112 Pa. 258 | Pa. | 1886
delivered the opinion of the court, April 12th, 1886.
This proceeding was had under the Act of 26th April, 1864, P. L., 601, which conferred upon the Court of Quarter Sessions of Berks county the power of appointing viewers to assess the damages for opening streets in the city of Reading. The Act also provides that the damages when assessed shall be paid by the county of Berks.
. The viewers were appointed upon the application of the municipal authorities of the city of Reading. They assessed damages in favor of Ellen Spohn to the amount of $1,516.66, and in favor of Angeline Mohr to the amount of $833.33. Tiie l'eport of the viewers has been confirmed absolutely by the Court of Quarter Sessions without any objection on the part of either of the persons in whose favor the award was made. Their land has been since taken and the street opened. The city now refuses to pay, whereupon the court below issues a peremptory mandamus, commanding the city to provide for the payment of the amounts awarded by the viewers, to which writ this certiorari was taken.
The Court of Quarter Sessions has no power to award the common law writ of mandamus. In re Sedgley Avenue, 88 Penn. St. Rep., 509. But as was said in that case it may enforce its own judgments in regard to the payment of land damages for the opening of streets. I do not regard the objection in this case as being based upon the form of the order any more than it was in Sedgley Avenue. The objection lies deeper.
It was conceded by the court below, and is not denied by any one, that the proceedings were irregular, for the reason that since the Act of 1874, proceedings for the assessment of- damages for the opening of streets in the city of Reading should' be commenced in the Common Pleas. It is equally clear that had the property owners come in at any stage and objected to the want of jurisdiction, the objection would have been fatal. But they did not object then nor do they object now. The point is taken by the city which instituted these proceedings; prosecuted them to final judgment, and has opened the streets and appropriated the land of the property owners. It is an ungracious defence and not creditable to the municipal authorities of the city.
We do not regard the defence as well taken. While it is conceded as a general rule that consent will not give jurisdiction, yet we are not to lose sight of the fact that the Court of Quarter Sessions has a general jurisdiction over the opening
Affirmed.