68 Fla. 282 | Fla. | 1914
(After stating the facts) — The true construction of the bill of complaint, as we read it, is an effort to enforce the lien given by the statute to the City of Pensacola, against an abutting owner for a special benefit to his property, by reason of the construction of a sidewalk. The plea admits that the proportionate cost of the paving to he assessed against his property was duly fixed by the proper city authorities and that the city had performed the work through an agency at the lowest cost after competitive bidding.
The statute does not forbid the municipality or any citizen of the State entering into a contract with a non-register ed foreign corporation; to the contrary, the statute in terms permits the enforcement of the contract on its behalf. We are not then' asked to assist the city in the evasion of a police or other regulation of the Legislature. The city has had the work done in the least expensive way it could be done,’ after the abutting owner had failed to do the work, and without the violation of any law. It thus acquired a lien against the property for the fair cost of this improvement, the city could have enforced this lien against Campbell, and there is no doubt that having a valid lien, the city could have assigned the lien directly to Lee Daniell.
The plea then presents the question of the proper party complainant; that the city is the proper complainant and