187 Pa. 544 | Pa. | 1898
Opinion by
The improvement for which the defendant was assessed was
Full opportunity for a defense on the merits was allowed to the defendant in this case, but he preferred to rest his defense on other grounds. The grounds of his defense are hereinbefore stated, and need not be repeated in this connection. The objection that the ordinance in pursuance of which the improvement was made was invalid by reason of alleged irregularities in the proceedings preceding and attending its adoption cannot be sustained, nor can the objection that the ordinance did not substantially conform to and comply with the provisions of the act of 1887. It is not shown in what respect or particular the ordinance failed to comply with the provisions of said act relating to the paving of streets, nor has the defendant attempted to
The objection to the assessment ordinance on the alleged ground that the title of it is not broad enough to give notice of its contents was not made in the court below, although it is apparently pressed on the appeal as the most important objection to it. But we cannot assent to the claim that this objection is fatal to the ordinance. The title to the act under consideration in Mauch Chunk v. McGee, 81 Pa. 433, was as follows : “ An act giving the right to the town council of the borough of Mauch Chunk to build drains and sewers and file liens for the building of the same.” The body of the act contained provisions relating to the cost of these improvements and the collection of the same. It was held that the provisions of the act relating to collection was within the scope of the title and constitutional. On this point Agnew, C. J., delivering the opinion of the Court, said: “ The purpose of filing a lien is to secure the expense, yet it does not expressly give any remedy for collection. But, as collection is the substantial point intended of the authority to file the lien, no one would contend that any remedy for collection given by the legislature in the body of the act would be foreign to the title.” In the case at bar the title of the ordinance in question is as follows: “ Ordinance providing for the assessment of the cost of local improvements heretofore made upon the property abutting on the street, lane or alley or part thereof when the said improvements have been completed.” As the title fairly gives notice of the subject of it so as reasonably to lead to an inquiry into the body of the ordinance, it is sufficient. It need not be an index to the contents.
The ruling complained of in the sixth specification of error furnishes no adequate ground for reversing the judgment. The defendant persistently refused to defend on the merits, and did not allege any ground for such a defense. He had notice of
The act of 1887 provided a complete system for the grading and paving of streets, the passage of ordinances for the same and for collecting the cost by assessment against the property owners, and the improvement in question was made under and in substantial conformity with it. This act having been declared unconstitutional in Ayers’s Appeal, 122 Pa. 266, the ordinances passed under it were validated by the Act of May 13, 1889, P. L. 196. The improvements made under the ordinances so validated are within the purview of the act of May 23,1889, authorizing assessments for the cost of local improvements theretofore made or in process of completion.
While we have given due consideration to all of the defendant’s objections to the ordinances and the proceedings under them, we have not deemed it necessary to specify in this opinion each objection separately. All of the objections made are technical, but none of them is fatal to the plaintiff’s claim. All the specifications of error are therefore overruled.
Judgment affirmed.