136 Ga. 634 | Ga. | 1911
Joe White and several others, in behalf of themselves and such others as might desire to become parties plaintiff, filed their petition alleging, that the corporate limits of the municipality of Eorsyth embraced the territory within a radius of one-half mile of the court-house by virtue of the act of February 1, 1866; that by the act approved August 14, 1907 (Acts 1907, p. 649), the limits of the city were extended an additional one-half mile, so as to include all the territory within a radius of one mile from the court-house; that the act of 1907 was amended by the act approved August 14, 1909 (Acts 1909, p. 897), by striking therefrom section 3 and substituting in lieu thereof a provision that when as many as five property owners on any street shall file their petition to the Mayor-and Aldermen of the City of Forsyth, asking that the water-mains, sewers, or electric lines be extended on their street, it shall be the duty of the mayor and aldermen, within one year after the filing of their petition, to extend the water-mains, sewers, or electric lines, and the failure to extend in the time given shall exempt the petitioners and others on the street from taxation for the support of water-mains, sewers, electric lines, as the case may be, until the petition is granted, provided petitioners obligate themselves to become users thereof for at least one year under the regulations imposed by the mayor and aider-men; that the municipality of Forsyth has assessed taxes upon petitioners5 property located within the territory annexed by the act of 1907; and has issued executions against petitioners aiid placed them in the hands of the city marshal for collection; that the city marshal has levied such tax -executions and is advertising the property of petitioners for sale for the purpose of enforcing the collection of the tax; and that’the tax is illegal, because the act of 1907 extending the territorial limits of the city, and the act of 1909, are unconstitutional for certain specified reasons. The “City of For
A rule nisi was issued; and upon the hearing for interlocutory injunction the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Forsyth demurred to the petition on the grounds, that the suit is brought against “The City of Forsyth” and not' against “The Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Forsyth,” the corporate name of the municipality, as provided by the Acts of 1902, p. 427; that there is no-proper defendant, nor is there any cause of action set forth; and that the petitioners have an adequate common-law remedy. Subject to its demurrer the City of Forsyth filed its answei’. The plaintiff's then moved to amend their petition by striking the words “The City oí Forsyth” wherever they may appear in the petition, and substituting therefor “The Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Forsyth,” and praying that the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Forsyth be made a party defendant, and that the ease proceed against the municipal corporation and its marshal, J. W. Mays; and that the fi. fas. described in the petition be decreed to be void for the reason that they are issued in the name of the “City of Forsyth” instead of “The Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Forsyth.” This amendment was disallowed. The plaintiffs then further moved to amend by striking the words “its marshal” from the first line of the prayer, and the words “marshal of said city” from the prayer for process. This amendment was also disallowed. The case then proceeded to a hearing, and, after the submission of evidence, the court refused the injunction. The plaintiffs excepted to the refusal of the injunction, and to the disallowance of the amendments.
Judgment reversed.