117 Mass. 181 | Mass. | 1875
The widening of Hanover Street was under the St. of 1866, c. 174, as amended by the St. of 1868, o. 276, which was the betterment law then in force in Boston. This appears from the notice given by the board of aldermen of their intention to widen the same, and to assess a portion of the expense upon the estates benefited, followed by the order for the same and finally by an assessment for betterments. Jones v. Aldermen of Boston, 104 Mass. 461, 464. The notice was served personally upon owners or their tenants, or agents, when any part of the land was taken, and upon all others whose estates were benefited, by publication for two weeks in four daily papers. In the absence of , any statute requirement, or any city ordinance, regulating this, we cannot say that there was not reasonable and sufficient notice given of these proceedings. It does not follow that one whose estate is only assessed for benefit is entitled to the same notice which is given to one whose lands are actually taken under the right of eminent domain. The rights of property in the latter are quite differently affected, and the redress afforded is different from that which applies to the former. These assessments for betterments are modes of taxation adopted for the purpose of subjecting those whose estates are directly benefited to a part of the expense of certain local improvements, and as such are upheld.
• The liability to assessment in this case became an incumbrance upon the granted estate on October 15, 1869, when the order for widening the street was adopted. As was said in Jones v. Alder
Judgment for the plaintiff.