Pioneer Real Estate Co. v. City of Portland

247 P. 319, 119 Or. 1, 1926 Ore. LEXIS 205
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedMay 10, 1926
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 247 P. 319 (Pioneer Real Estate Co. v. City of Portland) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pioneer Real Estate Co. v. City of Portland, 247 P. 319, 119 Or. 1, 1926 Ore. LEXIS 205 (Or. 1926).

Opinion

BROWN, J.

The plaintiff assails the validity of the ordinance for the reason, it asserts, that the project embraces many features other than those pertaining to a sewer and therefore is beyond the power conferred upon the City of Portland by its charter. Plaintiff says in its brief:

“The question before the court is to determine whether or not the proposed construction constitutes a sewer, manhole, lamp hole, catch-basin, or branch sewer. If it does the respondent should prevail. If it does not, the appellant should prevail.”

The testimony in the record proves beyond peradventure that the sanitary conditions in the proposed reclamation district require effectual sewering. It is unnecessary to set down the evidence relative to the unsanitary condition of the real property de: scribed, for the plaintiff, in its reply brief, frankly admits that—

“The testimony shows that the present sewers do not function properly; that portions of the city are sometimes flooded; that many of the basements are flooded annually; that the river front is unsightly and unsanitary; that rats abound in portions of the dis *7 trict; and that the lower portion of the district will fall into permanent disuse for business purposes unless something is done.”

The term “sewer” has often been defined. The following definition quoted by plaintiff is especially clear and concise:

“Drainage laws are closely akin to sewer laws. In fact, the only difference between the two is that they are called sewers in cities and closely populated communities, while they are called drains in rural and agricultural communities, and the further difference that sewers are generally covered over to prevent the escape and dissemination of foul odors and noxious gases, and conceal the passage of their contents through the streets, while drains are open. There is, however, no difference in the legal principles applicable to the two.” Mound City Land & Stock Co. v. Miller, 170 Mo. 240, 252 (70 S. W. 721, 724, 94 Am. St. Rep. 727, 60 L. R. A. 190).

As to the broad scope embraced within the term “sewer” from ancient times, see Black’s -Law Dictionary, “Sewer.”

A sewage system has for its purpose the collection and drainage of the four waters of the community. The term “sewerage” is often used to indicate anything pertaining to sewers: Sewerage and Sewage Treatment, Babbitt.

“There were very few well-built sewers in this country, prior to 1875, and no city which was equipped with a thorough system. Since 1880 great progress has been made in this branch of sanitary engineering in America.” The Americana, p. 265.

As illustrative of the need of the proposed improvement, we quote the following from an eminent authority :

*8 “Experience has shown, and continues to show, that the increase of population may be inhibited by accumulations of human waste in populous districts. The removal of these wastes is therefore essential to the existence of our modern cities.” Sewerage and Sewage Treatment, Babbitt, p. 1.

If the construction of the wall is an improvement entirely foreign to the contemplation of the charter, the provisions of the ordinance relating thereto will not be extended to accomplish such purpose. All provisions of an ordinance beyond the scope of the power granted to a municipality are void. A municipal corporation, being a creature of the law, can exercise no powers not expressly conferred upon it by the act of the lawgivers calling it into being, or such as are necessary to effectuate the power so conferred or essential to the manifest objects and purposes of the act: City of Corvallis v. Carlile, 10 Or. 139 (45 Am. Rep. 134); Beers v. Dalles City, 16 Or. 334 (18 Pac. 835).

The question of the building of the wall, the erection of the pump-house, the installation of the pumping machinery therein, or the making of the fill, as an independent proposition, is not before us for consideration. However, if their construction may be regarded as necessary means or instrumentalities in making; the proposed sewer system effectuate its purpose, then such construction is within the power granted the City of Portland by its charter. There is much testimony to the effect that the flood waters of the Willamette River obstruct the flow of the sewage and cause the filling of basements and the overflow of some of the streets within the district described in the ordinance, resulting in an unsanitary condition that menaces the public health.

*9 Under the charter of the City of Portland, the authority to determine when and where its sewer system shall be established, and the nature thereof, is vested in the city council alone, so long as it keeps within the discretion conferred upon it by that law: Applegate v. Portland, 53 Or. 552 (99 Pac. 890); De Neffe v. Duby, 115 Or. 511 (239 Pac. 109); 4 McQuillin, Municipal Corporations, §§ 1435, 1834, 1835, 1837; 2 Smith, The Modern Law of Municipal Corporations, § 1169.

Now, referring to the authority of the municipality to cleanse itself of nuisances in the manner provided by the ordinance: The whole charter, the preceding charters, the object of the legislation in creating the municipality, should be considered in construing a particular section thereof: 1 Smith, The Modern Law of Municipal Corporations, § 82. The charter is a law and should be given that construction which is best calculated to advance its object by suppressing the evil and securing the benefits intended: 36 Cyc. 1111. Moreover, where the intent of a law, is clear and manifest, words should be given a broad meaning to aid such intent: 2 Sutherland, Statutory Construction, § 590.

Relative to the matter of construction of char-^ ters of municipalities, Judge Dillon, in his work on Municipal Corporations, vol. 1, § 239, puts clearly before us the generally accepted rule in words following :

“The extent of the powers of municipalities, whether express, implied, or indispensable, is one of construction. * # The rule of strict construction of corporate powers is not so directly applicable to the ordinary clauses in the charter or incorporating acts of municipalities as it is in the charters of private corporations; but it is equally applicable to grants *10 of power to municipal and public bodies which are out of the usual range. * * The rule of strict construction does not apply to the mode adopted by the municipality to carry into effect poioers expressly or plainly granted, where the mode is not limited or prescribed by the legislature, and is left to the discretion of the municipal authorities. In such a case the usual test of the validity of the act of a municipal body is, whether it is reasonable, and there is no presumption against the mnnicipal action in such cases.”

The charter of the City of Portland, without limitation or restriction, confers upon the city council the express authority to construct sewers for the preservation of the public health, interest and convenience.

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Bluebook (online)
247 P. 319, 119 Or. 1, 1926 Ore. LEXIS 205, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pioneer-real-estate-co-v-city-of-portland-or-1926.