolute of the report at the expiration of ten days, and that, although no' exceptions were filed within the time allowed, a formal confirmation absolute was necessary. We need not discuss that question, for it is not apparent that a determination of it either way would affect the determination of the question of the borough’s right to demand that the issue, that had been framed upon its appeal and at its instance, should be dismissed.
It is further contended that the court had not jurisdiction to try the issue, because no copy of any proceedings on the part of the borough was attached to the petition for the appointment of viewers and the petition did not allege in its body any legal action upon the part of the borough; and further, if the facts set forth in the petition were true, the action of the borough should have been trespass. The petition was evidently drawn under the Act of May 24, 1878, P. L. 129, and substantially conforms to its provisions. Amongst other things, it asserts that the change of grade was made without the consent of the petitioners and without making any compensation to them for the damages sustained or likely to be sustained, and that they and the borough authorities were unable to agree upon .the amount of injury or damages sustained by them. Unless the act of 1878 was never applicable or has been abrogated as to such a case as this, these averments were sufficient to give the court jurisdiction: Seaman v. Boro. of Washington, 172 Pa. 467; Klenke v. W. Homestead Boro., 216 Pa. 476. We do not concede that the petition was defective in not setting forth the ordinance under which the im
The objection most seriously urged against the jurisdiction of the court to frame and try the issue is based on the supposed lack of jurisdiction to appoint the viewers. The objection was thus stated at the time the motion to dismiss was made: ‘ ‘ That the street having been graded and paved at the same time, the petition for the appointment of viewers, under the act of 1878, is irregular and void, and the court is without jurisdiction to appoint said viewers.” The learned judge went still further and expressed the opinion that the whole proceeding was wrong from the out-start. “The borough either should have proceeded separately under the act of 1878 to have the grading done, and under the act of 1889 to have the paving and curbing done, or should have proceeded under the act of 1891 which provides for grading, paving and curbing.” As a corollary he expressed the opinion that the borough graded the street without authority of law, and had it not been a municipality would have been a trespasser. But, while conceding that trespass would not lie, and that the plaintiffs were entitled to recover in an appropriate proceeding such damages as they had sustained, he held that, as the grading, paving, and curbing were done at the same time, the plaintiffs’ exclusive remedy was by an assessment of damages by three viewers appointed under sec. 8 of the Act of May 16, 1891, P. L. 75.
These contentions require a consideration of the Act of April 23,1889, P. L. 44, the Act of May 19,1897, P. L; 79, the Act of May 24, 1878, P. L. 129, and the eighth section of the act of 1891.
The act of 1889 authorized boroughs to curb and pave, upon the petition of two-thirds of the owners of property
The foregoing review of the legislation shows that the court had jurisdiction of the subject-matter. If the plaintiffs’ properties were damaged by the change of grade, the constitution and the act passed to carry it into effect entitled them to recover the same by proceedings in the common pleas. Even if it be conceded that although the borough had elected to make the improvement at the cost and expense of the owners of abutting properties, to be apportioned according to the foot front rule, it nevertheless could have moved, under the act of 1891, to have the damages and benefits to all the properties, from paving as well as grading, assessed in one proceeding, yet it must also
The order is reversed and set aside at the costs of the appellee. The appeal and issue are reinstated, and the record is remitted to the court below with a procedendo.
Reference
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- Road law — Change of grade — Damages—Act of May 24, 1878, P. L. 129 — Jurisdiction—Act of May 16, 1891, P. L. 76. 1. Where a petition under the Act of May 24, 1878, P. L. 129, for the appointment of viewers to assess damages for injuries resulting from the change of the grade of a street, asserts that the change of grade was made without the consent of the petitioners, and without making any compensation to them for the damages sustained or likely to be sustained, and that they and the borough authorities were unable to agree upon the amount of injury or damages sustained by them, the averments of the petition are sufficient to give the court jurisdiction, although no copy of the proceedings on the part of the borough were attached to the petition, and there was no .allegation of any legal action upon the part of the borough. Even if in good practice the ordinance should have been set forth, or that the change of grade was made in pursuance of it, the omission to do so was a mere irregularity which the borough could not take advantage of after an issue had been framed on its own appeal. 2. Where a, borough on the petition of property owners has graded, curbed and paved a street, and apportioned the expense thereof upon the abutting owners according to frontage, the owners may thereafter proceed under the Act of May 24, 1878, P. L. 129, to have viewers appointed to assess their damages for injuries caused by the change of grade. The fact that the grading, paving and curbing was done at the same time does not require an owner to proceed for an assessment of damages by three viewers under sec. 8 of the Act of May 16, 1891, P. L. 75. 3. The Act of May 24, 1878, P. L. 129, was not repealed by the Act of May 16, 1891, P. L. 75. The two acts may stand together, and both be executed in their appropriate places. If a citizen desires to proceed on his own account, he may proceed under the act of 1878, whereas if he wishes to embrace in his proceeding all the cases affected by the particular improvement, he will proceed under the act of 1891.