42 Neb. 804 | Neb. | 1894
H. E. Pankouin and others, taxpayers and citizens of Cass county, brought this action, a proceeding in mandamus, against S. W. Dutton and others, the county commissioners of Cass county, Nebraska, in the district court of said county to compel the respondents to repair the southern portion of a free wagon bridge over the Platte river near the village of Louisville, in said county. The district court rendered judgment, granting the peremptory writ of mandamus as prayed, and the county commissioners prosecute to this court proceedings in error. To reverse the judgment of the district court counsel for the plaintiffs in error makes the following arguments:
I. There is no evidence to prove that the bridge in question is in Cass county. The evidence in the record is that the bridge in question extends across the Platte river, and that at the place where the bridge is located, Cass county lies on the southern and Sarpy county on the northern side
2. The second argument is that there was at the time of the construction of this bridge no public road running to the approaches of the bridge in either Cass or Sarpy •counties; and that the county authorities never laid out a road connecting the bridge with the public highways on •either side of the river. It appears that the bridge was not constructed immediately upon a section line or a public road, but that soon after its construction parties interested in having the public use this bridge purchased the strips of land lying between the approaches of the bridge and the public highways, and that a road was opened across the strip of land lying between the public highway and the southern end of the bridge, and this road was, by the supervisors of the road district in which the southern ■end of the bridge is situate, opened and worked, and the public have taken possession of the road so laid out and ■used it as a means of reaching the bridge. It would seem, •then, that the public had acquired by 'dedication a public .road across the strip of land between the regularly laid out public road and the southern termination of this bridge. ■(State v. Otoe County, 6 Neb., 129.)
3. That the evidence is not conclusive that it would take more than one hundred dollars to repair the bridge, and that the evidence is not sufficient to show that Cass county .has funds on hand with which to pay for the reparation of the bridge. These arguments are wholly without merit and will not be further considered.
4. The fourth argument is that the relators have an adequate remedy at law. When a public road or bridge in .any county shall be out of repair or be unsafe for travel .any..three citizens or taxpayers of the state may give notice io the county commissioners in which such bridge or road
5. The final contention of counsel for the plaintiffs in error is that the bridge in question is not, and never was, the property of Cass co’unty, but that the bridge belongs to “Louisville precinct,” a political subdivision of said county. It appears that in 1890 “Louisville precinct” voted $10,000 in bonds to aid in the construction of a free ■wagon bridge across the Platte river. The county authorilies of Cass county issued these bonds, sold them, and with the proceeds constructed the bridge in question and accepted it from the contractors; that the bridge since that time has
Affirmed.