54 Kan. 238 | Kan. | 1894
The opinion of the court was delivered by
It appears from the agreed statement of facts that Osear D. Barnes, now complaining of the special assessment levied upon his property abutting on Douglas avenue, in "Wichita, lived in that city during the time of all the proceedings relating to the paving; that he signed the names of M. P. Barnes & Son to the petition for 275 feet;
On the part of Barnes, it is insisted, as it was shown upon the trial that the petition was not signed by the owners of a majority of the front feet abutting on Douglas avenue, that the mayor and council acted without jurisdiction. (Gen. Stat. of 1889, ¶558; Laws of 1891, ch. 73, §6.) Section 6 reads:
“Provided, That no resolution to pave, macadamize or grade, repave, remacadamize or regrade any street, lane or alley, shall be valid unless a petition, asking for such improvement has been ordered spread upon the journal, which petition must be signed by the owners of a majority of the front feet abutting upon such street, lane or alley to be improved.”
The contention of the defendants below is, that the action is barred, because not commenced within 30 days from the time the amount of assessment was ascertained. Paragraph 590, Gen. Stat. of 1889, prescribes that
“No suit to set aside the said special assessments or to enjoin the making of the same, shall be brought, nor any defense to the validity thereof be allowed, after the expiration of 30 days from the time the amount- due on each lot or piece of ground liable for such assessment is ascertained.” (Laws of 1887, ch. 101, §1.)
The equities in this case are against the lot owner. He was anxious to have the portion of Douglas avenue referred to in the petition paved. He signed the petition to have the work done. He was so anxious to have it done that he misrepresented to the mayor and council the actual amount of front feet abutting upon the street controlled by him. He wanted asphalt used for paving, and urged upon two members of the city council to vote for this paving; the improvement enhanced the value of his lots; and then, by legal proceedings, he attempted to throw upon the property owners of Wichita the expense of improving his own property. He makes no complaint of the work, which he was so anxious to have done, but, on account of defects shown upon the trial, attempted to shift upon others the burden which fairly and justly should be borne by himself. This court has ruled that a tax deed void upon its face does not start the statute of limitations, but has also ruled that if the tax deed is regular and valid upon its face, the limitation of the statute ap
The judgment of the district court -will be reversed, and the cause remanded, with direction to the trial court to render judgment upon the agreed statement of facts in favor of defendants below, plaintiffs in error here.