94 Wis. 285 | Wis. | 1896
It appears from the statement made that the ordinance was adopted May 4, 1894; that thereupon Wells, Eeichert & Co. filed their acceptance of the same, and gave their bond for the faithful performance of the work, as required, which bond was approved by the city May 7,1894; that such ordinance, acceptance, bond, and approval were therein agreed to be in full force and effect as a contract between the firm and the city; that by the terms of such contract such works were to be completed within seven months,— that is to say, on or before December 7, 1894; that the city therein reserved the right at all times to have its engineer fully inspect the nature of the work done and materials furnished, and all books and papers, to-enable him to ascertain the exact cost of the works; that to construct the works the firm was authorized to issue-bonds of $500 each to an amount not exceeding $100,000, and to mortgage the plant to secure not exceeding $80,000 of such bonds, which last amount was to be regarded the original cost of such plant; that, as soon as completed, and certified to by such engineer as such inspector, the city was
The upshot of the arrangement is to the effect that Wells,
In Litchfield v. Ballou, supra, it was held that “A provision in a state constitution that municipal corporations shall not become indebted in any manner nor for any purpose to an amount exceeding five per cent, of the taxable property therein, forbids implied as well as expressed indebtedness, and is as binding on a court of equity as on a court of law.” In Lake Co. v. Rollins, supra, the words in the constitution of Colorado, “ the aggregate amount of indebtedness of any county for all purposes? were construed to be “an absolute limitation upon the power of the county to 'contract any and all indebtedness, not only for the purposes named in the act, but for every other purpose whatever, including county warrants issued for ordinary county expenses, such as witnesses’ and jurors’ fees, election costs, charges for board of prisoners, county treasurer’s commissions,” etc. In Lake Co. v. Graham, supra, it was held that “ When the constitution of a state imposes upon the municipal corporations within it a limitation of their power to
By the Oowt.— The judgment of the circuit court is reversed, and the cause is remanded with direction to enter judgment in favor of the plaintiff in accordance with the prayer of his complaint.